Here it is, my 300th stranger. I wanted my 300th stranger to be a stand out shot and I think I have achieved it with Steph.
I was walking down Hockley when I saw three people walking up the hill. At first I thought they were all together but as they approached I realised they weren’t, as Steph peeled off to the right. I decided to approach Steph for a portrait. As we were walking in opposite directions towards each other it was going to have to be a direct approach, so I stopped Steph in the street.
“Hi, I wonder if you can help me, I’m an Amateur Photographer , I photograph people I meet on the street, is it OK if I photograph you?”
As you can see, Steph said “Yes”.
“Are you Trans?” I asked Steph.
“Yes, I’m just on my way back from an appointment at the GRC”
“GRC?”
“Gender Reassignment Clinic, just down there on Broad Street”
“I’m Phil and this is my little dog Ruby”
Steph recognised Ruby as a whippet straight away and told me she had been brought up with whippets as her Dad raced them. We then had a chat about Whippets and what a lovely breed of dogs they are. I asked Steph is she was from the North East as I knew Whippet racing was popular in that area of the country. Steph told me that she originated from Derbyshire and that Whippet racing is popular in that county. In fact they used to race whippets in Ilkeston (a town which borders Nottinghamshire). I told her I remember my daughter telling me that as she works in Ilkeston.
Steph also told me she’s not yet living full time as a female, but she will be as part of her transition from male to female.
I photographed Steph in two locations on either side of the road. I did full length, three quarter body and headshots. I didn’t notice that between shots I must have caught my ISO button, as it went from ISO 400 to 200 and a few of the shots were not sharp enough when I viewed them large on my computer. However I did get some excellent shots and decided to use the “Full length Steph” as my main 100 Strangers shot as I think it was essential to show Steph’s outfit, which was the first thing I noticed as she walked up Hockley.
That was it 300th stranger completed. We shook hands and I wished Steph well with her gender reassignment. Three of my third round photos of strangers have been trans women. Three photos with four trans women in them. A google search shows that 3.7% of UK adult population see themselves as Transgender Women, so that means my 3rd round accurately reflects life. I don’t go looking for specific strangers, I just photograph who I meet on the streets, so I am really pleased with the mix of people I have photographed.
Well done completing your 3rd round of Strangers. A lovely portrait of Steph to round out the last 100. You must be so used to approaching strangers by now that I'd be surprised if you stopped at 300!
I was just thinking that you must be a very kind, approachable, gentle and generous man for people from so many walks of life to share their stories with you as they meet you on the street. Said it before, but as a fellow Nottingham based 365er I really enjoy reading the life stories of people I would just walk past on the street. Another 100 to come?
Congratulations on a great end to another fascinating strangers project, Phil! Here's to Project 4, hopefully - but I can't imagine you not doing Strangers projects somehow; they seem to have become part of who you are.
All good wishes to Steph for a trouble free transition.
@dulciknit Alison that is such a lovely comment, I've already bagged stranger 301, so I will keep going. You are right though , photographing strangers is a big part of my photography :)
@newbank Newbank, thank you for the wonderful comment. I'm just a regular guy, I smile, ask politely and treat my stranger with respect. It's what we all should do. Telling the story is very much part of the process. Thanks again :)
@happypat thanks Pat, you are right about a difficult path that Steph is taking, she's not living full time as a trans woman yet, so I guess she's only in the first stages of her journey
@kiwichick Lesley , I am always a little nervous approaching strangers for a photo , but as soon as they say yes, the photographer in me kicks in
@allie912 Allison, in the UK , the public are very aware of trans / non binary communities due to lots of articles in the press and media , so asking a direct question is OK, as for Steph's hair, far be it for me to comment on a ladies hair, be she trans or a not
@jackies365 thank you so much :)
@marlboromaam cheers Mags, I have number 301 set up already
Well done Phil!
This is another fantastic portrait. Steph has some sass.
All good wishes to Steph for a trouble free transition.
@newbank Newbank, thank you for the wonderful comment. I'm just a regular guy, I smile, ask politely and treat my stranger with respect. It's what we all should do. Telling the story is very much part of the process. Thanks again :)
@carole_sandford thanks Carole, I am pleased with the shot and I am now onto round 4 of my 100 strangers
@busylady you are right Judith , a good finale to round 3. Thank you for your support
@quietpurplehaze thanks haze, 300 is a big number !!!
@boxplayer thank you so much , Steph's outfit makes quite a statement
@christinav Christina, thank you so much , I will be posting stranger 301 soon !!!
@corinnec thank you so much corrine, I won't be stopping at 300 !!!
@bkbinthecity thank you very much
@kiwichick Lesley , I am always a little nervous approaching strangers for a photo , but as soon as they say yes, the photographer in me kicks in
@allie912 Allison, in the UK , the public are very aware of trans / non binary communities due to lots of articles in the press and media , so asking a direct question is OK, as for Steph's hair, far be it for me to comment on a ladies hair, be she trans or a not