100 Strangers : No. 15 : Peter and Linda by phil_howcroft

100 Strangers : No. 15 : Peter and Linda

It was a lovely sunny afternoon today, so after our lunch we walked to Arnot Hill Park, Arnold.

Arnot Hill Park is known as the "Duck Park" to the residents of Arnold and surrounding districts.

It's a busy urban park and when I started my 100 strangers project back in September, I thought it may be a good place to get some strangers pictures. Although we often go for a walk to the Duck Park, today was my first 100 strangers from the said location.

As we walked by the lake I noticed Peter and Linda sat on a bench by the old council house.

We did our circle of the park and they were still sat there. I told Jane I was going to approach them for a strangers project, so she quickly disappeared around the corner with our Ruby.... "I'm not standing there while you ask them !!"

So I approached Peter and Linda and explained that I was an amateur photographer and was doing some street photography of strangers.

Peter was up for it straight away. "Yes of course you can" and then slipped his arm around Linda.

The bench they were sat on had some harsh winter sun illuminating the side of their faces, so I asked them if they could move to the side away from the sun.

I clicked a few shots and Peter said "It's a bit like on our wedding day, having our photo shot again". I asked Peter how long they had been married and he said forty years (that's FORTY years) and they lived in Woodthorpe which is an nice district of Nottingham and is next to Arnold (not that Arnold isn't a nice place I may add)

I took some more photos with some winter trees as the background. I liked this shot best (well Jane said it was the best of the series), but it had a drainpipe behind them , so I have attempted to clone it out by the 'heal selection tool' in GIMP.

I edited the original RAW file in Rawtherapee, but then sent it to GIMP to remove the drainpipe. Don't look too closely at the wall or you will see my cloning attempt !!

I thanked Peter and Linda for the Photoshoot and shook their hands. I asked them if they wanted a copy, but they said no it was OK just enjoy your project :)


This picture is number 15 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page

My own strangers can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/albums/72157657822400168

There is a mono picture of Peter and Linda on my Flickr photostream if you want to take a peek
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/24213930681/in/dateposted-public/
January 10th, 2016  
Wonderful portrait, and nice that you get to know the people too.
January 10th, 2016  
You mentioned it so I had to look for the drainpipe! lol
Have to say that it is very nicely cloned out!
Very brave of you to approach strangers ...... another fab shot for your series :)
January 10th, 2016  
I am sorry to say I would be with Jane on that one....Harry woukd completely ban me for ever asking that question if wanted him to come out with me again. Wimps I know & you Hazel get so much info that's so interesting. I wish I was brave enough! Great capture Phil!
January 10th, 2016  
I love your stranger shots and stories, I cannot wait spring when there is some sunlight after working hours.
January 10th, 2016  
@gazdi cheers :) it is a slow process / project :)

@happypat you did one didn't you Pat a few weeks ago....a stranger ....I am sure you did. Thanks for your comment :)

@willowdragon cheers Al, only another 85 to go :) :)

@bizziebeeme thanks lou, glad you like my shot
January 10th, 2016  
@phil_howcroft Well he was a chap,that was painting the house so had got to know him a bit & he was a captive victim so to speak!
January 10th, 2016  
Very nice double portrait, Phil. Thanks for the link to the b&w on Flickr and I'm bound to be truthful and say that I prefer that one: smiles bokeh, background..... (I think that you will soon have some more portrait opportunities at The Big Match replay?!!! What a state that pitch was in despite all the work we saw being done on it on local TV beforehand!)
January 11th, 2016  
Still searching for that drainpipe Phil.... well cloned!
January 11th, 2016  
Your narrative is as cute as the picture, Phil. I would have done like Jane did if I were there. Probably your lovely friendly smile won them over. Another of your gorgeous portraits.
January 11th, 2016  
Fab Phil - wish I could get up the confidence for this!
January 11th, 2016  
@judithg I am sure you would take to a strangers project really well :)

@sangwann thanks as always for your great comments on my portraits dione :)

@alinz LOL Ali , it is behind Linda :)

@quietpurplehaze thanks for the lovely comments Haze. As for the Bolton v Eastleigh replay, I struggle to get to midweek night matches so I won't be there. In fact nobody might be there as HMRC may wind us up for none payment of PAYE and VAT a week today (18th January)
January 12th, 2016  
@phil_howcroft

Oh, I'm sorry - that would be an ignominious end to Bolton Wanderers. And a stomping ground for strangers would also disappear.
January 12th, 2016  
p.s. I like the way your strangers' shots are displayed on Flickr.
January 12th, 2016  
Lovely, natural, relaxed portrait as always, Phil.
I was going to ask if you could claim it as nos. 14 and 15 but after all those years of marriage, you do feel like one person in some ways! (It's our 40th in July, so I know about these things. :-) )
January 12th, 2016  
What a lovely capture of this couple, and a great story. Must be fun to meet so many folks and here their stories. Hope you are putting some sort of book together?
January 12th, 2016  
Super natural portraits :)
January 12th, 2016  
@quietpurplehaze Bolton lost again tonight Haze, leaving us firmly on the bottom of the league, we are going down or going under, either way the future is bleak. thanks re the flickr project

@eyesmile no book gena, just a record on here and on flickr :) . thanks for your kind words :)

@ivan cheers ivan :)

@dulciknit thanks alison, i think the general rule on the strangers project is if you have two strangers in the photo it is still a ONE'er rather than a TWO'er, although I have seen people count them as TWO :) We are 32 years this June, so 8 years behind you :)
January 12th, 2016  
You really make strangers feel special by your approach and technique. It is too bad you can't produce a photo on the spot like a Polaroid. I love your wife's comment, "I'm not standing there while you ask them !!" Typical response by the non-photographer spouse!
January 13th, 2016  
You are good at this Phil...lovely portrait
January 15th, 2016  
Great write up, Phil. My wife is also Jane and she would be doing exactly the same. Really nice portrait too.
January 15th, 2016  
Lovely portrait and so nice that you got a little information from them.
January 15th, 2016  
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