Earl (#704) 11-13-14

I am posting this one a little out of order as it has to do with Veteran's Day. About 30 minutes before a Veteran's Day parade was about to begin, Earl and Mary pulled up on a Honda motorcycle. Mary wore a helmet, but Earl wore a red soft hat, sort of like a beret, and a leather vest with several patches. I Googled Veteran's hats and found nothing like it. Anyway, Earl looked pretty cool.

So I walked out to the side of the street and told him so. He was OK with 100 Strangers, but I saw no hint of a smile and his affect was sort of flat.

I said that I supposed that he was a Veteran. He said no, but that his son was and was killed in Afghanistan in 2008 – he pointed to a “Fallen But Not Forgotten” patch on his chest.

I was momentarily stunned, and my faux chattiness instantly evaporated. I mumbled something like “So sorry” as Earl waved dismissively and said, “That's just the way it is.” I offered breakfast, or coffee and a pastry but he said no; at least I got a momentary smile.

After he walked away to some buddies, I made small talk with Mary, who is the fallen soldier's stepmother. I was so taken by gravity the moment that this polite banter seems meaningless.

Some would keep the image in color, to showcase the hat. I feel that color detracts from the hardship that God and six years have etched into that face.

“Often the faces speak what words can never say”, Carl Sandberg.

Bob

Eric (#703) 11-13-14

I sat on a bench, camera in lap, doing nothing. Out of the blue, Eric was asking me about the camera. He has cameras by Olympus, Leica, and Nikon – a gear junkie. I gave him a quick tour of the camera, and my photostream on the phone. It is amazing how often the Olympus OM-D E-M5 (who got paid to name that?) has drawn comments leading to a stranger encounter.

When I explained 100 Strangers to Eric, he was interested and 'all in.' Eric is a professional photographer who spent 24 years in Europe, primarily doing fashion photography. In Sarasota, he is mainly into real estate and associated photography. Eric showed me an image on his phone, a high contrast B&W – my kind of stuff! His site is HERE.

We exchanged cards and I sent him this image. He liked it and we are hopeful to meet for lunch soon.

Bob

Lucy (#702) 11-12-14

I visited friends in new Smyrna Beach. They are patrons of the Arts, and support a local art co-op (my words)., The site is HERE.  I was amazed by the sophistication of the location, which began only 2 ½ years ago.

Lucy was the volunteer at the front desk the day that I visited. She is a rare Florida native. “I was born in the center of the state and slowly migrated east. Now at the ocean, I can't go any farther.” She was shy, and a little reticent about being photographed. But after she was (relatively) comfortable with the idea, she kindly stepped outside for better light. We exchanged cards. Her association with The Hub is truly a labor of love.

While inside, I met Irene, an accomplished painter. She was helping a fellow painter set up a gallery viewing. They spent many minutes deciding the height of the pieces; 67 inches, 67 ½ inches, or 68 inches. Perhaps you thought that art was intuitive. Irene also kindly stepped outside for a photograph. She liked the one in the comments.

Bob

Jim and Barbara (#701) 11-11-14

While sitting outdoors sipping a way-too-hot cup of coffee, there was laughter behind me. I looked out the corner of my eye, and this couple were acting like they were having the time of their lives. Hopefully I wouldn't mess that up. As always, I made eye contact alternately as I explained my intention. While looking at Jim, I said “I belong to a camera group called 100 Strangers...” That's as far as I got before he started laughing and rolling his eyes. Jim saw the whole story before I could get the words out. And both were happy to be included.

Barbara was originally from Union County, NJ, and Jim was from Amityville, NY. They lived in Manhattan for many years, as Jim was an investment banker. In fact, he still is working. He looked around, raised his palms and said,”Why not work here?” I replied, “Oh, so this is a business meeting?” “Yes, we're writing this $5 off (laugh).”

Jim had noticed the same thing I have. Men in our generation use nicknames: Jim, Bob, Bill, etc. The younger generation use the proper names: James, Robert, and William. I am still amazed that we had a president named Jimmy.

I took a lot of pictures of Barbara – just could not get a genuine look without a camera-smile. She once had a professional non-smiling portrait that she hated and discarded. I was on notice. As Jim laughed so much, it was difficult to get a serious pose of him too. I liked this image, where he seems to be 'swallowing a smile.'

I showed it to Barbara and asked if she could do that. I got several more Barbara pics and liked the authenticity of this look. I felt good, as I really had to work for this.

