How to pull girls!
This is a look back to the Park portraits series I shot on the cumbersome 5x4 camera in London’s Parks.
Many times in the street I would see someone and think, he/she looks interesting/ or odd/ or funny…whatever… I decided, in the moment of that happening asking to take their portraits. This is the jist of the series really.
Unlike using a modern digital camera, I would then proceed to pull out my old fashioned 5x4 plate camera and start focusing on them. This in itself would take ages and then I would have to insist they were still whilst I closed the camera down, added the sheathed film, I’d pull up the darkslide to expose the film and push it down again having remembered to turn the sheath around so as to know that side is the exposed film.. Naturally, being a photographer I would wanted to take several so the processed beings again…In the mean im attempting to engage with these complete strangers who agreed to give me a minute of their times which is turning into 10.
It was an interesting self assignment, you really could go all day without really seeing anyone that is that interesting! Try doing it, most people are kind of samey… (in apperance at least) and all the time im walking, carrying a heavy tripod, bag and camera. Hot and sweaty in the summer months and cold and frozen in the winter!
My very first portrait was the one below. I saw this man below reading a book in the Hyde park cafe whilst I was enjoying a well earned coffee, and I thought NOW, he looked interesting, and wow, I’ve fond someone… and having speant a week wandering about without really seeing anyone this was great.
It took me a while to muster the courage to ask him if I could take his portrait..It suddenly felt like a strange thing to do! Going upto a complete and utter stranger and asking to take their portrait, for me to keep and no real other reason! why the hell would you? I plucked up the courage after a little time…
He said yes! Phew I asked what he was reading …he turned the cover and yes it was a book entitle, ‘How to pull girls’
“Do you mind holding the book whilst I take your photograph”, i cheekily asked , which he declined as he quickly put it into his satchel
Anyway, I set up the camera, asked him to stand in the middle of the path we were on outside the cafe. A tree lined avenue of sorts thats busy with walkers, runners and cyclists…
I slowly and carefully focused the camera, using the dark cloth over my head and a little magnifier pressed onto the ground glass screen. I asked him kindly to stay still as I put the film in and said, “right Im ready”! As I released the shutter he pulled the pose you see below. And that was that. Thats the only sheet of film I shot of him. He picked up his satchel and walked back to work…
On the whole people were pretty open to having the photos take. Perhaps, it was curiosity, perhaps pitty, im not sure. I asked this one man in Green park if I could kindly take his portraits and he asked why, “You look like jesus” was my honest answer.
He told me to “fuck off”.
Reasonable, I feel in hindsight….
You can view more of the images here London Park Portraits
‘How to pull girls’-Park Portraits by David Woolfall
Park Portraits by David Woolfall
Park Portraits by David Woolfall