Blog post #350, another round number...

While speaking with a stranger, I saw Clay and Misaki out of the corner of my eye. Of course they were long gone when my conversation was over. So when I saw them an hour later, I knew that fate was on my side, and it was my duty to approach them for portraits.

As I spoke, a small smile came over Clay's face; this was going to work OK. Clay recently moved to Florida from Kentucky. And he had attended the University of Kentucky, as had my sister-in-law. So we chatted about UK basketball for a while, when he asked if people moving to Florida ever got used to the heat. I told him that most of us did fine in June and July, but it sort of gets to everyone by September. I did not mention that one becomes more heat intolerant with age. He'll figure it out in a few decades.

Misaki held Lily the entire time. She is from Japan – maybe dogs aren't allowed to walk there.

Now the image of Misaki and Lily is a departure from my usual style.

1. I like close, square crops. The way she held the dog, that just didn't work.

2. I usually ask people not to smile, and then hope to get a subtle facial gesture that implies story. But look at that face! How could I ask her not to smile? It was so genuine, and she obviously loves Lily so much, that I had to go with it.

At the end of the encounter I walked a block away and pulled out my notepad to jot down a few things. I am not sure that I remembered how to spell her name. My bad.

Bob