Yesterday afternoon I had a sunny walk along the River Itchen at Shawford with my camera.
Some folk walking the footpath in the opposite direction asked if I had seen an escaped wood duck, a female with a blue stripe and her ducklings. I did see a duck slightly fitting that description but it flew up from the bank unexpectedly and my shot was not very exciting.......
Passing the salon I saw Frank, my lovely hairdresser, having a 'pause-ciggie' outside and stopped to have a chat and take a couple of portrait shots.
Next door to Bridge Cuts, I went into The Little Wedding Bakery for a cup of tea. It was a quiet time of the afternoon in the café and the idea came to me to ask for a portrait from the lady who had served my tea.
As I paid I asked her and she was immediately happy to agree although she did say that she usually closes her eyes when she has her photo taken. Meet Judy.
It seemed a good idea to use some of the cakes as a backdrop so for the photos Judy sat by a table in front of the display . We agreed, and as I find often happens, that the first shot was the best.
Judy has been making wedding cakes here for just over a year, having moved from a unit on the industrial estate where she had the same business for a few years. She thought that Shawford with the village and river would be a more pleasant place to work.
And then she found that passers-by began commenting that it would be good to have a café in the village again. So in January, she also opened a café on the premises.
The cakes on display certainly looked lovely and I asked if this had always been Judy's line of work. She told me that she had worked for a building society, and also for the police for ten years, including some time in CID.
A few customers came in all at once so I had no time to ask about other interests.
I'll be sending Judy photos and hope her business will thrive in Shawford.
A few more associated pics here
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150442566@N07/27930850567
Thank you! I enjoy the stories as much as the portrait and am often surprised such as learning that a lady police officer turned wedding-cake maker!
I am still 'no sugar'!
Thank you. You are doing OK! I usually have trouble remembering to introduce myself! Maybe just ask your subject to say two things about themself for starters? I love hearing folk's stories.