Bob

Josh (#700) 11-10-14

700, whoo hooo!

How could Josh not catch my eye as he walked toward me on Main St? A young fellow with suspenders and a bow tie, definitely not the uniform of Sarasota FL. When I stopped him and asked for a portrait, he had no reservations.

Josh is an accountant trained in upstate New York. His office celebrates(?) 'Tie Tuesday.' I thought for a minute, yep, it was Tuesday. Usually he wears a regular tie, but today he decided to upstage the competition. He was the only man in the office with a bow tie.

He liked the 100 Strangers project, and took my card.

Bob

James and Jenny (#699) 11-09-14

A bar called 'The Blue Owl Tavern on Main' has been kind to me. Although it's on the wrong side of the street for optimal light, there is an alcove in front that provides adequate shade. And an adequate supply of 'characters.' When I passed the alcove and saw James and Jenny, I did not hesitate to meet them. Both were friendly and receptive.

James said, “You've seen me here before.” Yikes! Oh yeah, I remembered, he was with several other guys whom I photographed, but I missed him. Not this time. James is from Kentucky, but has worked at The Blue Owl for 1 ½ years. He asked the name of the project again. Within seconds he had 100 Strangers on his phone, and then my photostream. He has an agile mind and nimble left thumb.

James recognized several of my strangers, and shared the phone with Jenny. She pointed and laughed at a couple. “Oh look, there's Steve (Stranger #427) and Marty (Stranger #419)!” “Oh, and Joel (Stranger #399) was clean shaven!” I saw Joel a few days ago, the 'stache is coming back.

Both liked the 100 Strangers concept and Jenny took my card. Neither wanted a copy of their respective images. I liked Jenny's shoulder lace tattoo.

Bob

Bob (#698) 11-08-14

I was standing in front of a breakfast restaurant when Bob approached me. “Could you spare something so that I could get pancakes?” Interesting that less than 20 feet away is a sign that says that 93% of money given to panhandlers goes to drugs and alcohol. Several such signs are along main Street, and all are attached to light poles with steel cables. I suspect that the local merchants association placed them.

Anyway, I said to bob, “I'll make you a deal”, and explained the 100 Strangers project. He said,”A picture? I don't see anything wrong with that.” He was living in Harlem, New York, but his girlfriend got him to move here. I said that living in Florida must be a lot easier than in (cold) New York. He said that both black and white people in New Your have money. The poverty isn't so bad. But it is so expensive to live there...

Suddenly, he moved on, apparently looking for another mark. He did notgo into the restaurant for pancakes.

Bob

Russell and Jessica (#697) 11-07-14

I saw Russell drinking a glass of beer at a table in front of a Pizza place. After a few minutes, Jessica came out of the restaurant with a few slices of pizza and her own drink. She seemed to tend to Russell a bit.

When I approached them about the portrait project, Russell seemed OK and Jessica seemed a little nervous. Russell's smile never changed. My attempts to get a different pose went totally unnoticed. Russell said that he used to do photography and videography in the military. During the Korean war he photographed in the Philippines and several other locations that I could not understand. He was originally from Anderson Indiana. A couple of times Jessica prompted him when I asked a question.

Jessica continued to seem a bit nervous, but liked the images. I got her e-mail address and sent them both to her.

Bob

Jade (#696) 11-06-14

Jade was 'working' Central Avenue, seeking donations for the ROTC program at Gibbs High School. The goal is for the ROTC program to attend a Drill event in Washington D.C., in December. The team would get to tour the Capital, go to Mall of America, and compete in a drill competition. The Mall of America is not the national mall, but a group of stores. I made a modest donation.

When I explained 100 Strangers, Jade had no reservations about being photographed. But my usual headshot doesn't show her predominant feature. She was on crutches, with a 'boot' on her left foot. This was a ligament strain – an ROTC accident. The boot will be on for 6-7 weeks.

I asked if she'd be ready to make the trip. “Yeah, I think I'll be able to go, but not drill.”

“Hey, that's not so bad!”

“No, as long as I get to go to the mall.”

Bob

Daniel and Shannon (#695) 11-05-14

Daniel and Shannon were sitting outdoors sipping their respective lattes. Daniel was slumped slightly in his chair, while Shannon was far more vociferous and animated. When I approached them they were eager to participate and offered me a chair. That's the second time in a week that I had been offered a seat at the table. Nice.

