I was walking Elsie in the Duck Park this afternoon, I had a camera around my neck as we approached the rose gardens, Elsie was pulling to sniff some bushes.
“She want’s to go in a different direction to you” said a gentleman sat on a bench.
I went over to chat to him. Meet Gary.
“You have a camera, photography is my passion, what do you photograph?”
I told him I enjoyed photographing people, especially strangers.
“Do you do candid shots of people?”
“I ask them first”
“What is the take up rate?”
“I’m very rarely refused” I told him.
Gary told me he was a member of Nottingham and Notts Photographic Society and it was a big club with some excellent street photographers. I told Gary I was a member of Arnold Camera Club and knew a few members from his club. Gary asked me what I was shooting with, so I showed him my Sony A6000 with the attached vintage Pentax 55mm f1.8 lens.
“I bought the lens for £25 from Oxfam”
Gary recently sold all his top end Canon gear (full frame L series lenses) and intended to replace it with a mirrorless Canon. He also had a top of the range iphone which he said was a superb camera. Gary had been sat on a bench in the park which was dedicated to his late wife Sheila , who he’d been married to for over 60 years. Gary was upset that somebody had carved their initials on the bench, an act of vandalism. He’s also planted a tree in the sensory garden, an Alder, for his daughter who had died. “It will be the tallest in the park, many years after I’ve gone”, this too had been subject to some vandalism.
Gary is a volunteer gardener in the park, I asked him if he knew Martyn the gardener (one of my strangers and someone who I regularly chat too). “Martyn knows me, I planted all these roses in the garden”
Having told Gary I photographed strangers, it was inevitable that I asked him to pose for me. We moved over to the shade and I asked him to lean on a pagoda trellis. I shot a few frames and he noticed I was manually focussing (you have to manual focus vintage lenses).
Before we parted, Gary asked me to take his photo on his iphone, so he could send it to his other daughter. I did so and we bumped fists.
In case you were wondering Gary is 87 years old and he told me he likes to walk 5km per day.
Thank you Gary, for being my 350th stranger, it was a pleasure to meet you
Oh what a lovely story and such a wonderful man. I feel sad that some of his dedicated items have been vandalised. I wish Gary lots more happy times planting in the gardens, or just remembering his family and smelling the roses
Congratulations for your 350th stranger! This is quite an accomplishment. Gary's portrait is fabulous. He looks way younger than 87. It's so nice that you and him had photography as a commun passion. Thanks for sharing your encounter with Gary.
Congrats on your 350th stranger portrait. I don't think that I have even reached 5, but then again people are not really where my photo interests lie.
Gary sounds like a splendid chap and someone you could spend many hours with just shooting the breeze.
Wow Gary sounds like a shining light, an example of how to try and be when you're 87. Busy. Interesting. Interested. Enthusiastic! Love the commentary and your photo of Gary.
Another great interaction between you and your stranger. They are never strangers by the time you have had a chat and got to know them. Gary looks happy to be obliging you with number 350.
Wow - a very fit and sharp gentleman. People must love it when you take the time to sit and chat with them. I think the combination of a dog and a camera immediately gives a connection and conversation starter. Great work.
January 31st, 2023
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Gary sounds like a splendid chap and someone you could spend many hours with just shooting the breeze.