Blakester's 52 for 2021 - Week 34 added - Glass(es) "Self Portrait"

:banana: :clap: :banana:Oh yes - clever stuff
 
They definitely fit the theme nice attention to detail too
Thanks Allan

I love these. Definitely on theme and I think you're on your way to producing a project of fruit shapes for exhibition or book.

Thank you Bebop, I have considered a panel of these but I am running out of shapes that are realistically achievable with the fruit.

:banana: :clap: :banana:Oh yes - clever stuff

Thank you
 
Toy's it made me chuckle Iain :)
Artificial, great reflections (y)
Patterns, nicely symmetrical, no argument from me as to the "validity"
 
Week 22 - Up close.
I have another idea which I will try and get around to this week but I am posting this one in the meantime just in case I can't get back to the theme.

Week 22 - Up Close by Iain Blake, on Flickr
 
A great idea Iain, it works really well IMO.
 
A really interesting shot in the way the water magnifies and enhances the colour. Looks good
 
Hi Iain

I like the way the water drop adds another layer of upClose.

Pete

Thanks Pete.

A really interesting shot in the way the water magnifies and enhances the colour. Looks good

Thank you Helen,

I really like this Up Close shot. The leaf alone works really well, but the water droplet is an added bonus, taking us even closer in.

Thank you Bebop.

The water droplet is actually hand gel :D
I was after glycerine as it has a different consistency to water and holds the shape better than water. I tried a few shops but couldn't get any.
I had a bit of a brainwave and thought hand gel will do the same thing. For some reason I had plenty of hand gel kicking around....
 
Week 23 - Personal.
This probably needs a little explanation as to why I feel this meets the personal theme.
100 strangers is a personal project I have been shooting for a number of years now and today I resurrected my Round 4 of 100 Strangers whilst I was on a bit of a walkabout in London.
I don't ask the strangers any personal questions beyond their first name but I do ask them an open question to try and glean a little about them. By that fact, I feel it personalises the portrait and gives a little insight into that person's life.

Stranger #304 - Linda by Iain Blake, on Flickr

I noticed Linda and her stylish clothing walking alongside St Katherine's Dock just beside Tower Bridge.

Linda had just dropped her daughter off at nursery and was returning home to work from home.

I asked Linda what was the best thing that had come out of lockdown for her?

"My daughter was born during lockdown which was a bit of a nightmare but it was lovely to have my husband at home for that time. We could really enjoy our extended time together as a new family."

Linda is from Australia and said, "I managed to sort my husband's visa also during lockdown, so we will eventually be moving out of London to go live in Australia."

Thank you Linda for being a part of my project and good luck with your future back in Australia.


Stranger #305 - Eliza by Iain Blake, on Flickr

It was Eliza's sense of fashion, style and her look which I first noticed as she walked towards me whilst crossing the Millennium Bridge.

Like Stranger #304 Linda before her, Eliza is also from Australia but has lived and worked in London for a couple of years.

Eliza told me, "I first moved to London just before lockdown really, so haven't been able to explore the city as I would have liked. I know my local area of Hackney well but haven't seen much of the wider city. I am looking forward to my partner joining me from Australia when he is able to."

Thank you Eliza for being a part of my project!
 
These are great. I've often been tempted by these 100 Strangers projects to start one myself - mostly to encourage me to speak to people as I'm far too shy to do it right now.

Does it get any easier?

Thanks Kell,
I would encourage you to have a go, it's a fantastic project. It will definitely help and encourage you to speak to people.
You will be surprised, people will surprise you. In over 300 stranger portraits, I have never had a negative reaction. Of course I have had people decline and that's fine. I wish them a good day and move on.
It does get easier, yes. One just needs to develop an opening line to your stranger. I usually just say that I am shooting a street photography project and would love to make their portrait. I will pay them a compliment, not in a cheesy or sleazy way, just something as simple as you like the colour of their clothes, hair etc. In the case of Eliza today, I said that I noticed her fantastic hair and would love to make her portrait. She thanked me and was a willing model/subject.
 
Both are lovely portraits, nicely captured. In each one you have colour palettes that suit your subject.

The few personal details really add to it. I had no idea that in these stranger projects, you actually gleaned some personal details.
 
