Kevin Day's photostream  

As I was photographing Eva (Stranger 26) I heard someone behind me call out "Always the girls that get photographed" I turned and saw a very cool looking guy in a full length black leather coat standing within the columns of Covent Garden smiling at me. "Don't worry, I'll be with you in a minute" I replied and he laughed.

This was the first time someone had sort of approached me for a photograph so I wasn't going to let the opportunity slip and as soon as I had left Eva went straight over to Shandy who had been watching what was happening and explained the project. Shandy is one of the performers in Covent Garden, he does a mime act and was between performances and happily agreed to become my stranger No27.
Again I didn't think it wasn't the best light to get a portrait but I think Shandy was so charismatic that he compensates for any failings on my part.

Thank you for agreeing to take part in the project Shandy, I do hope you had a successful afternoon.

This picture is #27 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

I saw Eva walking through Covent Garden with a friend and they were chatting away so I didn't want to interrupt them but I did follow hoping for a pause in conversation. As they reached the far end they stopped and looked around - this was may chance I thought - and as I approached them I saw Colin grab the moment and start to engage them in conversation. I thought I had missed my moment when I noticed Colin was actually talking to Eva's friend, so seeing that Eva was just standing and waiting I asked her if I could take her portrait for my project as she waited for her friend. Eva is from Czechoslovakia and has been in the UK for about 5 years and was just enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon wandering around Covent Garden and the West End. The light wasn't great in the shade of building but we tried to make the best of it.

Thank you for agreeing to take part in the project Eva, and our brief encounter.

This picture is #26 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

I've hesitated over uploading this shot of Richard, I'm not that happy with it and I think if Richard happens upon it I don't think he will be that happy about it, but there is something that I can't put my finger on that I find makes it interesting and I have to admit to really liking the blank stone column that he was standing against as a background for the shot.

I saw Richard standing up against a large pillar in Covent Garden, I got the impression he was waiting for someone and when I approached him and explained the project he was happy to let me take his photograph. I tried chatting and offering direction as he looked down and sideways but not in my direction at all but there was always a distance between us. With the majority of the strangers I have met so far it has been getting easier for me to feel more relaxed and chat away, in turn I think this has made each stranger more comfortable and (hopefully) the shots have been conveying that. But with Richard I just couldn't make a connection and I think that put me on edge which most probably communicated to him and he just couldn't relax. Perhaps I caught Richard unawares or just not on a very good day but in the end I think we were both happy to say goodbye for our own reasons.

I have decided that whilst this may not be a flattering shot of Richard I think it is an honest one, and the lesson I have learned is about the importance of communication between the photographer and subject.

Thank you for agreeing to take part in the project Richard, and I am sorry if our encounter didn't turn out as well as you might have hoped.

This picture is #25 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

Just one of the nicest guys you would want to meet and I got to meet him at the 100 strangers meetup in London.

Do check out his work

Peter and Ben at the 100 strangers meetup in Trafalgar Square doing what they do best - taking great portraits.

Amazing guys and really inspirational photographers, do go and check out their streams