Stranger # 012 / 100. Warwick Davis.

This picture is #12 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. www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/pool/

 

Sorry this is so long winded. Please do not feel the need to read it all.

 

Everything I have read suggests the photographer should head out with a specific goal and the best results can be accomplished.

 

In the case of the 100 strangers project I guess that would be having your patter ready to approach people, knowing where to find the people you want to shoot and scouting around for suitable backdrops.

 

While some, maybe even most may try to be methodical in the way they work, it is not always possible.

 

When I photographed Warwick Davis I was not expecting to take any portraits.

 

I arrived at college for my photography class & we were taken to Leicester Square.

 

The brief was to take photos in landscape view and produce a set of around six to ten images with a theme.

 

I see Leicester Square a lot in my day to day life, I’d love to visit London as a tourist and see it with fresh eyes but its just Leicester Square! I found it difficult to get into the swing of things but did come up with a theme.....

 

So while working on my theme I was walking along one of the small roads that runs into the square and noticed someone who looked like he worked in the security industry. Not like a close protection type but more of a bouncer/nightclub doorman.

 

I then noticed walking between us was Warwick Davis.

 

I promised myself I would not go all paparazzi on celebs but I did think he would be a great addition to my 100 strangers. He has a warm, friendly, characterful and interesting face.

 

So, I said hello and as we walked I told him about my class project and the 100 strangers project. I asked if he would be happy to pose for a portrait & he kindly agreed, promptly stopped and posed.

 

I only took one shot and he sounded surprised when he asked “Is that it?”

 

I still have this thing of not wanting to hold people up & it is something I am getting really hung up on.

 

While Warwick was not in an obvious rush he was clearly walking with a deliberate pace & heading somewhere.

 

I didn’t ask specifically about putting him on this page but he was made aware of it prior to taking his photo and he had stopped to pose, so, I’m taking that as his consent.

 

I didn’t really get to have much of a chat with him because once he had stopped for me; the world and its wife then wanted to take selfies with him.

 

The shot was taken in Landscape view because that was our brief for the Leicester Sq. project. I had also set the lens to 35mm & intended to use that focal length to add further uniformity to the images.

 

When Warwick agreed to me taking his portrait I was a bit surprised, actually I’m not sure who was more surprised, me at him agreeing or him at actually being asked rather than just papped.

 

Anyhow, I ended up taking the portrait with the settings I was already using but I had been adjusting these as I was walking around.

 

On this occasion I think it worked using the focal length and not turning the camera to portrait view.

 

I had a quick peek at the image on the camera and noted the histogram looked okay. Confident I had the shot I thanked Warwick & abandoned him in a sea of fans & tourists.

 

Warwick if you read this, I hope you didn’t get held up too much and thank you for allowing me to take your portrait.

 

As always, hints, tips, general thoughts and constructive critique is always welcome.

 

Thanks for viewing and if you read all of the above, sorry there was so much waffle.

Done