100 Strangers : Round 2 : No. 198 : Sandy, Pixie and Hayley

On Saturday I went to Bolton to watch the Wanderers. I sometimes travel with my friend Bill, who is the other Bolton Wanderers fan from Arnold. We normally go straight to the stadium, but Bill was paying a visit to his brother, so he dropped me off in Bolton just before midday and I had a couple of hours to wander around the town centre. It was a bit of a nostalgic trip as I’ve not been in the town centre for many years.

I took my best camera with me in order to take some street shots of Bolton and keep my eye out for strangers.

I was on Bank Street, taking some photos of the buildings when I spotted Sandy walking towards me. He has a fabulous hair style and I just had to ask him for a photo.

I asked him if he used to be a punk rocker back in the day, but he told me he just liked to look “colourful”.

Sandy is a Thai Boxing coach (his boxing club was in a street across the way). He is a 5th degree red and silver grade which is equivalent to 5th dan black belt. He fought professionally and won British and European titles. As well as coaching at his club Sandy also runs anti Bullying courses and drug awareness courses in schools and colleges. I’d say all the above makes Sandy a really top man.

I took several photos of Sandy and intended my 198th stranger to be just a solo portrait of Sandy. When Sandy asked me if I could take a photo of him, his girlfriend Hayley and Pixie their Chihuahua, I decided all three together made a better stranger photo and helped to complete the story. I didn’t get a back story for Hayley and Pixie, but I am sure you will agree the photo of all three is fabulous.

I told them I was from Nottingham and having a nostalgic walk around Bolton. Sandy recommended a social media site I might be interested in which included lots of old photos of Bolton.

On the way home from the match, I had a text and WhatsApp from Sandy saying nice to meet you and letting me know how to send him the pics.

Thanks for being strangers number 198 Sandy, Pixie and Hayley it was nice to meet you all.


Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page

https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers
My own strangers can be seen here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/albums/72157657822400168

[Allison Williams]

You have outdone yourself this time, Phil. Love the happy trio. I especially like Sandy’s coiffure which, at first I thought was a crown. It is a wonderful metaphor for his attitude toward Life. Well done, both of you!

[Phil Howcroft]

@allie912 allison, thank you for your really lovely comment and observation about a crown :) , it was a clever observation :)

[FBailey]

What a great addition to your Strangers Project Phil - Pixie is beautifully marked

[Phil Howcroft]

@fbailey thanks felicity , Pixie almost steals the show !

[Sylvia du Toit]

Love the hair style! Fav

[KWind]

I've never seen hair like that before! Great portrait! So clear!

[Casablanca]

They sound lovely! They say that owners and dogs tend to look alike, so I think Pixie favours the lady here, but oh I felt nostalgic looking at that punk hairstyle!

[Beryl Lloyd]

Ha ha ha !! At first I thought he had a mini crown on his head !! What a great portrait !

[Lesley]

This is lovely. Well done with your quest. Your portraits have been fabulous.

[Caterina]

This is so funny, Phil! fav

[Dione Giorgio]

Great shot. Fun hairstyle for Sandy. I may be very wrong, but at first I thought the lady was one of your daughters. I remember mostly her lovely smile.

[Hazel]

Vibrant shot and interesting commentary! fav

[Richard Brown]

Great image as usual. Your confidence interacting with strangers is impressive. I feel self conscious taking photos let alone asking people to be in the shot. This is probably why i take landscapes!

[Christopher Cox]

Fantastic portrait - love it!

[PhotoCrazy]

Fabulous folks, pic!!