Strangers Among Us

phonebox envy

2011-03-07T04:38:00.000-05:00

spotted this young tourist taking a special interest in a good old english phonebox recently on a trip to london.
look children - this is what we had to use before mobile phones were invented... cool eh?
every town and village had one. ah, the good old days.

england

2010-10-16T16:01:00.002-04:00

one i forgot to post from the summer.
business was booming due to england's stunning performance in south africa. better luck next time mate...

the labours of hercules

2010-08-02T03:59:00.002-04:00

this was the best depiction of the nemean lion that i've seen. rather than an actual lion, he was depicted as a wrestler. great fun.

phone rome...

2010-06-21T10:36:00.002-04:00

"claudius... tell your mother i'm going to be late home."

messing about on the water

2010-05-11T08:30:00.005-04:00

the 'dee' was full of shivering bodies. this coxswain seemed pretty pleased with how the race had gone.

i love the bicycle!...

"sandwiches? - check - flask? - check - raincoat? - check - bike? - che..what?"

f3 strangers

2010-04-05T15:57:00.003-04:00

one of the champions of the f3 and gt races at oulton park [cheshire, uk] this weekend. i'm pretty sure this is jean-eric vergne. that's as much as i know!

as i'm a complete stranger to f3 and gt and i don't know this guy from adam, i figured he qualified as a stranger.

The Cowboy Way

2010-02-14T23:48:00.002-05:00

This stranger was standing guard in Robert's Western World, Nashville TN. Burgers, boots, beer and booze is their motto, with live music and gawky tourists thrown into the mix. He, however, looked completely at home.

Snowmageddon

2010-02-07T17:45:00.005-05:00

*tap* *tap* *tap*. Is this thing still on?

As I'm sure anyone that's heard any news knows those of us on the east coast got hit hard by a snowstorm of almost apocalyptic proportions this past weekend. Where we live we ended up with around 28 inches when all was said and done. Today was the first day with no snow so I ventured out with my camera. This is the major road in our neighborhood. There's been no plows coming through yet. There's been very little traffic through the area, but some ambitious individuals have made it their mission to get out. And since walking through 28 inch high snow is a lot more strenuous that you might think this has caused people to walk in the middle of the roads like this individual taking their dog out for a walk.

spit... mmmm!

2009-12-15T11:14:00.003-05:00

spit baguette
cheesburger n spit
spit n chips
whatever it is... these two customers don't look too sure about it!

Sanctified Stranger

2009-12-02T01:42:00.002-05:00

in Montalcino, Italy.

It's Been Too Long

2009-11-10T01:10:00.004-05:00

... since I've debuted a new set of Strangers here. Actually, I see everyone's been having a bit of a block. I was trying to decide which picture to choose for a first-in-a-while picture [sort of like choosing an outfit to meet up with someone in an airport whom you haven't seen in a long time, right?]

There's only one that came to mind. And it's truly the strangest Stranger I have ever seen. Hopefully this will break the ice for everyone else, too.

Spotted in the train station in Milan [yes, that one. In Italy]. And if it looks vaguely familiar but you can't quite decide what it is...

... ever seen the best 5 internet seconds of all time, Dramatic Squirrel?

Its all about the timing...

2009-10-10T20:57:00.002-04:00

This Stranger was diving from the rocks in a popular cove in O'ahu. The trick is all in the timing, since the water can rise and fall quite quickly. On our last visit, we spotted a diver with less luck...or lower intellect...who timed his jump wrong and broke his leg in the exposed sand. Painful just to think about it. This diver, however, was just having a good ole time.

fresh air

2009-09-07T07:47:00.003-04:00

spotted this solitary stranger enjoying a good book on a north wales beach.

Looking For A Better Shot

2009-08-24T23:32:00.003-04:00

This photographer was on their way to the gazebo in order to try and get a better shot of the sunset. To be honest the clouds made the shots less than spectacular in my opinion since the sun was so obscured, but I liked this shot on him on his way out.

Here Fishie Fishie Fishie...

2009-08-20T02:31:00.004-04:00

Fishing pier in Kitty Hawk. It stretches out into the ocean a good ways. You can see for yourself here.

Bait For It...

2009-08-11T02:04:00.003-04:00

Gangway, Firefighter Coming Through!

2009-08-03T15:58:00.004-04:00

All he needs now is to detail the scooter with a siren and flashing light. Hopefully the fire isn't too far away, otherwise he's going to get pretty tired.

felipe the clown ...

