After visiting Woolbeding Gardens, we decided to have tea before catching the mini-bus back to our car. Ray went into the café. I was conscious that the gentleman at the next table to me, very close, had been sitting there earlier with some companions.
Now I am really unsure who spoke first but I remember that he said it was good to sit. He explained that his wife and the others had gone down to the lake but he had preferred to rest a bit longer.
Whether it was the mention of the lake or the warm sunny weather, or maybe both, he began to reminisce a little about childhood days when his whole family would leave their home in Toronto and make their way by various means of transport, to Lake Muskoka for the summer, provisions being picked up en route.
There was always tennis and a swim in the morning and then lunch was at 1 p.m., something simple like salad. After that it was quiet time until 3 p.m., the children being expected to stay in their rooms in pursuits such as reading, "And woe betide you if you spoke!" From around 3.30 p.m. they were again free follow their pursuits, swim in the lake.
He had a quiet, gentle voice and it was easy to imagine those long summer childhood days which apparently lasted from the end of May to after Thanksgiving in October.
At some point I did think about a stranger portrait but the conversation seemed to take on a life of its own.
John, as I later knew him to be, has spent his career in Canada and England and now, in retirement, is a volunteer with the National Trust at Petworth and has also worked voluntarily at Cowdray Castle, including being a trustee for part of that time.
Ray returned with the tea and finding us deep in conversation, assumed that I had already asked for, and taken, portraits. So I explained my strangers' project to John and asked if he would participate.
He was quite happy, although maybe a little surprised that I wanted to take his photo, and he suggested he move to our table. He also offered to take off his hat but I said that he looked fine. Now he and Ray began to chat and I worked my shots around them, just asking John to look my way a couple of times.
His wife, Pamela, returned and was introduced. John told us that she is an alternative therapist, specialising in Reiki. He had already told me earlier that they have four grown-up sons.
Our car parking time was running out. We exchanged cards with email addresses and I promised to send photos, shaking hands with John and thanking him.
I do enjoy this portraiture work and regard it as a privilege to be able to meet new folk and share their stories for a brief time.
to see more photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150442566@N07/48266904761/in/dateposted-public/
This did occur once when I took a portrait of a busker in Winchester who politely said he thought I would have a different (i.e. better) camera for portraits. So I politely told him that the camera I was using (my little Sony) cost £1,000 new!
I would not imagine you 'falling short' David. I cannot say that I do anything special......
I used to make notes but now I just rely on memory.