Via Flickr:
After my previous (technically) disappointing 100 Strangers encounter I decided that I wanted to make sure my next "stranger" ended with a photograph that I was happy with.
With this in mind I was pleased when I spotted Kimi – a very pretty young lady with great hair. I was already vaguely ‘stalking’ someone else but they were on the phone and I had no hesitation hot footing after Kimi instead. When I asked if I could take her photograph she immediately agreed and smiled – I explained it was for a Flickr project and complimented her on her hair … another smile … cool!
I took a few shots, as she was blinking in several of them and I was also quite cold so my hands weren’t particularly steady either (although they never are). That plus I started at f/2.2 to try and ensure a keeper then I opened up to f/1.8 for a few more. Kimi seemed really relaxed in front of the camera and smiled a lot throughout. This photograph is one of the f/2.2s but that’s more to do with the composition and pose than anything else – I had several that I was happy with.
Once I put the camera down I asked her what she liked to do but I suddenly realised that I hadn’t actually explained the project properly such was her immediate agreement to the photograph. Once I’d rectified that omission Kimi told me that she was a gaming freak and loves playing console games – XBox not PlayStation, this seemed quite important to her ;). She also loves movies and drawing … oh yes … and tattoos! She currently has 18 tattoos, mostly food or zombie themed … apparently she loves zombies. She explained that she has a large tattoo across her back which I think she said wasn’t complete yet but the cold weather was keeping all of Kimi’s tattoos well hidden today. Unlike several of my strangers though it wasn’t her tattoos that caught my eye.
With that I thanked Kimi, wished her a good day and left her to get on with her lunch break.
Kimi, thanks very much for helping me with my project today – especially when I was making you stand around when you were already cold. I hope that you like the photograph.
PS: I’m delighted to say that this photograph is pretty much straight out of camera ;).
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Please feel free to provide constructive critique on the technical aspects of this photograph.
This picture is #71 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 