A couple of days ago, I had another sortie over the fields, this time to capture the sunset. When I arrived at the top of the slope I noticed a man standing near the trig point looking at his mobile and a dog, presumably his, keeping close. The man, noticing me with my camera, asked if he would be spoiling my view of the setting sun to which I replied that I often find silhouetted figures add to such an image.
I went on to explain that some sunset shots I had taken a few days earlier had looked fine on the camera rear screen with nice pinkish-red tones but when uploaded to my laptop took on a bilious yellow hue. He told me he used to be a keen photographer using a DSLR but now tended to rely on his phone.
We talked photos for a bit and then I asked his name - Adam - introduced myself and my strangers' portrait project. He agreed to participate and I took a few photos, including some with his 10-year old chocolate labrador Inca who, naturally, was more interested to know if I had any doggy treats secreted about my person.
Adam works as a trading standards officer, one of a team of four who cover the whole of our county of Hampshire. His special hobby is constructing and flying model aircraft some of which have a wingspan as much as five metres. He explained that he thinks this interest stems from his father's profession: he was a pilot flying Boeing 747s all over the world.
When Adam was at school he made a tape recording of his father and this obviously still means a lot to him. I mentioned that I have a similar recording of my dad talking in an interview with Imperial War Museum about his experiences as a PoW and explained that he was captured at Tobruk. Adam told me that his grandad was at Tobruk but not captured. After his return home he did not speak about his wartime experiences.
So many people have said the same to me and I am glad that my dad kept his detailed diaries so that future generations can read what it was like for an ordinary soldier in the ranks to be a PoW: no histrionics, no great escapes but boredom, uncertainty, minor illnesses/injuries, gnawing hunger alleviated to a point by Red Cross parcels whose contents he lists in detail, the prisoners' own entertainment/education and perhaps strangely enough the best part of his captivity spent working in a cement factory, hard work but in the care of a German worker so a certain sense of freedom - and the chance to do a little sabotage.
I digress: when sunset came, I took a few shots, using some suggestions from Adam and before that I was also able to capture a shot of Inca on her own, still feeling hopeful of a treat.
Adam entered my email address in his phone with a promise to contact me so I could send him some photos which he did and which I will do. Thanks to him for being in my project and I hope the next day - his son's birthday - was a good one for the family.
see this story and portrait with related photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150442566@N07/36824250874/in/dateposted-public/
Lovely photo and I love the sunlight on his face.