Both are lovely portraits, nicely captured. In each one you have colour palettes that suit your subject.

The few personal details really add to it. I had no idea that in these stranger projects, you actually gleaned some personal details.

Thanks Bebop.
Linda's portrait was a little more considered in that I found a background I wanted to use and waited a short while until someone came along.
Linda's clothing was what caught my eye thinking it would match the background.
Eliza's portrait was very much an impromptu location. Being on the bridge, there wasn't really much choice in background haha.
The 'personal' details are really what makes this project for me. Through shooting it for a number of years I have heard some really interesting stories from strangers. Things they have told me I would never have the nerve to ask them, it has been entirely voluntary on their behalf.
 
Thanks Bebop.
Linda's portrait was a little more considered in that I found a background I wanted to use and waited a short while until someone came along.
Linda's clothing was what caught my eye thinking it would match the background.
Eliza's portrait was very much an impromptu location. Being on the bridge, there wasn't really much choice in background haha.
The 'personal' details are really what makes this project for me. Through shooting it for a number of years I have heard some really interesting stories from strangers. Things they have told me I would never have the nerve to ask them, it has been entirely voluntary on their behalf.
Yes I can imagine it adds a whole other dimension to the project. You must have the knack for getting them to feel at ease such that they share these snippets. I’m quite outgoing, but I would find it difficult to approach strangers. I guess it would be easier if I could tell them it was a project, but I’d still find it a bit stressful.
 
I think these are excellent portraits Iain. Just love the attention to detail you put into the backgrounds which compliment the portraits so nicely. The sentence or two that you add about each subject also brings the project to life and gives us a bit more information about the people.

Great stuff.
 
Up close
Love the he light and shadows across the leaf, good details too.

Personal
I admire anybody that can go up to strangers and ask to photograph them. It is soooo way out of my comfort zone (I don't even like photographing people I know).
I seen your 100 strangers before and really like that they're not just a head shot, that you try and get a bit of the environment in as well. These two are great.
 
Up to your usual standards Iain (y)
I do, as you realise, I follow your 100 strangers on FB.
I wouldn't have the courage to do so myself though.
 
Yes I can imagine it adds a whole other dimension to the project. You must have the knack for getting them to feel at ease such that they share these snippets. I’m quite outgoing, but I would find it difficult to approach strangers. I guess it would be easier if I could tell them it was a project, but I’d still find it a bit stressful.

Thank you Bee. I've had a bit of practice over the years shooting my 100 strangers project.
I do find it easy to speak to people, might be down to my Scottishness, my wife has often told me I will speak to anyone. :D
It's about the approach too, I would always approach from facing people, my body language is open and I give them plenty of space (even pre-covid) so as they can walk past if they wish.
It is easier having a purpose, I introduce my project and I also have cards with all my details on, so people can check there and then, so that alleviates any doubt.

Love these two images Iain and can see where you'r coming from for the theme, my thoughts are for a people image too as it's personal to me as well.

Thank you Dave, glad you can see the theme in the images, albeit with a little explanation and a sprinkling of shoehorn ;)

I think these are excellent portraits Iain. Just love the attention to detail you put into the backgrounds which compliment the portraits so nicely. The sentence or two that you add about each subject also brings the project to life and gives us a bit more information about the people.

Great stuff.

Thanks Ian, I do enjoy hearing people's story because I'm a nosey bugger :ROFLMAO:

Up close
Love the he light and shadows across the leaf, good details too.

Personal
I admire anybody that can go up to strangers and ask to photograph them. It is soooo way out of my comfort zone (I don't even like photographing people I know).
I seen your 100 strangers before and really like that they're not just a head shot, that you try and get a bit of the environment in as well. These two are great.

Thank you Dominic, I have a penchant for a vanishing point background and seek to use it whenever I can in the portraits to try and keep the aesthetic.

Up to your usual standards Iain (y)
I do, as you realise, I follow your 100 strangers on FB.
I wouldn't have the courage to do so myself though.

Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
 
I have nothing to add that hasn't already been said. I do love your Stranger photos as I don't see them that often because I do not partake of Faceache so only get to see the odd one on this forum. Keep up the good work.
 
