
There, behind him, attached to the outside of this building were these mythical [Greek] figures all gesturing in one way or another. I sensed an opportunity to photograph this guy with these figures behind him and so moved slowly in his direction not wanting to be noticed. At this point he was staring at the ground whilst sat on the wall, and as I got close enough to frame the shot he lifted his head as he became aware of my presence. I was committed to the shot and took it anyway. I then moved out and to the front of him pretending I was framing up the figures on the wall and he began to get up and move out of my way, not knowing I had already got the shot I wanted. We started a conversation about the figures and he told me he had made them himself as he was a sculptor and enjoyed making them. He mentioned other figures he had done around the town for other people and told me where I could find them if I wanted to go and look. This scenario played out because I had the gall to enter this guys life and create an opportunity from an everyday situation. I actually asked him if I could take a portrait shot of him but he declined saying he was too old. I moved on and he stayed where he was sat on the wall in the sunshine. I had what I wanted but he was now, somehow, a little less of a stranger!
