USAF Captain Stephen M. Chomiak

 While on assignment to shoot the 21st Annual Christmas Toys in the Sun Motorcycle Run for the Sun Sentinel, a South Florida daily newspaper, I spent the entire day photographing all aspects of the motorcycle subculture. In the middle of shooting portraits of the bikers on this overcast day, I came across what would lead to be my best photograph from the take. It was United States Air Force Captain Stephen M. Chomiak, a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 23, who inspired this photograph. For the past nine years, Captain Chomiak has set up his replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall at Markham Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as a part of the annual Toys in the Sun Motorcycle Run. About 35,000 motorcycles ride from Pompano Harness track to Markham Park for the event every year, and this year, over 60,000 toys in addition to approximately $500,000 were brought in to donate to charity for the holidays. Seeing it through the lens of my camera made the event much more meaningful, seeing as how I have participated in the event with my father in years past.