A chance encounter last Saturday afternoon, while walking through downtown Edmonton brought a smile to my face.

I was walking around for a couple of hours with my camera, getting some exercise and taking some pictures – mostly landscape, architectural or just interesting stuff or angles. As I walked down Jasper Avenue east of the Convention Centre I passed a group of guys hanging out. This is an area where transient and homeless people often spend their days, so  I generally avoid eye contact and keep to myself.

As I passed these guys, I had my earbuds in (listening to some jazz tunes). I thought I heard one of them make a comment and ask if I would take their picture. Not sure exactly what I had heard and not wanting to be rude I pulled out my earbud and asked if they wanted me to take their picture and said sure if they wanted. The four of them quickly got organized into a close group, put on good genuine smiles and I took this photo:

Edmonton’s Least Wanted

After taking the photo and starting to leave one of them suggested that I post it on the nearby bus shelter, and title it “Edmonton’s Most Wanted”. Then someone said “No, call it Edmonton’s LEAST Wanted”. I smiled farewell and continued on my way.

This is not the first time (in fact I think it is the fourth) that I’ve been asked by strangers in the downtown area to take their photos. None of these people would ever have thought that they would see the photos but nonetheless they wanted their image captured. I don’t know why but that makes me happy. I am happy to be able to do this little thing for them and I am happy for the genuine smile that each one of them presented to me, to the camera.