We met Teagan in Durlston Country Park in Dorset. We were walking a short stretch of the Coastal path; she was working along a drystone wall beside the path. We stopped to say hello and she told us that she was clearing the encroaching vegetation.
Teagan works every Friday as a volunteer at the country park, her day being split into two different parts: in the morning she tackles a special job, explaining that the previous week she and another volunteer had replaced a kissing gate at the park. In the afternoon she is free to roam and choose her activity to a certain extent, such as litter picking, answering visitors' queries or giving them advice on how to make the most of their visit.
At this point, I thought to ask for a portrait and when she knew it was for my strangers' portrait project, Teagan was happy to agree. We were standing in a shady area under trees so the dazzling midday sunlight was not too much of a problem and I took 4 shots, 2 on auto/portrait and 2 on aperture priority.
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I asked Teagan about other hobbies and she said anything to do with the outdoor life appeals to her.. The previous day she had cycled 65 miles and that morning, before starting work as a volunteer, had swum a mile. She was hoping for another cycle ride, with a friend, the following day.
Ray asked about her name and found it is of Celtic origin. Her work was as a P.E. teacher and I think she must have been inspirational for her students.
We said our goodbyes and I gave my thanks for the portrait and we made our way to the café to try some Dorset Apple Cake.
