Dennis # 39 in my 100 strangers series
Either my confidence is going or my attitude towards candid shots is changing. When I walked into Brighton Station this morning I had 30 minutes to kill before catching my train. Time for a few candid shots or a stranger? But despite the abundance of people I felt uncomfortable with candid and not entirely confident with approaching strangers. There was one perfect stranger who was vibrantly dressed, waiting for a train and smiled at me........ but I wandered round in search of a suitable background for the portrait, before even asking her about the project! Then I heard the piano music and saw a smartly dressed, elderly gentleman playing.
Meet Dennis, born and bred in Brighton where he has spent all his life. That's 85 years in one town, or city as Brighton is now called. Dennis taught himself to play the piano as a child and has played in pubs and clubs across Brighton ever since. He said Brighton has changed unbelievable since he was a boy. Nobody has any time, life's rush, rush, rush. He lays the blame for lifestyles, violence etc on television. I had to agree. I pointed out to him that it was the International Day of Happiness today and he was making a lot of people happy as they paused to listen, watch and smile.
Thank you Dennis you certainly made me smile today ;-))
(I did take photos of Dennis looking at the camera and smiling but the ones with him looking down while playing the piano were much more natural).
Check out the rest of the stranger portraits in my project at Chris's 100 Strangers Project:
www.flickr.com/photos/chris_marina/sets/72157644764299551/
And find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page: www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
Dennis # 39 in my 100 strangers series
Either my confidence is going or my attitude towards candid shots is changing. When I walked into Brighton Station this morning I had 30 minutes to kill before catching my train. Time for a few candid shots or a stranger? But despite the abundance of people I felt uncomfortable with candid and not entirely confident with approaching strangers. There was one perfect stranger who was vibrantly dressed, waiting for a train and smiled at me........ but I wandered round in search of a suitable background for the portrait, before even asking her about the project! Then I heard the piano music and saw a smartly dressed, elderly gentleman playing.
Meet Dennis, born and bred in Brighton where he has spent all his life. That's 85 years in one town, or city as Brighton is now called. Dennis taught himself to play the piano as a child and has played in pubs and clubs across Brighton ever since. He said Brighton has changed unbelievable since he was a boy. Nobody has any time, life's rush, rush, rush. He lays the blame for lifestyles, violence etc on television. I had to agree. I pointed out to him that it was the International Day of Happiness today and he was making a lot of people happy as they paused to listen, watch and smile.
Thank you Dennis you certainly made me smile today ;-))
(I did take photos of Dennis looking at the camera and smiling but the ones with him looking down while playing the piano were much more natural).
Check out the rest of the stranger portraits in my project at Chris's 100 Strangers Project:
www.flickr.com/photos/chris_marina/sets/72157644764299551/
And find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page: www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/