100 Strangers : No. 78 : David

We went to Newark today to visit Waitrose as we had some vouchers (£8-00 off your shop when you spend £40-00). Bargain don't you think ?

Anyway before we shopped in Waitrose we went for a walk around Newark as it is a lovely little Market town.

We were in a shop when I noticed a really cute lurcher dog outside with it's humans.

"Aww Jane (that's the wife btw) look at that Lurcher"

"Awwwwwwww"

"Do you like it?"

"Yes"

"Shall I go and take it's picture"

"Yes Good Idea"

"It's owners look like they might make good strangers too"

So I went outside and asked the human owners of Murphy the lurcher, if I could stroke him.

Murphy was a really cute dog and I struck up a conversation with Murphy's humans about dogs. We have a rescue whippet which is essentially a lurcher without the big fur or is a lurcher a whippet with big fur ?

Anyway Murphy, just like our Ruby, is a rescue Dog and was one day away from being put down before his owners rescued him, about 6 years ago. Coincidentally it was six years ago we rescued our whippet too.

I took some shots of Murphy (they will appear on my photostream in the next few days) and showed them to his owners and offered to email Murphy's pictures to them.

I then told Murphy's male human, David, about my 100 strangers project and asked if it was OK to photograph David too.


David said it was OK and I asked him to move over towards the brick wall of the passageway we were stood in. I noticed too that despite it being a grey cloudy day, there was a bit of sun behind the clouds and if I positioned David correctly I might get a little catchlight in his eyes.

David took his glasses off for some shots and raised his head too as I was worried about his hat putting his face in the shade. The without glasses shots had better catchlights, but I liked this one best as I think David's glasses are part of his character and add to the image.

David is a carer and described himself as a "man of the street"

I gave David one of my little cards and told him to email me for some pics.

Thank you David for taking part in my 100 strangers project. I am really pleased with the shots I got of you.

Edited in Darktable, utilising the clarity tool of the equaliser to bring out the mid toned.

This picture is number 78 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

[Judith Johnson]

Now he looks a very interesting character! I LUV the glasses! What a terrific photo Phil.

[*lynn]

great portrait

[A]

Nice portrait, he looks very thoughtful :)

[Cherrill]

Another great story Phil. I like the look of this chap, interesting. Looking forward to the pictures of Murphy. Maybe you could do a series of 100 dogs :-)

[Hazel]

Instant fav - love the shot - made me smile for some reason (good reason). But no those vouchers are not good value as you spend too much making sure you have spent enough. Ray has decided to stop being a shopping tart and just shop at Aldi.... Hope you are having a nice break from work at Easter.

[Phil Howcroft]

@quietpurplehaze thanks hazw, we are savvy shoppers a combo of Aldi, Lidl, ASDA and Waitrose. David was a fabulous stranger

@Cherrill I will post Murphy soon. I have thought about doing Dogs and their owners :)

@blueace thanks annie, glad you like this

@lynnz thank you lynn :)

@busylady thanks judith, i am pleased you like this, it is one of my better strangers :)

[Hazel]

@phil_howcroft

No Sainsbury's?! We like Asda for whole fish. Not so keen on Lidl. But savvy shoppers is good!

[Phil Howcroft]

@quietpurplehaze we do sainsbury's too and Tesco when they have bargains. Sainsbury's seem a tad expensive

[Hazel]

@phil_howcroft

We think Waitrose is most expensive. We should start a savvy shoppers' club maybe !!

[Jen Hudson]

Great capture, superb portrait shot. What a character, like the peer over glasses look. Great eye expression.

[Dione Giorgio]

You are an amazing person, Phil, the way you find a reason to go up to a person you don't know, start a conversation and viola', you have the guy 'begging' you to take his/her picture. This is another fantastic portrait of yours. Love the eyes and how the spectacles are pulled down his nose. Fav.

[Granagringa]

These keep getting better and better, & they're so good to begin with.

[Alison Hewitt Bailey]

He reminds me of some of the more bohemian people I studied and worked with in my librarian days and lots of folkies I've encountered when I've taken part in clubs and sessions.
Great portrait, Phil.