I have nothing to add that hasn't already been said. I do love your Stranger photos as I don't see them that often because I do not partake of Faceache so only get to see the odd one on this forum. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Martin, these are the first strangers portraits I have shot in a long while. it was good to resurrect the project although it was a little daunting at first not having done it in such a long time.
 
I remember you starting this a long time ago and what separates it from other street photography is the small piece of information about each person it does make the image.
What have you done with the other 300 images did you get it printed? I seem to remember something happening along those lines.
 
I remember you starting this a long time ago and what separates it from other street photography is the small piece of information about each person it does make the image.
What have you done with the other 300 images did you get it printed? I seem to remember something happening along those lines.

Thanks Allan, I have had each of the 3 rounds of 100 strangers printed into books as a keepsake, I have also had 3 poster sized prints made of the completed rounds made and had a few of the portraits printed for competitions etc. None of which have seen the light of day in a few years :ROFLMAO:

Round 3
100 Strangers [Explore 06/04/18] by Iain Blake, on Flickr

Round 2
100 Strangers Complete! by Iain Blake, on Flickr

Round 1
100 Strangers by Iain Blake, on Flickr
 
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WOW - lovely shots and great montages!
 
WOW - lovely shots and great montages!

Thanks Dave.

Great shot. Maybe opportune to have the wobbly bridge availabel as the background, but it works, especially with the grey tones in the background contrasting with her colourful top and hair.

Thanks Tim, yes, right place, right time :D
 
A couple of great shots!

I've been looking at these on Flickr since you started putting them up, and they're brilliant. The girl with the red hat and purple hair against the red telephone boxes blew me away when I first saw it, probably my favourite portrait ever.
 
A couple of great shots!

I've been looking at these on Flickr since you started putting them up, and they're brilliant. The girl with the red hat and purple hair against the red telephone boxes blew me away when I first saw it, probably my favourite portrait ever.

Cheers Nick, such kind comments, much appreciated.
 
This is fascinating and I really admire your consistency in the project. The images and great and the additional info really brings the person to life even more.
I'm not great at approaching people, although I assume it gets easier as time goes by. I mainly concentrate on landscape so I am usually confronted with inanimate objects - which totally suits me :D
 
Up close
Great use of the hand gel, hopefully it's something that will become less common as we make faltering steps out of the pandemic. Lots of lovely details

Personal
Really interesting portraits and the whole stranger project in general. Do you also take street photography? The only time I have asked a stranger if I take their photo I was away from home, possibly it felt less intimidating that way.
 
This is fascinating and I really admire your consistency in the project. The images and great and the additional info really brings the person to life even more.
I'm not great at approaching people, although I assume it gets easier as time goes by. I mainly concentrate on landscape so I am usually confronted with inanimate objects - which totally suits me :D

Thanks Helen, I started the 100 strangers project specifically to get out of my comfort zone and shoot more people photography. It kinda took over for a while haha.

Up close
Great use of the hand gel, hopefully it's something that will become less common as we make faltering steps out of the pandemic. Lots of lovely details

Personal
Really interesting portraits and the whole stranger project in general. Do you also take street photography? The only time I have asked a stranger if I take their photo I was away from home, possibly it felt less intimidating that way.

Thanks Stuart.
Yes, I do a bit of street photography too but the keepers are few and far between.
 
Lovely montage. I should think approaching strangers is second nature to you now. You are inspiring me though, I have ordered some calling cards so I can give a prospective subject my details so as to put them at ease hopefully. I just have to get up the nerve to start asking for people to be a subject for me.
 
Lovely montage. I should think approaching strangers is second nature to you now. You are inspiring me though, I have ordered some calling cards so I can give a prospective subject my details so as to put them at ease hopefully. I just have to get up the nerve to start asking for people to be a subject for me.

Thank you Martin. Yes, approaching strangers has become significantly less daunting over the years.
 
Week 24 - Green.
My interpretation of this weeks theme is environmentally green. My bikes are low emission vehicles :D
Comments and critique always welcome but not expected, I have been very remiss in my commenting.

Week 23 - Green by Iain Blake, on Flickr

This is a collage of my bikes, just incase it was immediately obvious. I have had a couple of them for nearly 30 years and can't part with them.
 
Nice Montage Iain (y)
It certainly ticks all my shoe horned boxes :D
 
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