I visited the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, in Tampa. A collection of images by Howard Buffet (Warren Buffet's son) attracted me. Zora greeted me at the front desk, checked my membership card, and validated my parking ticket – saving me about $10.
Zora is originally from Czechoslovakia, and has the delightful accent to back it up. She has a doctorate in education, and has been the Director Gallery Art Factory in Prague. Zora has been director of the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts since May, and laments that she is woefully understaffed. The morning that I arrived, she was “manning” the front desk, answering the phone, and probably sweeping the floor; she was alone. Quickly, as a member she tried to recruit me to volunteer at the front desk to answer phones, etc. She looked a little crestfallen when I told her that I lived 75 miles away.
I told Zora that a few months earlier, I had met volunteer Kento (Flickr Stranger #388 ) and photographed him in the same seat in which she was sitting. Zora was very complimentary of Kento's efforts, and agreed to be photographed.
My usual plea to 'not smile for the camera' was totally unnecessary. Zora has clearly been photographed many times in the past, and immediately assumed professional-like poses.
