This afternoon I took Ruby on an extra walk, hoping I could find a stranger to start round 3 round of my 100 Strangers.
We walked to the Duck Park, extended the walk to Daybrook and a hour later on the way back through Arnold, took a detour to the market area of the town. It was in the market area where I met Chris, he was stood outside the ToxInk tattoo parlour, smoking a cigarette. As we walked by the shop, I nodded and said “Hi you all right”. Chris made a instant bond with Ruby and started stroking her and talking to her. He asked me if it was OK to stroke her as he had some ink on his hands.
I asked Chris if he worked in the shop. He said yes he did. He worked as a tattoo artist. The shop was owned by “his missus”. In between discussing Ruby, he asked me if I wanted a tattoo. I said I didn’t have any, they always look striking, but declined his offer.
At that point I told him I was an amateur photographer and would it be OK to photograph him for my 100 strangers project. Chris asked me where do I post my pictures, so I gave him my contact card with my details and told him it would be a good picture !
Chris agreed to my request and I shot quite a few images. While taking the shots I asked him what he liked about tattoos. He said he loved them as it was like having a painting on your body. Chris them showed me his tattoo of the devil on the right hand side of the neck.
“I got this tattoo of the devil after I’d been attacked and stabbed. I got stabbed in head and on the neck when I was 18”
He then pulled up his hat and showed me a big scar on his head where his hair would not grow.
“The person who did it got seven years inside” (for those unfamiliar with the term “inside” it means “a prison sentence”). Actually I cannot remember if Chris said six years or seven years !
“So how old are you now”?
“I’m 27 years old”
“So, nine years ago” I said “He will be out now” (“out” means finished his sentence).
“Yes, he is”
“What happened? Why did you get attacked?”
“He tried to steal my mobile phone and I wouldn’t give it to him”
“Was it here in Arnold?”
“No, it was in Kimberley”
We went on to discuss the number of other tattoo parlours in the area , with me stating there was a lot of competition. Chris said they did well.
Chris was a great stranger, a very willing and helpful model.
I didn’t know whether to post the stranger photo in mono or colour as all the images were really striking. I’ve decided to go with colour as I think it emphasises the ink better, but I will post a mono shot in a couple of days. Chris was quite tall, so he is looking down on me , which I think adds to the mood. The background to the shot is the window of the tattoo parlour. I love the drawn “old school curtains”, which make a different and unique backdrop. I assume the windows of tattoo shops must be such that you cannot see inside.
Thanks for being the first stranger in my third round of 100 strangers Chris
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
@helenhall thanks helen, it;s amazing what people tell you when you ask them to be a stranger :)
@pdulis thank you Peter
@ellida Graham, I just smile and ask politely :)
@annied thanks annie, you are right :)