I went to watch Bolton Wanderers at Chesterfield on Saturda. My football matches have produced quite a few images for my strangers project and yesterday produced a fabulous stranger.
This is Jean, who alongside her elder sister Val had what can be described as a unique selling method for the matchday programmes.
I was taking some pictures of the stadium (OK I am a bit of a football anorak). Chesterfield play at the Proact Stadium, a relatively new stadium and having seen the wanderers play at their old Stadium, Saltergate, this was a chance for me to add another "old stadium / new stadium" to my own growing double stadium visit list.
Anyway, back on track, I was taking some pictures of the stadium and I could hear some banter between Jean, Val and some Bolton Wanderers youths.
Three lads were being a bit noisy, walking down the Sheffield Road towards the stadium singing Bolton football songs... well that hard to learn song "Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, Wanderers, ...Wanderers"
"Do you want some programmes" shouted Val
"No, we are from Bolton"
"You don't want programmes?, Why Not? Don't be miserable buggers buy a programme"
"We can be miserable , from Bolton"
I had a little smile at the banter
"Quick Val, there are some more people coming along, Don't let them pass"
Another man approaches and there is more banter, something about being an "upper" (which I have googled and I think it might be a posh bit of Chesterfield)
As I approached, I didn't know which sister to ask for a photograph, but decided to go for Jean as I liked her Chesterfield hat as it helps tell the story"
"Do you want a program" smiled Jean
"Actually, I am an amateur photographer and I'd like to take a photo of you"
"Oh yes that's fine yes"
"Can you look this way so I have the stadium in the background and there is some nice low sunlight on your face"
"Val there are some more people coming, I can't help you, as I'm having my photo took. I'm a model now Val"
I took about 10 pictures of Jean and then asked her some background questions.
"How long have you been following Chesterfield?"
"Over fifty years, I've done lots of jobs here too"
"That;'s a long time, How old are you"
"Me I'm 67" says Jean
"That's my older sister, Val"
"Older sister, Really?" (I don't know why I questioned that !!)
Val chirps in "Yes she's my baby sister, I'm nine years older than her"
Wow, I thought to myself, two ladies aged 67 and 76 selling programmes on a street corner on a cold December afternoon. That's dedication to the football club.
I show Jean the images on the back of the camera.
"Is it OK if I put them online"
"Yes of course it is "
"Val, he's going to put them online"
"Ehhh what kind of website is it Jean"
"Is it one of those, you know, one of those ones?....."
Both Val and Jean roar with laughter !!!
I tell Jean about the 100 strangers and leave her an her sister to enjoy there banter with the supporters
Image edited in Rawtherapee with an Ilford HP5 - film emulation, a tad bit of tone mapping and use of the wavelets tool.
This picture is number 60 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
https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
My own strangers can be seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/57144254@N08/albums/72157657822400168
@beryl thanks beryl :)
@Cherrill yes i thought the same for 67 cherrill
@colinbarber013 cheers colin
@quietpurplehaze thanks Haze, although I am not sure what you mean by 61 and 60 !!!
In the title Jean is No. 61; at the end of your text she is No.60?!