Meet Sofia, well I think it was Sofia, I normally tap the name of the stranger into my mobile phone immediately after a meet, but yesterday as Ruby my whippet was getting a little impatient I thought I won’t do it as I will remember. Anyway now I am writing this a day and a half later I am not too sure if Sofia was a Sophie or another name.
I met Sofia at the Duck Park, she was wandering around the park with a man (I assumed her partner) looking at her mobile phone. I assumed they were following a route planner and were going a little off track as the steps they were walking down didn’t really lead anywhere other than the back of the council offices.
“Are you lost?” I asked
“No I know where I am going”
“Ahh OK, I thought you were following a route planner”
“I love your dog she is beautiful may I say Hello”
So I let Ruby say hello
“She is very gentle and beautiful”
“Yes she is, beautiful and elegant, quite an old lady now though”
“How old is she?”
“We don’t know, maybe 12”
“It is really cold, this is your summer”
“Yes it is isn’t it, where do you come from”
“Italy. I’ve just returned to England after being in Italy for 9 months!”
“Oh it will feel cold then, we don’t have much summer left” I said
“There is still time for it to get warmer, you have a tan though on your arms and face, where is that from?”
“It’s from here, Arnold, it is from gardening and walking Ruby”
“Which part of Italy are you from?”
“Bologna”
“Is that in the North?” I asked (Geography not being my strong point)
“It is central” Sofia replied (although having looked on the maps it is described as being in the North, maybe Sofia misunderstood my question)
“What do you do in England for work”?
“I translate, things like that, but work has dried up a bit with Covid”
I then ask Sofia for a stranger picture
“Yes that is OK”
Sofia takes her glasses off , which were absolutely awesome, really trendy and very European
“A Sony Camera, they are good” says Sofia
“Yes, but I have got a vintage Russian lens on it from 1976”
“It will be good then”
I shot exactly 3 photos of Sofia and then her phone rang.
“I am sorry, I have been expecting a phone call I must take it”
That was it off she went. It may have been her partner asking where she was as he left us to it when she started making a fuss over Ruby.
Anyway, I managed to get a decent photo of Sofia, with the Sony A6000 and Jupiter 8, 50mm f2
The Jupiter lens is a great lens (I had to fix it though as it wasn’t focussing right, see my previous photo). I shot this fairly wide open and to my surprise I’ve got some swirly bokeh. Swirly bokeh tends to be a Helios lens trait, but I have seen it on Jupiter 8’s too. I’ve got catchlights in the eyes, the portrait is sharp in the right places and then there is the beautiful bokeh.
I hope you like this photo and the meet with Sofia
I agree with @beryl but each to his/her own! I also like to see specs on the face. My hubby takes his off every time someone wants a photo and he looks much better (less old) with them on. She has a lovely natural smile!
Fabulous portrait capture and L like the swirly bokeh. She has quite a mop of hair there . Being Italian I would have expected her hair much better groomed but you can't say nowadays. I have been to Bologna twice - it's a lovely city.
