On Saturday we went into Nottingham to do some Christmas Shopping. I also took time out to have a walk around Hockley with my camera looking for strangers.
I saw some young men wearing face masks, setting up a few posters. I knew one of them would be make a great stranger , so I went for a chat with them about their protest.
I am pleased to introduce Kingston to you, complete with his face mask. Kingston and his colleagues were raising awareness of the situation in Hong Kong.
Kingston comes from Hong Kong and is studying architecture at Uni’
Now we have a new government the students have drafted a letter to the government asking them to address eight key issues. Kingston also told me they would be canvassing local MP’s about the situation and the collective demands of the students.
I hope they are successful with their campaign, the new government doesn’t seem to have a policy about Hong Kong, other than do nothing about it.
The group had previously targeted the HSBC bank and had received a positive response from the public. They were holding a meeting at the Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery later that afternoon
I decided to post the image in mono as I think it gives the image a more urban , gritty feel and the message on Kingston’s hand held demands poster looks better in mono than colour.
Thanks for being strangers number 199 Kingston, I hope you had a good reception from the people of Nottingham for your protest.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Excellent in B&W. This has a particularly fine grain. Were you unnerved by the mask? I think it would have disturbed me, even if I support his policies.
@allie912 Allison, I guessed they were students, in an open public place, so the mask was just their way of telling the public the demonstration was in solidarity with their contemporaries in Hong Kong
These students & residents of Hong Kong are so brave challenging the government at every point. You do worry for them but they seem determined, hope they continue to demonstrate safely. Nice capture Phil.
