This afternoon we went to the Mapperley Park Open Gardens event in Nottingham
Mapperley Park is an area of the city as opposed to an actual park. It is within the city boundaries and is a very desirable postcode, with some impressive old houses with some "new builds" tastefully incorporated into the area.
Fourteen houses opened their gardens to the public. A £4-00 admission fee per person allowed you access to some beautiful mature city centre gardens. Cream Teas, cakes, beer, cider, champagne, jazz bands and brass bands were on offer at various venues. The event was raising money for four local charities. A really good idea and an excellent sense of community spirit.
There was also a 'treasure hunt' involving finding answers to various clues in each garden. Once you had answered 9 questions correctly you were entitled to a free tea and cake at one of 3 venues.
This is where I met Bisharat, a friendly lady with a nice smile.
Bisharat was on a cake stall in a community garden that belonged to a group of residents on a very nice private estate on the site of an old hall.
When I presented my card, with "9 correct answer stamps" Bisharat and her friends seemed pleasantly surprised that I had actually gone to the trouble of completing the task. In fact I was the first customer of the day who had submitted a completed card.
We had some general chit chat about how nice the event was and I said I never knew the area existed. Bisharat pointed out which of the surrounding houses was hers.
I claimed my free drink (Orange Juice) and then Basharat offered me the choice of cake. Well, it was quite an array of home made cakes . Carrot Cake, Chocolate Cake, Coffee Cake, Victoria Sponge and more...
I opted for the Victoria Sponge.
I then told Bisharat and her friends about my project to photograph 100 strangers.
Bisharat smiled and said yes she would let me take her photo. I said she was stood in a good location , with a garage door as a backdrop and the sun behind the clouds making some nice catchlights in her eyes.
I took a few head and shoulder shots and then Bisharat's friend suggested I do a shot of Bisharat holding her cakes.
When Bisharat picked up the coffee cake tray, I felt a little guilty that I had not chosen her cake.
I then wrote my name and flickr account details on a piece of paper so that Bisharat can take a look at her picture.
I hope she likes the shot when she takes a look :)
Thanks for being stranger number 33 in my project Bisharat.
This picture is number 33 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
100 Strangers Flickr Group page
My own strangers can be seen here:
www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/albums/72157657822400168
@irisr Thanks Jacqui, as for charisma lol , I just smile and ask nicely :)
@sangwann thanks dione, i think a major part of the strangers series is the story behind the shot and the story of the stranger :)
@gamelee thankks lee, very kind of you to say so :)