Tom Houlihan
John: #5/100 Strangers
After months off (one failed trip to London derailed my progress. There just weren't any people in London that day...) I committed to restarting at a big event that gave me lots of opportunities. This weekend was the pro-EU march in London, so I took my camera along and stalked the streets looking for faces that exemplified the anti-brexit movement. I'd walked with the march from the start at Hyde Park Corner and was approaching the turn towards the houses of parliament, when we went though a great section of open shade which prompted me to split off from my friends and find the right stranger for the shot. Walking slowly against the crowd I saw the perfect face: distinguished, individual, clearly somewhat stylish with the beard and beret, and the blue scarf I took to be in support of the EU. He was carrying a camera (a lot of people were) and I've heard photographers are often more willing subjects as they understand what you're trying to do. I asked for a photo and John did a great job of managing his face- it seems like most people's instinct is to contort into something alien but John seemed to get it immediately. After a couple of shots I mentioned the scarf, which he quickly pointed out wasn't affiliated with the EU at all; he'd picked it up in his travels with a charitable organisation well outside of the EU. He asked if i was a photographer, to which i sheepishly said "erm well, an amateur one... yes". I realised that the camera John was holding wasn't an entry level Nikon, but a film camera i couldn't hope to understand how to use. John took something out of his pocket and explained that he was here not so much for the cause, but for the photography, as he's been visiting and documenting protests for the past several years. he handed me his card, which listed some of his published work over the past 25 years, including photojournalism from around the world. His comfort in front if the lens made a bit more sense now. John's interest is in traditional film photography, and his website will give you some insight into the travels and experiences he has documented over the years. Thanks for your time John, and for being a great subject for my return to the project.
You can find a link to John's website here:
100 Strangers Group:
www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
John: #5/100 Strangers
After months off (one failed trip to London derailed my progress. There just weren't any people in London that day...) I committed to restarting at a big event that gave me lots of opportunities. This weekend was the pro-EU march in London, so I took my camera along and stalked the streets looking for faces that exemplified the anti-brexit movement. I'd walked with the march from the start at Hyde Park Corner and was approaching the turn towards the houses of parliament, when we went though a great section of open shade which prompted me to split off from my friends and find the right stranger for the shot. Walking slowly against the crowd I saw the perfect face: distinguished, individual, clearly somewhat stylish with the beard and beret, and the blue scarf I took to be in support of the EU. He was carrying a camera (a lot of people were) and I've heard photographers are often more willing subjects as they understand what you're trying to do. I asked for a photo and John did a great job of managing his face- it seems like most people's instinct is to contort into something alien but John seemed to get it immediately. After a couple of shots I mentioned the scarf, which he quickly pointed out wasn't affiliated with the EU at all; he'd picked it up in his travels with a charitable organisation well outside of the EU. He asked if i was a photographer, to which i sheepishly said "erm well, an amateur one... yes". I realised that the camera John was holding wasn't an entry level Nikon, but a film camera i couldn't hope to understand how to use. John took something out of his pocket and explained that he was here not so much for the cause, but for the photography, as he's been visiting and documenting protests for the past several years. he handed me his card, which listed some of his published work over the past 25 years, including photojournalism from around the world. His comfort in front if the lens made a bit more sense now. John's interest is in traditional film photography, and his website will give you some insight into the travels and experiences he has documented over the years. Thanks for your time John, and for being a great subject for my return to the project.
You can find a link to John's website here:
100 Strangers Group:
www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/