I have to assume that you're not coming here to read me complaining about the weather - and yet, there are the days when I just can't help myself, when the leakage of my shoes is so pronounced that I make squelching noises as I walk through the torrential rain. On those days - like today - I wish I had a Beeblebroxian third arm, in absence of which I try to hold on to my umbrella with my chin as I endeavour to get the camera out of its bag, clean the lens or fiddle with the settings, all while trying to keep it reasonably dry. On those days no one in their right mind would ever think of subjecting themselves to the vagaries of weather just to take a couple of photographs, with or without umbrella. But then again - it might have just been the prospect of reaching the train station considerably less drenched that made up S.'s mind today...When I approached S., she was skirting along the facades in the old town, carefully selecting her path to lead from canopy to awning, elegantly reducing the unsheltered stretches to a minimum. She seemed astounded at my project, and at the same time intrigued by it, and allowed me to accompany her to the station. We had a most interesting chat during the fifteen minutes that followed; her story, her curiosity, her outlook on life and her desire for changes of perspective were amazing and inspiring.
Once we had arrived at the station and were out of the rain, we stopped for the portraits. I took 25 photographs - I've finally learned how to reduce the intensity of my camera's flash and needed to practise. I'm still not happy about the colors of the pictures taken with flash, and so the one I've selected was again taken without. It sums up quite well how I saw S. - open, curious, good-humored, with maybe just a hint of self-irony.
S., thank you so much for your trust and your openness - I wish you all the best and hope that a new horizon will present itself to you whenever you need it.
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