2009-07-30T07:20:00.004-04:00

... bringing smiles to members the audience at the netherlands national circus.

karamba samba

2009-07-02T09:08:00.002-04:00

these are some of the folk who led the parade (they followed the fire-eating jester). their drums and cowbells making a rhythmic din throughout the town centre drawing much of the onlookers through simple curiosity.
this is the last one i will post from the midsummer watch.

ermmm...

2009-06-29T07:20:00.001-04:00

i don't know what to say really...
another one from the midsummer watch parade.

Intersections

2009-06-27T19:02:00.001-04:00

Who Watches The Painting Watchers

2009-06-26T15:17:00.002-04:00

I assume this guy's sole purpose to keep people from desecrating or stealing the painting within the National Gallery of Art. So 99.9% of the time he's probably just standing there bored out of his mind.

summer madness

2009-06-22T09:49:00.002-04:00

so here in chester it's midsummer watch time. this ~~nutter~~ stranger was running through the crowd trying to scare the kiddies. nice work if you can get if!

i got a lot of shots so there will be more to follow...

Surfin'...

2009-06-14T14:22:00.002-04:00

I caught this Stranger from an odd vantage point. I like the effect as he surfs the line between sea and sand.

Smile!

2009-05-25T15:11:00.001-04:00

My 3.5-year-old took this picture of strangers in Central Park on Memorial Day strolling by Bethesda Fountain.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

2009-05-25T15:09:00.001-04:00

These strangers are enjoying a mid-day row at Central Park on the Monday Memorial Day holiday.

brrrrrrrom bom bom!

2009-04-27T10:52:00.002-04:00

you can tell summer's nearly here when the parades start up here in chester. there's only one ofver the winter months, but from here on in there's one every few weeks.
these guys were part of this week's st george's day parade through the city centre.

here fishy fishy

2009-04-22T10:24:00.002-04:00

it was actually a lot warmer than it looks in this photo. i personally wouldn't have thought he'd much chance of catching anything significant from here - but what i know about fishing you can write on the back of a postage stamp.
taken at rhos-on-sea in north wales.

where's a bench when you need one?

2009-04-15T06:46:00.003-04:00

this stranger obviously had had enough walking around in the gardens of a local heritage sight. i don't know where the kid was that this buggy belonged to, but the person occupying it didn't seem too bothered.

among the dunes

2009-03-04T06:19:00.002-05:00

ok folks it's time to break the strangers drought.
i was clearing off some photos from my old camera from last year. what with all the rain and snow that everyone's been getting i figured i'd post this one of a pair of very relaxed sunbathers, shelterd from the breeze by the dunes.

Rock n' Roll, Music City!

2009-01-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

I spent the weekend in Nashville, Tennessee— city of neon lights, delicious southern food, and fantastic musicians. I had to snap a photo of these mounted police hanging out of an alley on Broadway Street, which is where the heart of the nightlife seems to be.

I also wandered through the old Union Station, which has been turned into a beautiful hotel but still has train tracks crisscrossing across the back lot area. The people at the bottom of this photo are completely dwarfed by the grandiosity of the architecture behind them.

When you're hungry and you're not in the mood for fried chicken, barbeque, grits, okra and sweet tea, why not stop at a tiny little hot dog stand, I Dream of Weenie? We had to go there for the name alone, but the hot dog was pretty great too.

A British two-fer...

2009-01-27T09:52:00.001-05:00

Another Stranger from my short trip to London...this one from one of our favorite dinners. This is a Dim Sum restaurant in soho.

British humor...

2009-01-25T15:16:00.002-05:00

OK...I should leave this one to Gaz to explain :) These Strangers were part of the comic relief in London's New Year's Day parade. It was in the low 40s (Fahrenheit) that morning...so these men were brave. Still...the crowd loved them.

Lady in Red

2009-01-08T23:52:00.004-05:00

This brave woman and her companion faced the blustery winds of Ann Arbor... every time I look at the picture I remember how cold it was that day. I hope at her age I'm still out fighting those Northern winds.

beautiful beast

2009-01-08T07:02:00.005-05:00

this fella came over the dunes towards us on a recent visit to a lighthouse. we all thought the way the horse's coat shone was wonderful, and the pattern was beautiful.

Dressing for work...

