Venezuela: Street Preacher

Imagine this scene. You are walking around the downtown district of a very prosperous city. The hustle of everyday life surrounds you as you set up your microhone and speaker and begin to attract a crowd, the people wondering what you are selling. Only you aren't selling anything, really. You have come to tell whoever will listen, that God is real, Jesus is alive, and that you would like to share the story of how you know this to be true.

It takes passion, courage and total abandonment to share your heart with total strangers. I have at times been glad I could hide behind my camera as those more brave did the frontline work. Over the years though, I have learned that fear of speaking out goes away when you are trusting the one that gave you a message to share.

I had photographed the street preachers many times and decided to look for a different angle. Fortunately, the doorman of a nearby building let me go to the roof without a lot of red tape and releases.

(70-200mm lens at 135mm, 1/500sec, ISO400)