On Christmas Eve, Jane and I, together with my daughters and their husbands all went into Nottingham for some lunchtime tapas and festive drinks. Prior to the tapas , my wife and daughters went for some last minute retail therapy, my son in laws went to sort out some concert tickets and I had a little wander around Hockley and the Lace Market looking for my milestone 200th stranger.
As I was walking by the Pit and Pendulum bar, I noticed a young lady setting up the kerbside tables for the bar. She had amazing make up, hair, glasses and a great outfit, so I could not walk by her without asking for a portrait.
I walked over to Kirsty and asked her if I could take her picture. I am pleased to say she said “Yes”, but asked me to wait for a minute while she completed setting up the chairs and tables. While she was setting up I was working out how best to photograph her. I decided to try and be a bit artistic by using one of the pillars of the entrance as a frame stopper and shoot wide open to get a blurry street scene behind her. I don’t think I quite got the true arty feel I wanted, but I did get a superb photo of Kirsty.
I asked Kirsty if she worked at the bar, which on reflection was rather a daft question to ask , as she was setting up the tables for when the bar opened ! Kirsty told me she was one of the managers of the bar. She had worked there almost six years, having started working in the bar when she was 18 and now she was 23. I told her she had done well to become a manager at 23.
I told her I liked her tattoos and they would look good in the photo with the colours of the bar and her outfit. Kirsty told me she had three tattoos, the other one being on her leg.
I tried a shot with Kirsty facing up the street rather than down the street in this photo. The background was better in the other photo , but Kirsty’s smile and her direct look at the camera work better in this shot.
I thanked Kirsty for taking time to talk to me and let me photograph her on one of the busiest days of the year for the bar and pub trade. I gave her one of my contact cards.
Kirsty told me she had never heard of the 100 strangers project, but would look it up. I hope she likes the photo and write up when she finds it.
So there you have it. I think Kirsty is a great finish to my second round of 100 strangers. It’s took me just over 4 years to complete 200 strangers, which is quite a good rate of strangers per week, per month , per year.
I will now be starting my 3rd round of 100 strangers.
Hurrah for your decision to start a third year with this Strangers Challenge. I really enjoy seeing your posts and reading your scripts. Fabulous capture to wind up year two.
Goodness me you picked a cracker for your 200th stranger....she looks amazing...love the individuality here. Fabulous detail & Kirsty will love this one!
@sangwann Dione, I am pleased you like this and like the fact I am going to do another 100 :)
@quietpurplehaze thanks Haze, it is great to look back at my early strangers to see how my style has changed :)
@beryl thanks beryl , I am pleased Kirsty brought a smile to you :)
@casablanca thanks Casa' it has been great photographing 200 strangers :)
@allie912 allison , good shout re the dimples, you are right :)
@pdulis thanks Peter
@sdutoit thank you for your lovely observation sylvia