2008-12-30T17:59:00.002-05:00

I really like the striking contrast of these work "uniforms". On the left...two of the Vatican's Swiss Guards in their colorful garb. On the right...a Vatican paper-pusher in an Italian suit.

shades of winter

2008-12-18T06:30:00.002-05:00

gone are the bright summer tones, the hawaiian shirts, the gaudy dresses and the flip-flops, the stroll through the park in shorts.
they are transformed into the greys and browns of winter, the extra thick socks and boots, the wooly hats and gloves, the brisk chilly walk to the comfort of the warm cafe.

feeding frenzy

2008-12-10T04:52:00.003-05:00

i don't think these need any exposition...

love among the ruins

2008-12-08T11:21:00.003-05:00

a crisp cold morning and a couple lovingly stroll through some of chester's many roman ruins.

Cooked...

2008-12-07T20:46:00.002-05:00

Its been slow on Strangers...so I thought I would go wild and put up a second in one day :) I don't think I even need a caption for this colorful street performer on a hot Roman afternoon.

Gelato makes everything better...

2008-12-07T17:55:00.002-05:00

I love this cheery Stranger. In the midst of busting Rome, she sat down with a big cone of gelato in hand and thought happy thoughts.

Silver Bells in the City

2008-11-23T12:42:00.005-05:00

Alright, I see your animals theme and raise you a holiday theme. Friday was Lansing's annual Silver Bells in the City event, begining with an electric light parade—

[notice all the people looking out office windows?]

followed by the lighting of the Christmas tree on the Capitol lawn—

and then fireworks. I was wondering who all the lucky Strangers were who got to stand on the balconies of the Capitol, but then again, they wouldn't be able to see any fireworks from where they were.

Many businesses and galleries are open for people to meander through, and the smell of caramel corn fills the air in a deliciously tempting way. It's a huge event, bringing about 120,000 downtown to brave the cold and kick off the holiday season. [I think Christmas before Thanksgiving is too early, but I still love Silver Bells.]

Woof

2008-11-20T01:44:00.003-05:00

So we've got an animal theme going now eh? Ok, I can do that. This might also fall into the people that have pets that look like them category since they have similar hair styles.

Strange mating habits...

2008-11-17T19:34:00.003-05:00

This Stranger has a pretty darn cool job at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. She get's to ride around the exhibits with goofy visitors (like me) and talk about the mating rituals of giraffes...and how poop+pee turns on rhinos. For cheery Anne, every sentence is potential punch line.

Enthusiasm

2008-11-14T15:34:00.004-05:00

So here's the deal, I had this picture from before the election (is it obvious?). It was during a Halloween parade. And I wanted to put it up showing how this year in particular people were really enthusiastic and gung ho about the whole election process. At the time though I was unsure because there is a candidate being promoted on the signage and I didn't necessarily wanted to send political messages from this blog (I'll do it from my own no problem, but I don't want to speak for everyone on the team here). And then the decision got taken away from me when the Peppermint Jim post went up, because I didn't really want to post over top of that. Then the election came and went. And then I thought, well now it's going to look like we're bragging or something since the candidate being promoted in the photo won. And now I feel like it's been long enough that hopefully no one will care or read anything into it. Whew, that was a long winded explanation. I probably should just post photos and not type anything in the future.

Riding Home from Work

2008-11-08T18:49:00.002-05:00

I don't know if this Stranger was actually on her way home from work, but I'm going to imagine that she was heading back to her 1920s-era home in one of the cute little neighborhoods around Lansing's capitol.

Strangers In Need

2008-11-01T23:49:00.004-04:00

Following the theme of posed-but-still-kind-of-Strangers pictures...

Before Wednesday I had never heard of "Peppermint Jim" Crosby. He was a vendor at the Allen Street Farmers Market in Lansing, Michigan where I volunteer, and after talking to him a bit I bought some minty essential oils from him as well as some delicious mint-chocolate toffee [sounds weird, but it's not]. And then I went back to work.

A while later, another volunteer was asking people if they'd been to visit "the mint guy," because he was in danger of losing his farm and was trying to sell as much of the oils as possible. Being the food-, farm- and agriculturally-minded student that I am, I immediately went back to talk to him.

Why he didn't tell me the first time what was going on, I'm not sure. I think maybe he could tell that I was going to buy something regardless, and didn't need to guilt me into a purchase. At any rate, I asked and he told me his story of owning a 4th-generation farm, the longest operating mint farm in the United States. From the sounds of it, he and his sister, co-owners since their father passed away, got involved in a bad lending deal and are now in danger of losing the farm because of it.

