– Street Portrait (for and of Ruby), 2015 –
Ruby was crossing Neal Street, London, UK when I spotted him. And he was moving fast, so my weary old bones got to see some action. Once I’d caught up with him, Ruby was great about me taking a few shots (in front of the Nike store’s orange window, I think). This is the first of two and is my favourite. Thanks very much for stopping, Ruby. Hope you like your picture.
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Since May 2012, I have been asking strangers if I can take their photograph. I’m drawn to the stylish and the interesting. Thanks to Alice, Chris, Chris, Clive, David, Edith, Egon, Eva, Frances, Gian, Glug Glug, Jason, Joanie, Kelpie, Lee, Leon, Maloviere, Marcela, Maria, Max, Nixon, Robin, Rony, Ruby, Sarah, Sofia and Willow, and to everyone who has stopped for a portrait.
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If you are interested in learning a bit of background to any of the shots above, a quick search of TFIPM by the person’s name should bring up the original post. This post is dedicated to George Skeggs, my first street portraitee – without him there would have been no beginning…
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Ashley Lily Scarlett and I have started a new blog called Between Scarlett and Guest. It’s a dialogue in pictures. You can read/ eavesdrop on the conversation here.
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The Future Is Papier Mâché 
Fabulous! Love this post. So interesting and beautiful.
Thanks so much!
You certainly found a varied set of subjects! And they all seem quite relaxed.
Yes, London’s got some great people in it.
You’ve captured the diversity of London beautifully! Great work. One love 🙂
Thanks so much, Domo!
Such a great series, Richard! The first portrait of Ruby is fantastic!
Thanks very much, Anette! Yes, Ruby is on of my favourites.
I remember every one of the portraits I’ve seen.
That’s great to know – thanks, Barry.
Best so far. Direct and confrontational without being aggressive.
Thanks very much, Jeff. Yes, it’s one of my favourites.
Always been fascinated how you capture so well all these folks on the streets… 🙂
Thanks for the compliment, my friend. I only photograph people i like the look of.
Richard! You have a fantastic hat series here! Totally love these! 1 part colour…1 part black and white..I say; 10 points…what? 10? 11!
Thanks so much, Belinda! Yes, i love hats (purely platonically – my head always makes them look terrible, ha ha).
Oh, Richard. I also love your street portraits. Everyone not only looks so darn interesting, but also so comfortable in your presence. No walls. No walls. Just beauty. Where is the book? Where is the photo exhibition? ~Theadora
Thanks very much, T! Ha, yes, well, as always I’m working on it…
Very stylish people. That portrait of Ruby is really cool.
Yes, indeed. Thanks very much, Cardinal – one of my favourites.
I always enjoy your street portraits. Every single shot is a winner.
That’s so nice to read – thanks very much, Laura.
Absolutely love this one – the focus is fantastic and it seems almost out of this time/place. Its always great to see your collection together too. It really strikes me how different each one is, how you’ve drawn out something unique in each one – pretty clever in just a head shot.
Thanks very much, Cath. I really liked Ruby as well. The portraits are a really fun way of concentrating – real in the moment stuff. Think I’m addicted to them, ha, ha.
Great portrait of Ruby, and nice to see a summary of the last few months. Look forward to seeing some more! 🙂
Thanks very much, Richard. That’s great to read 🙂
Well Ruby certainly has a penetrating gaze and a half! So good to see your wonderful portraits together Richard, a reunion party!
Yes, indeed! He was great. Thanks so much, Patti! That’s a great idea!
Excellent body of work.
Thanks so much.
Hi Richard great streetphoto Portraits series.
Hi Robert
Thanks so much. Much appreciated.
Hi Ricky! This is so nice! And so friendly … like looking through an almost personal album at some of the faces of old friends! You are so talented and unsurprisingly, so lucky to meet these wonderful people! Hope you’re having lots of fun! Love to you and your family, xo
Hi Gigi! Thanks so much. You really write the loveliest things! Love to you and yours. XX
Brilliant. Just Brilliant!
