Via Flickr:
Another couple with a camera but I didn’t steal it this time 😉 …
Jodie (left) and Hannah (right) were taking promotional photographs for Capital FM’s website and getting them to pose in the frame. I was just about to catch up with them and ask them to pose for me when they accosted 3 blokes so I waited patiently until they were finished then asked them. I got the impression that Hannah was up for this straight away but Jodie asked why with a definite hint of suspicion. She relaxed noticeably by the time I had finished explaining the project and agreed.
I asked them to pose with their own frame and they struck a cool pose with nice relaxed smiles but as soon as the shutter clicked they dropped the frame and walked towards me. Checking my screen the composition looked a little loose so I asked if they would mind posing again which they did – I tried to take a couple of shots but again they broke ranks as soon as the shutter clicked the first time. I guess they were busy and they were clearly working, so I thanked them for taking part and left them to it.
I changed where I was heading because I didn’t want to be wandering up the street competing with them for strangers to photograph so I headed off in the opposite direction but this yielded nothing other than a rejection so I resumed my original route which yielded Doug (#35). After saying goodbye to Doug I sat down on a bench to jot a couple of notes down (I’m giving trade secrets away here). A couple sat beside me but I didn’t look up until I was ready to leave but when I did I was surprised to see that it was Hannah and Jodie. I said Hi, joking that they were stalking me now and asked if they had earned themselves a break – Hannah said Hi and seemed quite pleased with the number of photos they had amassed but immediately went back to whatever she was doing. Jodie did not look round at any point!
I would not go as far as to say that this meeting was awkward but it definitely was not the most relaxed. I find it ironic that the most difficult encounter of the day, which comprised a record (for me) 3 strangers and a rejection, was the one of the couple taking photographs of strangers. I think they were just busy and I didn’t manage to put them at ease – hopefully if they have a look on here they will see that all is exactly as I described.
Thanks very much for taking part Jodie & Hannah – I hope I wasn’t too much of a pain!
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This picture is #34 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
99% Digital 