My stranger 26 (Lena) told me about the Em-Con TV and Film conference at the Nottingham Arena.
You've already seen Cory (Joker in Wonderland) from the people outside the arena, well meet Dave..
Dave was dressed in military gear with replica rifles, guns and other paraphernalia and was stood behind some rope next to a couple of cars
I asked Dave if I could take his picture and he immediately said "Yes" and struck up a pose.
I asked Dave about his replica firearms...
"Are you allowed to carry replica guns around the City Centre? Do you get into trouble?"
Dave explained that if you re part of an organisation then you can carry weapons. Dave went on to say that most replica guns and rifles have to have an orange coloured tip, but as he was part of a club then he was exempt from the tip. I thought Dave said he was also part of a Startrek Storm troopers group , but on reflection I may have misunderstood him and he was using the stormtroopers as an example.
I then asked Dave what he was doing and what his role was today. Dave looked at his costume an guns and the stated "Security"..."Oh yes I replied"
I later learned that the cars Dave was guarding were bumblebee and barricade from the Transformers series ! So one can understand Dave's need to secure them :)
Thanks Dave for being my stranger 28
Edited in Rawtherpee with an Agfa APX 25 film emulation and then sent to GIMP to clone out the rope and a few other distracting bits.
This picture is number 28 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 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
My gosh, he looks so real. You were very brave to go over and ask for a photo. What would have been the situation if he was for real and trigger happy! Love your narrative as always. Gorgeous capture.
Cool portrait, Phil. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort he must have put in to kit up like that. It's not an outfit you just slip into on a Monday morning:)
