While walking in Nottingham’s Lace Market, I saw Jasmin, brushing rubbish off the steps to the entrance to the National Justice Museum.
“Morning how are you” I said
“Fine thank you”
“Wow I cannot believe how many cigarette butts there are on the entrance steps and broken glass too”
“Yes, I know, we had a load of student in last night, they made a bit off a mess, smashed up an aftershave bottle on the steps and yes all the cigarette butts”
“Oh I’m sorry you have to this, I didn’t realise the museum was a drinking venue”
“It was a private party, hired out for the night by the students”
“Ahh right, I hope you job description includes sweeping rubbish up from students”
“It has to be done!”
“I assume you work here”
“Yes, I teach here”
“Teach, ahh right, will you be busy soon with visits during half term. What do you teach”
“I teach awareness of knife crime”
“Ohh right, that’s a good thing to teach, quite specialist too, did you have special training for it”
“Yes I recently returned from a course in London. I started the job when the pandemic broke, so I couldn’t attend the course, but I still taught the content anyway. Did you read about the machete wielding youths a couple of weeks ago”
“Yes I remember hearing something about it on the radio”
“Well I have the people who did that in next week, bad lads”
“Really, well good luck with that”
I then asked Jasmin if she would take part in my strangers project
“Yes of course”
I asked Jasmin to stand by one of the pillars near the entrance, to create a frame within the frame, as you can see the autumnal morning light was lovely for a portrait.
I gave Jasmin a contact card and asked her name ...”Jasmine”
“With a S or Z?”
“S and no E”
That was it photoshoot over, I was really pleased with the photos when I saw them on my camera screen. Thank you Jasmin for allowing me to photograph you. Good luck with your job at the museum.
Gorgeous portrait Phil. You have captured those beautiful eyes perfectly. And she has a lovely smile too. Fav. My granddaughter has started university this year and has chosen law.
