Taking a week off from my day job as a photojournalism instructor, and diving into one of the most intense video journalism workshops in North America was by no means a walk in the park. As I embarked on a 10-day marathon of learning at the famed Platypus Workshop in Portland, Oregon, we were tasked with finding a story that had good visual appeal. We set out looking for one amidst the eclectic cultural scene in downtown Portland, and what we eventually found was an incredibly interesting character - a local busker/street performer named Lefty.

Lefty (a Vietnam veteran) was no ordinary street performer, however. His catchy blues/rockabilly musical style was augmented by a very distinctive raspy voice, his eccentric and hippy persona, and a unique method of playing the guitar given the fact that he is an amputee. You see, his right arm is missing! Lefty is a one-armed guitar player.

The following video is my first attempt at video storytelling. Enjoy...