The thing that made me mad was that the lender, Greenstone Farm Credit, is threatening to confiscate all the bottles of mint oils, effectively disabling them from being able to pay off their debts. Due to all the interest Peppermint Jim's plight has generated, he thinks they could easily pay it all back if only they had the chance. It seems like this is all coming to a head at once, and after all, he's a farmer, not a politician or celebrity or anything else.

The farm in question is in St. Johns, Michigan, about 25 minutes from where I live. I'm sure that, were it to be sold, it would become a subdivision or other such blight on the land. Maybe a Super Walmart or something.

Now that I've made what has got to be the longest post ever in Strangers history, I'll leave you with a link to the Get Mint website as well as an article that just ran in a local newspaper. I'm not trying to guilt anyone into buying anything, but this kind of thing is happening to so many small-scale farmers nowadays that it's important, I think, to be aware not only of the people but of the choices we make when we purchase things, and especially when we purchase things that need to be grown or raised by a farmer.

I talked to Peppermint Jim for probably at least an hour. When I asked him if I could take his picture, he seemed to be genuinely taken aback. I'm sure this isn't at all the kind of life he envisioned for himself, but he may end up doing a lot to further the cause of small-scale farming and local agriculture. So for now, he gets to be a web celebrity— but keep in mind that, without a farm, he won't be able to do what he really loves. And while I don't know if he still qualifies as a Stranger, it was one of those one-minute-he-was-the-next-he-wasn't kind of things. And I know there are a lot of Strangers out there facing similar fates right now.

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T21:25:00.003-04:00

It'a Halloween, and all the kids are out trying to score free candy. Hope you enjoyed the holiday. And yes, I know since these are posed, they're not officially within the spirit of the blog, but technically they are Strangers since I don't know them.

Homeward Bound

2008-10-30T15:09:00.004-04:00

An afternoon shot from the DC metro.

Time To Tidy Up

2008-10-28T15:18:00.004-04:00

With the possibility of some new members arriving soon it appears there are some Strangers doing some yard work to get the mall looking nice before the new tenants show up.

Perched...

2008-10-26T19:28:00.000-04:00

These Strangers were lost in conversation along the outer walls of hilltop town of Orvieto. The Italian countryside rolled quietly below.

Walking the Stranger

2008-10-22T10:53:00.002-04:00

These are old pictures, but I was thinking about them last night as my dogs romped at the local dog park, and I very stupidly had forgotten my camera. In Buenos Aires, dog-walking is a task best left to the experts, as they have to navigate bustling streets and then the dog run areas that are bursting with unleashed energy.

I have enough trouble keeping two dogs in hand, and max out my abilities at four. Walk 15 dogs, you say? Never!

This guy seems to have the right idea:

Bone Cleaner

2008-10-21T08:48:00.004-04:00

As we were making our way through the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History we paused briefly to watch this guy as he was meticulously cleaning some fossils. I just liked the goggles. If he ever loses this job maybe he can apply to be an engineer on Star Trek.

Turbulence...

2008-10-19T19:35:00.002-04:00

This Stranger was wading at Shark's Cove along the Oahu's North Shore. The surf had begun to churn along this normally calm area popular with snorkelers.

watching the wildlife

2008-10-17T06:47:00.004-04:00

...and here the strangers begin their long trek back to the top of the beach where the females are preparing food. observe the males as they keep in time with the leader. it is believed that the herd's trousers may be no longer that that of the leader, causing them to roll up their own for fear of offending the alpha male.
the journey is nearly over for these 3 explorers... no wait... there are 4 explorers. this is a rare sight... they have a cub with them.

My Kind of Town

2008-10-03T00:41:00.003-04:00

Taking a train to Chicago is the easiest, most fun way to go. This Stranger was headed in the same direction, chain-smoking at the station in Jackson, MI while we waited for the train to arrive.

Once there, we stretched our legs along Lakeshore Drive, and were privy to this beautiful, picture-perfect wedding...

We also wandered through a farmer's market that took up two entire city blocks, closing down the street. I've never seen a market so huge, and I know they're scattered throughout Chicago. It was exciting to see such variety from the vendors, but it made me miss the intimacy of the market with which I volunteer at home.

Patience...

2008-09-29T22:35:00.003-04:00

This Italian Stranger is repairing centuries-old mosaics on the enormous floor of the Duomo in Siena. These marble patterns include intricate pictures and colorful patterns.

strolling along

2008-09-24T09:53:00.001-04:00

more people enjoying the fresh sea air during a stroll down llandudno pier.

