Nils Blondon brings us this fantastic portrait of a man named Steven. We love the play of light and dark and the sense of prophecy in this image.

Nils tells Dr. Hurley, “I never leave my house without my camera, and often spend hours trolling through vacant homes and storefronts looking for a good shot. I look for grit and character in my subjects, and it often works as a system of barter – they ask me for smokes, or money, and in return, I ask for a photo. I’m on a first name basis with nearly all of those I shoot. I take the time to sit with them and ask questions. I always shake my hands and introduce myself after I take their picture.”

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Nils Blondon is a writer, photographer, student, and educator with a background in music, journalism, and social work.  His recent projects include the photo-documentation of Toronto’s disused buildings, along with its displaced, addicted, and homeless residents. He takes time to establish a rapport with those he shoots. All of his subjects participate willingly. He blogs his work at www.nilsphoto.tumblr.com and his submissions to Dr. Hurley’s Snake-Oil Cure can be seen here.