In fact not 'What the butler saw' but it was me who saw the butler rush down the corridor at Lanhydrock (National Trust), Cornwall.

I thought I had missed a portrait opportunity but later I found him standing in the corridor: butler's black long-tailed coat, white gloves and shirt, and holding a small silver salver (for visiting cards) aloft in one hand.

Brian, a National Trust Volunteer, aka Henry Herne, the butler, was happy to oblige with a photo. I thought he held the slightly aloof pose of a butler perfectly. He works as a volunteer on Saturdays at Lanhydrock.

He told me about two of his other passions: swing jazz, Glen Miller, Duke Ellington et al, which he plays on clarinet and saxophone, not in a band but just for his own pleasure; astronomy which he enjoys in his own observatory at home equipped with a powerful telescope.

Everyone has a story to tell.................


It is quite difficult now, for various reasons, to find stranger portraits: especially with the spectre of Covid-19 lurking around any encounter. So I am revisiting some existing colour portraits, seeing how they suit b&w conversions.

Tags:   mono Brian N Henry Henry Herne Lanhydrock NT b&w

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It is difficult now to find stranger portraits with the spectre of Covid-19 lurking around any encounter. Thus I am revisiting existing colour portraits, seeing how they suit b&w conversions.

I met Richard and Maureen when they were volunteering in the tea room at the Hospital of St Cross and Almshouse of Noble Poverty in Winchester. One of the elderly Brothers who lives at St Cross and was standing at the counter took it upon himself to stage manage the photo-shoot. It made for a different style of photo.

It was soon evident that, although this husband and wife team are involved now with cake, all their life has been a love affair with chocolate.

Several of Maureen's relations have worked at Cadbury World and she and Richard met there in Birmingham. They became engaged in South Africa where Richard had been posted. He told me he was 'chief taster'; later in the conversation I learnt that he was in charge of the 'Overseas Production Department and Quality Control'.

The family who founded Cadbury World were Quakers, committed to knowing their employees and looking after their well-being. Educational opportunities were often provided and Richard himself was the recipient of a music scholarship.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to meet these smiling volunteers at St Cross almshouses which are currently closed to protect their elderly residents


Everyone has a story to tell.

Tags:   St Cross Richard Maureen tea room mono portrait

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I miss my portraiture work with strangers; I also miss being out with friends and able to take their portraits. I don't complain as I am aware that Co-vid restrictions are necessary. Instead, I am indulging in a series of conversions into mono of existing colour portraits.

Sylv and I are used to having a pub lunch out together. On this occasion I asked her to change places with me so that I could get a photo of her with an uncluttered background.

We've known each other for nearly 20 years. Here's looking forward to that next pub lunch.

Tags:   portrait mono Sylv friend

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Once upon a time I had a Cairn terrier called Jinks, a small dog with a big personality. One day, he was booked in for a 'winter trim' and I left home with him for the dog groomer's in thick fog, finding access blocked by road surfacing works.

A workman helped me park in a tight spot and when I commented on problems of access, he told me it's not unusual for council workmen repairing roads to be subject to verbal and physical abuse with items such as sticks and golf balls thrown at them by motorists angry at being unable to use their normal route.

For protection to provide evidence in case of disputes, workmen each now have their own video camera on their jacket.

Jinks and I continued on foot.

He was due to be collected at 3.30 so I set off in bright sunlight at home. A few hundred yards up the road the fog was still as thick as ever.

Red-hot tarmac was being put down and I was instructed to follow a highway maintenance lorry, its orange lights flashing. The road ahead was blocked so I had to park in a field gateway and walk over a dirty rough surface with a workman, Daniel, as escort.

At the dog groomer's, Jinks, freshly bathed and trimmed, was fast asleep. I was grateful that Daniel insisted on carrying him back to my car where I got this shot before we set off, and thanked Daniel for helping me.

A slightly surreal day and I can't quite find a word to describe the look on Jinks' face.

It is difficult to find stranger portraits with the spectre of Covid-19 lurking around any encounter. So I am revisiting colour portraits, seeing how they suit b&w conversions.

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It's been really difficult during lockdown, to secure stranger portraits. Hence I have decided to take some previous portraits and see how they fare in b&w. Jamie was one of the few subjects I managed to ask for a portrait in between total lockdown periods last year.

Ray and I had gone for a trip in the park along the river, me on my scooter and him on foot. We met Jamie riding his electric scooter. He told me he rides it on part of his journey to his work as a teacher in an inclusion unit at a school supporting pupils who have various learning difficulties. He was offered the post as lockdown started and had only just begun his duties.

He was very happy that felt he had just made a difference to his first 1:1 pupil. He explained further that he himself had experienced problems with his education in his teenage years and this helps his understanding of such difficulties.

Jamie's first love is music, and he spoke about his previous life as a musician, travelling 'all over' to give concerts. Jamie was an eloquent speaker and I was caught up in the conversation and did not even think, for a long while, of asking for a strangers' portrait. When I did, he was happy to agree and I took several shots.

The light was fading and we were in the shade of large trees so some photos were more successful than others. This is one of three which I personally liked.

Tags:   Jamie portrait mono b&w Hazel 2021 scooter

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