Political Stranger...

2008-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

This little girl was part of a political rally in Virginia last Friday. She was the darling of the front row!

soaking up

2008-09-22T05:37:00.002-04:00

this couple were soaking up the warmth of the sun, taking in the scenery, and listening to the the sound of the seagulls' cries and the waves lapping below against the pier.
taken on llandudno pier at the w/e.
finally we're getting a little sunshine!

Where are the vegetables?

2008-09-14T17:08:00.002-04:00

This group of strangers is participating in a "visit the farm day" in the New York Catskills for a Community Supported Agriculture group.

Zipping along...

2008-09-13T23:56:00.003-04:00

These color-coordinated Strangers were taking advantage of strong breezes on San Francisco Bay.

Festive garb...

2008-09-07T12:20:00.002-04:00

These Strangers were decked out in the traditional colors of their neighborhood for a boisterous procession in Siena. All these of these men carried large red, gold, and green flags in a rolling sea of color as they marched through the city to the central Campo.

Zebras in Their Natural Habitat

2008-09-06T00:28:00.000-04:00

These sorority girls seem to be taking a clue from zebras as they try to mesh into one blob, as the eye sees it. They headed onto "Banana Joe's" bus, for some mixer I assume.

Of course, it was their similar dresses that attracted my attention in the first place. I don't understand the draw, but most "Greek" girls on campus wear more or less the same 3 styles constantly, much to the amusement of the un-initiated.

watching the kids 2

2008-09-05T09:50:00.002-04:00

taken at the same place as my last post, but this guy was watching his kid on a slide. the dog seems to be interested in something else.

The Scientist

2008-09-01T22:05:00.002-04:00

This stranger was deeply engrossed in his work. He didn't even know I was there for quite some time.

Do you have protection?

2008-09-01T09:16:00.002-04:00

These Labor Day sun worshipers enjoy the last official weekend of summer at the Jersey Shore. (I can't let James be the only one posting bikini pictures!)

watching the kids

2008-08-27T10:31:00.002-04:00

caught these strangers watching (and recording) their kids playing on a rope swing over a river.

Does "handmade" equal "art"...

2008-08-24T09:08:00.001-04:00

This Stranger was hand making delicate birds out of reeds on the streets of Florence. But she is also one of dozens of Strangers we spotted across Italy making the exact same trinkets. Clearly there is a beautiful aspect to these birds...but is this art?

wobbly walk

2008-08-22T08:16:00.003-04:00

this poor young lady was wobbling along on the pebbly beach with her boyfriend (i assume that's who he was). he seemed to be completely oblivious of her struggling to keep her footing behind him.

Discussions of meat...

2008-08-17T01:04:00.004-04:00

These Strangers were surveying and selecting and slicing cuts of meat at Florence's Mercato Centrale.

Making Waves

2008-08-12T01:34:00.003-04:00

These kids of Strangers were completely enraptured by the wild rhythms of wind and water on Lake Michigan. They would run right to the water's edge, literally challenging the lake to bring larger and more furious waves to shore. It's no ocean, but the Pt. Betsie Lighthouse saw many shipwrecks in these stormy waters before the advent of sophisticated navigational technology.

I thought the unbridled movement of the kids mimicked the mood of the lake well, as if they were involved in a complicated dance.

Snap snap...

2008-08-09T21:45:00.000-04:00

Its fun to turn the camera on other photographers. This Stranger was snapping shots atop the Duomo in Florence.

Matching Thatching

2008-08-08T02:46:00.003-04:00

I spotted these Strangers with their matching straw hats at the Dunegrass and Blues Festival in Empire, Michigan, around sunset. It's not every day you see a hat of such caliber, and to see two at once is a treat! I also love the ambience of the picture, with the sun's evening glow and long shadows. That, paired with the symmetry between their hats and the peaks of the tents...

Dwarfed...

2008-08-07T01:21:00.003-04:00

This Stranger adds a sense of scale to the twisted tufa at California's famous Mono Lake.

Awestruck...

2008-08-06T00:07:00.000-04:00

These Strangers stopped to ponder the panoramic views at Olmsted Point in Yosemite National Park.

Who Watches The Lighthouse Watchman?