Daniel is from New Jersey, but most of his family is in Queens, NY. We talked about Queens, my birthplace. When I was a baby, in the summer my mother would put me in a carriage, place me on the front lawn, and go inside to do her housework. The neighbors did the same thing. Daniel and I agreed that those days are loooong gone.

He graduated from the Ringling College of Art and Design, with a degree in Graphic Arts. He had worked in a graphics art position, but now is self employed. His website is HERE.  Daniel's goal is to support himself as a painter and he thinks that it is possible.

Shannon is from Kentucky and has been in this area for 15 years. She's only been back to Kentucky one time. She is a graduate of Venice High School, like me. She sings in several local clubs, and has a cleaning service. She is a part of the website HERE.

We all exchanged cards, and I have sent the images to them.

Bob

Paul (#692) 11-03-14

This Paul was sitting outdoors at Smokin Joe's bar. Whenever I see anyone there, I try to get a photograph. The light is so nice that minimal post processing is needed.

Paul was born in Maine, but spent most of his life in Chicago. Actually he was north of the city, “just a 30 minute ride on the metro.” Paul retired four years ago. His three kids live on the west coast of Florida, so he moved to warm country 1 ½ years ago. “I missed last winter (in Chicago). It was a bitch.” I couldn't have said it better myself.

Bob

Tina (#691) 11-02-14

On the prowl on Main St., in Bradenton FL, I saw a woman using a walker very slowly heading my way. She had white hair, and I mistakenly thought that she was quite elderly. I stood where the light looked favorable, and approached her in the right spot. I thought.

At first, she refused to be photographed. She held up the walker and looked at it as if it were an ugly dog that followed her home. I assured her that I did head shots and the walker wouldn't show. Then I showed her my Photostream on the phone. Finally she said OK, IF I I could tell her how to find an address. I rolled my eyes and told her that I was from out of town. She said that she had to find the courthouse. Aha, that I knew. I began to motion the directions, but finally said, “C'mon, I'll walk with you and we'll find it.” Tina said, “Sorry, I am very slow with this thing.” I assured her that a family member used a walker and I am familiar with the challenges. The sidewalk was composed of brick pavers – pretty, but not walker friendly. Tina recently had a total hip replacement, but now her knee was bothering her.

As we approached a corner, I pointed to the courthouse across the street, but we were next to the Administration building and Tina thought that it might be where she needed to be. We found some steps, but no ramp. Surely there was one around the corner, but she was done walking. I offered to take the walker, hold her hand, and guide her up the steps. Tina said “No thanks, I can do this.” I suspect that she was afraid of me stealing her purse, or creating some other mischief. As we got to the top, she turned around and said “Why not get the picture now?” A I asked her to step a little to the side to get into shade, and clicked away.

Still, I walked inside with her to make sure that she was in the right place. She was. So I said my goodbye, and felt very good about the whole thing, even though the images are weak.

Bob

Katherine (#690) 11-01-14

I was eating lunch with my sister at my favorite outdoor cafe. A young couple (actually, I'm not sure that they are a 'couple') were sitting at an adjacent table. Katherine was glued to a tablet that was propped at a 45 degree angle, while Gavin war reading an old fashion book. They looked so studious that I did not want to interfere. But finally I noticed her smiling and talking to Gavin while he pretended to take a bite out of her tablet. Time to make my move.

They were both intrigued by the project and more than happy to participate. When I began asking questions, Gavin pulled up a chair and motioned for me to sit down. Nice!

Katherine is from Austin, TX. One of her high school teachers was a graduate of New College, in Sarasota. So Katherine made the connection and is now a senior at New College. She is majoring in Religion; after the required theses, only five will graduate with that major. Her goal is to manage a non-profit organization. Her favorite candidate is Central Asia Institute, which empowers girls and young women through education in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. The website is HERE.  She liked the image and I sent it to her.

I commented to Gavin that eating an Apple tablet must taste better than a Samsung. He lived in Key West since five years old. His parents own a resort off Duval Street (the main drag in Key West). He is studying philosophy, and also wants to manage a non-profit organization.

These are such nice folks, and it's refreshing to meet people of this generation that have a social conscious and altruistic goals. So many in this age range are seeking fame, as defined by Facebook 'Likes', video clips gone viral, and (God spare me), 'Selfies.'

