Haze's strangers: No.108: Adam, Claire, Sam and Ben
En route to Wales earlier in the week, we stopped at Tredegar, a National Trust property, for a break. As we were walking in the walled garden, the mum of this family, Claire, asked to have a photo of them all taken on her mobile.
Ray duly obliged (I am useless with touch screens and usually take burst of photos by mistake) and while he was taking a couple of shots the idea was germinating in my mind to ask if I could take a photo or two of the family with my camera.
That was agreed and I showed the shots on the camera screen and then went on to explain about my strangers' portrait project. That was also agreed and then I asked what I could say about their family to accompany their portrait.
A short pause and then Adam had an idea and asked Claire to tell me what they were doing that day. Which she did: they were on their way to Cardiff from Bath for a rendezvous with two families each of whom had a son who was born at the same time in the hospital in Bath as Adam and Claire's eldest, Ben.
I liked this and wondered what else they could add.
Adam came to the rescue again and suggested Claire should explain her New Year's Resolution to me. She had resolved that the family should go for a walk together each weekend and take a photo each time to remember their outing. She wanted to keep some family contact as the boys grew up rather than them all always following their separate interests in their free time.
Taking a group shot is, I find, more difficult than a solo portrait but this was effortless with such a happy smiling family.
I've already emailed a photo to Claire and she was really pleased. Thanks to them all for being in my project.
Well its a wonderful resulting family portrait Hazel, you have them all smiling looking relaxed and comfortable, I'm sure they will be delighted to receive a copy, sounds like Claire has the right idea about family photography:)
A really lovely photograph of this family. I'm the same as you - I often offer to take a family photo for people and usually end up getting 20 shots on their mobiles - they are so sensitive. Give me a camera any day! Nice to have some info about them too.
It's a great shot, Hazel - I'm sure they will have been pleased as they're all looking so happy. What a great idea to spend time together as a family too.