Thanks so much, Lisa!
Your series is just one of my all time favourites. It´s a pleasure to look at them!
Cheers
Charles
That’s so nice to read – thanks very much, Charles!
Great concept. Such an interesting collection of faces. Like the depth of field used (and the depth of characterisation!)
Thanks very much, Mark – really nice compliment.
Great face and expression
Lots if character
Great pick
Thanks very much, Sheldon.
ciao! something in the way that you do it…your portraits continue to amaze me.
thebestdressup
That’s so lovely to read – thanks so much!
Excellent work. One of the things that I wonder at is how they and you sound. The image captures an aspect of the character, as do your words . But there is the Implied Space of accent, vernacular and mannerism. The portraits unite us in our humanity, but it it leaves a tabula rasa of cultural context. They are from the streets of London England, but I could imagine them on the streets of London Ontario or Toronto and how their lives could differ yet remain the same – which opens the mind to the unity and diversity of human kind . Fascinating and thought provoking.
That’s a really interesting question. I’m going to pay a lot more attention to voices from now on. I quite like it that the photograph is all you get, though. Thanks very much for the compliment, Joseph.
I have been listening online to quite a bit of BBC4 & 4Extra Radio. Have become very aware of dialect. Here in Canada, our range within the Anglophone segment has a less pronounced shift. The East Coast Maritimes is the most noticeable distinct linguistic region, while the rest is so so subtle that it would take a very well trained ear to see any of the differences. There has been a tendency for a fair amount of movement between provinces, especially to larger urban areas and that has smoothed out some of the sounds. Social economic differences are more reflected in education – vocabulary & minor syntax variation, not pronunciation. 🙂
This is another reason I find your visual dialogue with Ashley so fascinating. You speak/riff to one another photographically. A complex layered form of ideographic communication that shares much with jazz improvisation duets. Such a conversation could only have evolved in the implied space of internet & blogging.
The closest thing to this type communication that I have seen is where individuals have responded & discussed articles on io9 using animated and captioned gifs.
I still think a collection of your street portraits would make a great exhibition.
Thanks very much, my friend.
What an amazing collection of portraits and faces – lives you touched for a moment. Suppose you were to click them again a few years later? What stories would their faces and pictures tell? 🙂
I love your knack of picking out this… this… and that … on that side of the street… and on that turn right there…
Thanks so much, MJ! I have bumped into a few people a second time. It’s lovely to see them again. And sometimes I get to take another shot. Thanks for the lovely compliment.
A brilliant portrait, and fantastic collection!
Thanks very much, Elena – lovely compliment!
Phenomenal portraits!! Enjoyed every single one. What a joy it must be to stop and meet these people on the street, to share a moment with them. Very gripping and dazzling images. All the best,
Autumn Jade
Thanks so much, Autumn Jade! Yes, it’s great fun and addictive. And it feels like getting to know the city better. These people were all great.
Hi it’s Jackie just found YOU and this wonderful blog! Great college of photo’s!! Keep up the amazing photography
Hi Jackie. Thanks very much for the compliment!
I second Ashley’s comment (but you already know that). Great ongoing project.
Thanks so much, John. Much appreciated.
I love all of these. I wish I could do the same but, contrary to what people think of me on wordpress, I am actually a bit shy. Introverted. Asking a stranger if I could take their picture would be too intimidating. Great work.
Really glad you like them, Emilio. Thanks very much for a great compliment!
As so many people have said these are great, I wish I could do likewise at one-point.
Thanks so much!
Came from Barry’s Blog. Awesome Portraits !
All the Best,
Gerhard
Thanks so much, Gerhard! Much appreciated.
Hey Richard, it’s great to see all your beautiful work!
I’ll be sure to let you know when my website is up so I can put my portrait up there with a link so everybody can see all this beauty and diversity! I’m glad I ran in to you this year, merry christmas and happy new year!
~Nix
Thanks so much, Nixon – that’s a lovely compliment! I’m glad I ran in to you too. Have a great Christmas and a fabulous new year! All the best, Richard