Bob

Vinnie (#689) 10-31-14

Vince is originally from Sarasota, but moved to Chicago. After four years he got smart and moved back. He liked Chicago for it's vibrancy – and more employment opportunities. “Sarasota is more laid back. Venice is REALLY laid back. He was lucky to find work at Trader Joe's, a grocery chain.

Alaina, my Stranger #428 also works at Trader Joe's. Vince knows her well, and thinks that she's “really neat.”

Bob

Dawn and Patrick (#688) 10-30-14

The two of them just looked like they were having a good time, so I had to intervene. Patrick was born in Germany. “You have no accent!” “That's because my dad was in the military, I wasn't there for long.”

Dawn is from Massachusetts, and she has no accent either. She is familiar with Queens, NY, where I was born.

I asked what the highlight of their week was. Dawn said, “Throwing out a couch, and then cleaning the yard and house. It feels good to make room for more stuff.” :-)

They liked my Photostream and the 100 Strangers concept. Dawn is one of those women who just can't 'not smile for the camera.' I finally pulled the camera down for a second and said, “I give up – smile!” That got the (genuine) laugh.

Bob

Russhea (#687) 10-29-14

Russhea has lived in Miami for most of her life, but she was born in Jamaica. Miami is home, and she will probably return. She is quite shy and demure, but she slowly 'opened up.' She loved the 100 Strangers concept and hopes to get a camera and try it.

I could not detect an island accent, but she definitely has the 'don't worry, be happy' personality. She works at “Synergy Sunglasses and Shoes”, which has the 'Life is Good' logo. I'm glad that it's on Russhea's shirt, it seems to fit her attitude.

Bob

Evelyn (#686) 10-28-14

This is my second 'Mom and Pop'' bookstore owner in Winter Park, FL, this week. Evelyn bought Brandywine Books in 1986 – this really is a labor of love. I mentioned that the store was in an alleyway, close to, but not totally visible from, the main drag. When she bought the store, it was in park Avenue, a few blocks 'too far' from the main activity. She does better here. Later, I saw Brandywine Square, I guess that's where it was.

Evelyn is originally from Illinois, but lived in New York for a long time. Her apartment was on the east side of Manhattan. It was rent controlled by the government, and she paid $130/month. When she moved out, the rent jumped to $3,000/month. No wonder that so many apartment buildings in Manhattan 'mysteriously' catch fire and burn up.

Bob

Jeff (#685) 10-27-14

Jeff's 'haircut' caught my eye. I told him that I'd remember the name, the same as my son's. But my son is the proletariat 'Jeffrey'. This Jeff is 'Jefferson', much more aristocratic sounding.

Jeff has been in Sarasota for 15 years. Before that, he lived in Alexandria VA, near DC. He was a building contractor. Now he uses computer assisted design to design new kitchens, although his business card lists him as 'entrepreneur'. Jeff says that the average kitchen he designs costs about $40,000, more than some people's house (ours was $14,300). When I told him that, he said to expect to pay that much for windows in a new house.

Jeff liked this image on the LCD. I sent him a copy and this was his reply, “Wow, interesting...is that Bruce Willis?” I had not made the Bruce Willis connection, but he's right!

Bob

Lauren (#684) 10-26-14

I am a sucker for Mom and Pop bookstores. I always buy something, even if I later donate it to the local library. Just got to support these lovers-of-what-they're-doing. In Winter Park, the new bookstore was three days old, and such a neat name, “A Writer's Block.”

This is Lauren's first foray into entrepreneurship. By training, she is an attorney, but her heart is here, not there. Her practice had not been booming, but she does support three teenage daughters at home. For some time, Lauren has had an almost religious feeling that she should do this. A few times (like when signing leases), she contemplated backing out, but her heart kept pushing her forward.

Three days earlier, A Writers Block held an opening reception. It was well attended, and people were so supportive that Lauren is optimistic about her future.

Bob

Russell (#683) 10-25-14

Russel is a waiter at Briarpatch Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor, in Winter Park, FL. Guess where I had lunch that day. It was quiet, and Russell was not rushed.

He inquired about my camera, which was on the tabletop. The Olympus OM-D has a retro look and often gets comments – a great way to start a stranger conversation. Anyway, his sister is getting serious about photography and will probably ask for a Nikon for Christmas.

Russell is from Winter Park and is currently a senior at the University of Central Florida, studying Health Care Administration (a thankless job at times).

Bob