The moment I saw Hay Chay, I knew he would make for a compelling picture.
The 69-year-old Cambodian refugee was one of the original farmers on a plot of land at the end of a southeastern San Diego cul-de-sac. The farm was shut down this past summer as the city and a local nonprofit renegotiated the lease for the property.
I knew that for Adrian Florido’s story, I’d want photos of Chay alongside Ourn Lun, who toiled on the land until the farmers were evicted this past summer.
But first, I lifted my camera and shot one frame of Chay. That was all it took. I didn’t need any fancy lights or camera techniques. His expression, his demeanor, his calm in front of the camera and his face told the story without much work on my end. One frame was all it took.
Please contact Sam Hodgson directly at sam.hodgson@voiceofsandiego.org or 619.550.5664 and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/samuelhodgson.