En route home from Wales, we stopped at Hungerford. As Ray parked the car, I saw a colourful flower stall further up the street. We walked in that direction and, camera in hand as usual, I asked the stallholder if I could take a few photos. I felt he was a little reluctant although he did agree.
Ray had a look around as we needed some bedding plants. After a bit I thought to ask the stallholder if I could take his photo. The reply was a quiet and polite but very definite 'No'.
There was a little pause before I explained my stranger series. He asked just how the photo would be used. After a little more explanation, it was agreed I could take a portrait. I introduced myself and learnt the stallholder was Richard.
I asked if he would stand in front of the stall and took a couple of shots. I discovered that Richard, with his colleague, has this stall in the street every Wednesday and operates from a garden centre at Wantage.
He also runs his own 7 acre nursery in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
I asked Richard if he would like to add to his story and he then told me that he has bred black flat-coated retrievers for some 20 years and enjoys much success with them at shows and field trials. He went behind the stall for his mobile phone to show me a photo of a beautiful retriever with a glossy black coat recently acquired for £5,000.
As we were standing in a slightly different location, I took a couple more photos, one of which is a choice here even though there is a busy street background.
Richard then asked me if I have a tripod and I replied 'No. Why?' He said because my hand was a bit shaky so I told him it's a side effect from my meds for bipolar disorder. My feeling is that a tripod would just be an encumbrance and I added that my photos are always sharp even when I use my macro lens which has no stabilisation.
It was nice, however, of him to be helpful. It made me reflect that a first impression of an encounter can be misleading. I don't make a habit of revealing personal details to my strangers but I must have felt comfortable to do so.
By this time Ray had bought for the garden: two standard pink fuchsias with flowers that open to the sun instead of their usual droop, trays of lobelia in dark and light blue and pink, impatiens in mixed colours, bunches of purple, mauve and red scented stocks and a bunch of large pink peonies... As Richard and I turned back to the stall, he was just in time to persuade Ray to make the last item a 'twofer' and add a bunch of lime-green peonies.
As we parted, I gave Richard my card and said he was welcome to photos. The flowers safely stowed in the car, we went in search of a cup of tea before resuming our journey.
Strangers' portraiture meetings definitely include much give and take. I learn from every one of the encounters.
Our house is now filled with colour and perfume.
to see more photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150442566@N07/48054934196/in/dateposted-public/
Would like to see all your new bedding plants...
I always give a card - some get in touch, some don't.
Give them a few weeks - I'll try to remember!