.. emeL ..'s photostream  

Well into my project, I want to continue to include people who show the rich diversity of where I live. I saw Sukhvinder standing outside his van in a small shopping area of Slough. Another older man on his bike was talking with him and I could see that Sukhvinder was explaining something to him. I watched and waited till he was free then asked / explained my project. I already had a few gentle "thanks but no thanks". It seems to me when the weather is a bit cold people are more reluctant... or maybe it is me! Anyhow Sukhvinder was very happy to help and said yes actually before I had finished explaining.

I generally don't like to say smile or don't smile... I asked Sukhvinder to just pose as he was most comfortable. The shot I chose was one of his first poses. We chatted after looking together at what I had in the camera. He was fine with them, but we then did another few with a smile and looked again. Sukhvinder thought the smile was better. I am going to post that one too, but for my project I decided on this one and I do think Sukhvinder will be pleased. His eyes seem to almost smile = there is sort of a serenity and intensity.

Sukhvinder is a self-employed father of three and lives in Slough. I told him I had observed how kind he was with the older gentleman and he told me he loves to help people.

Thank you Sukhvinder for helping me too! I am really pleased to have your portrait in my set of 100!
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Sukhvinder's photograph is #65 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 have not had much time for my 100 Strangers project but I am thinking a lot about it = what I am learning and what I want/need still to learn...

I have had my eye on John for a long time... He is a friend and kindly agreed to a small photo shoot for his daughter and grandchildren in France. We set a time and it was great fun with lovely banter (for the two portraits below)... When he was leaving, I thought of one more but did not want to detain him. He was coming back the next day and he appeared while I was just finishing up work! We looked at the photos on the computer and he was up for that one more shot... I wanted him to face semi-profile and turn his eyes toward the camera = that quizzical what-is-she-up-to-now look = I have seen him do it and it is very charming... The image above is not my "directed" shot... it is completely natural. John does natural really really well.

John was born in Dundrum, just outside Dublin and has a fantastic story (more accurately MANY fantastic stories!!) but he warned me not to publish anything in "cyber space"... I did ask his age and was promptly told it is not a question to ask a young man. John's birthday is on Saturday = 18 February. I will not say how old he is — I should have known without asking because last year was a really big birthday celebration (that begins with N)...

Happy birthday, John! ;-))