Andrew M. Guthrie Internship Photo Auction

This photo was taken in Myanmar at the Yangon train station. It is a beautiful colonial building, but that morning there was none of the hustle and bustle of a train station. Many people were waiting on trains, but there were no signs that departure was imminent. Indeed, I never saw or heard a train leave while I was there. The walkway had families sleeping on the benches and on the floor outside the bathroom. The morning light, the colonial building, the old trains, and the waiting families made it a great place to shoot.

When I spotted this boy on a train I was drawn to the perfect way the light washed over his face. Framed by a wall of blue, the boy remained still as he watched me look for my next shot, which of course was going to be him. My first thought was to wait a bit, thinking that when I pointed my camera at him he would turn away. But he kept staring directly at me. He wanted me to take his picture. So I did. He never moved, displaying a quiet confidence that was almost bold.

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