During lockdown and tier 3 restrictions I haven’t captured many strangers. Those who I have captured have tended to be local strangers in municipal parks. Today I met two strangers in Arnot Hill Park.
Rebecca and Angela (Angela is my next stranger), were sat on a bench drinking a flask of coffee (well I assumed it was coffee) and some home made shortbread cakes.
As I walked past them I nodded and said hello and then they both gave an “awwwww” at Ruby (my little whippet) in her winter coat with fur lined collar.
“Do you want to say hello to her” I said “Ruby say hello to the ladies”
They both made a big fuss over Ruby and I told them about her rescue history.
While they were admiring her winter coat, I told them that the fur collar used to live on her hood, but we had to cut off the hood as it kept falling over Ruby’s head and she couldn’t see where she was walking and I kept wondering why she kept stopping !!! Both Rebecca and Angela thought this was hilarious and laughed out loud. At that point the ice was broken and we continued to chat about dogs. Ruby was doing her best to try and convince Angela that she would like a bit of shortbread !
I had my camera around my neck , so it was quite easy to ask for a portrait and introduce the idea of 100 strangers.
“Do you want me to photograph you together or individually”
“Well we are following the lockdown rule of meeting one person from one other family in a public place and we are socially distancing on the bench, so you better photograph us individually said Rebecca.
Rebecca and Angela are used to work together
The image is shot on a Sony A7, with a vintage SMC Pentax-m 1:1.7 lens.
It is a beautiful lens in excellent condition and as you can see by Rebecca’s smile, it takes great photos
Thank you for being stranger 143 Rebecca, I hope you had a good catchup with Angela.
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
Know what I mean?
What a lovely warm smile she has. You brought it out perfectly in your capture. You are so good at making friends with strangers and convincing them to pose for you. Of course Ruby is always there to give you a helping hand.
