This is a stranger photo from last month, I have posted my strangers out of sequence because I could not decide which “Pete shot” to post (I got several good ones)
I was walking Ruby in Woodthorpe park, looking for some Autumn colours in the trees. I was shooting a beautiful set of backlit leaves when I heard a voice shout to me…
“That will be a good shot, especially as you are using a film camera. Film is a lot better than digital”
The man shouting was Pete, he was sat on a bench admiring the view and catching some October sunshine.
I walked over to him and explained that the camera was actually a digital camera. He had seen me manually focussing my camera by turning the focus ring on the lens barrel. I told him I had a manual focus lens, so the techniques I was using was very “old school” and very similar to shooting with an old film camera.
I went on to tell Pete about my collection of manual focus lenses and how I went to charity shops looking for bargains. Pete told me how he had once gone into a charity shop asking for a film camera and the manager went into the back and came back with an Olympus Trip. Pete told me he had got some great results with it, especially in the golden hour (he knew all about the golden hour and the beautiful light it can create for landscapes). We had quite a chat about photography, the highlight of his photo albums being a Dear at Wollaton park that emerged from the bushes as he sat by the lake ! Ruby must have got a bit bored, because I had to use a poo bag half way through our chat !
Anyway, I approached the subject of 100 strangers and asked Pete if he would sit for me. Pete agreed, “Fire away” he said. I got some nice shots but he was in direct sunlight on his bench , so I asked if he would move over to the shade of some trees.
“Do you want me to pose under here” he said and took up the pose you see in the shot, using the branches of the tree as props for the pose I asked Pete if he was local, Pete told me he lived in Mapperley and had walked down from Mapperley Park to the park to enjoy some sun and fresh air.
Pete is 78 and moved nice and nimbly over the grass bank by the trees . I asked him to move again to some bushes as they would create a nice blurry background if I shot wide open. I detected Pete was getting a little restless, so I wrapped up the shoot.
I asked if I could post his photos online. “Do what you want with them” he quipped “If I become famous through your photos, please give me a cut of any profits you make from the photo”.
“I don’t think we will be challenging the famous” I told Pete
That was it , shoot over, I went to find a bin !!!
Sony A7, 35mm prime, edited in ART and GIMP.
All the people
So many people
And they all go hand-in-hand
Hand-in-hand through their parklife
Know what I mean?
Pete has four arms! I was quite taken aback at first glance...I thought which is arm & which is tree! Very clever & it works so well...Pete sounds quite a character....I think he will like this pose...it brings a smile!