2008-08-05T01:20:00.004-04:00

This poor fellow had the unenviable task of standing guard outside the Bodie Lighthouse. I say unenviable because it was hot when we were there. Luckily he had his bottled water nearby (which you can barely make out beside the steps) to help keep himself hydrated during the oppressive heat. He was helpful enough but seemed to get asked the same question a lot (and the answer was "No, you're not allowed to go up to the top of this particular lighthouse").

Maybe There's A Reason

2008-08-04T01:30:00.003-04:00

Ok, I feel a bit bad about posting something like this. And I promise I looked for some beefcake to balance it out, but there was nothing. But then I started looking at the photo and it reminded me of how sometimes a whole group of ladies will all go to the restroom at the same time, and I started thinking maybe there was something similar going on here. Maybe this is a bonding activity they're engaging in. Maybe this has some real underlying social implications of cliques in our culture. Maybe...

What's the Scoop?

2008-08-02T07:21:00.002-04:00

Don't know which Stranger I find more interesting, the news reporter (anybody know who she is?) or the smoking postman. This photo was taken outside Union Station in Washington DC last night.

I Don't Know [Strangers' Theme]

2008-07-27T23:20:00.004-04:00

Any Parrotheads out there?

For my 21st birthday this year, I asked my dad to take me to a Jimmy Buffett concert. Seemed fitting, as half the fun of the concert is the tailgating beforehand. Gates to the parking lot opened at 9 a.m. and the concert was at 8 p.m., so you can imagine how strange some of the Strangers were by night's end. Endless entertainment.

Buffett played at Toyota Park outside Chicago, and we made a weekend out of it in the city. We stopped at Hamburger Mary's for lunch one day, which attracts a diverse clientele [many of whom seemed to prefer outdoor seating despite the heat]...

...and then headed to the concert on saturday, which attracted Parrotheads from all over the Midwest.

Like me, that man in the corner of the shot seemed awed to be experiencing a Jimmy Buffett concert for the first time. You really do have to see it to believe it.

Begging with a splash...

2008-07-25T02:05:00.003-04:00

We spotted this Stranger on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Her begging angle? Hot pink argyle socks...love it!!

It's The Touristy Thing To Do

2008-07-24T00:26:00.005-04:00

So we were at the Wright Memorial the other day. While we were at the base I tried getting a picture of the memorial without anyone around it. For the next twenty plus minutes I would almost be able to get the shot but then each time a new group of people would show up and invariably they would walk to the front and pose as someone took their picture in front of the memorial. A lot of the people liked walking right up to the doors and getting their picture taken, but some just posed out in front. I finally got feed up waiting for a clean shot and decided the next ones that pose get their picture taken for Strangers. So here she is.

Beachcombers...

2008-07-23T12:10:00.003-04:00

These little munchkins were enjoying a secret beach on Sleahead, Dingle Peninsula, Ireland. The water was very cold, but that didn't daunt them!

Ocean Fishing

2008-07-22T01:53:00.002-04:00

Wading into the water and tossing a line, then walking back and sitting there not even holding the rod waiting for something to bite. Personally I don't see the appeal, but a bunch of guys do. Maybe it has something to do with the beer they drink while sitting there on the beach.

Walking with attitude...

2008-07-21T01:31:00.002-04:00

I was scanning the crowd at the SF AIDS Walk, when these Strangers spotted my lens and decided to ham it up.

Slightly Stuck

2008-07-20T11:22:00.001-04:00

Whoops.

Power Walk

2008-07-19T14:32:00.002-04:00

Saw this couple walking along the beach. She was obviously on a mission to do some power walking, he was didn't seem to be interested at all and it looked like he was only there because he had been told he had to be there.

At Day's End

2008-07-17T00:50:00.003-04:00

While down at the beach I caught these Strangers out on their balcony tossing back some cold ones and generally enjoying themselves while taking in a gorgeous sunset. What is it about sunsets that attract everyone? Mere moments later after the sun had set everyone that had been out on the balcony had retired back inside.

Toy Soldiers

2008-07-15T09:15:00.003-04:00

Painters at the Prince August toy soldier factory in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland, paint scores and scores of toy soldiers by hand. The details on these metal soldiers are just incredible. Definitely a job for the non-caffeinated.

a helping hand

2008-07-14T11:01:00.007-04:00

this guy works for an organisation called corio raptors, they rescue birds of prey. he had a marquee at a 'one earth' festival in chester this w/e. he was amazing the kids (and adults) with facts about this owl and other raptors he had with him.

Pointing...

2008-07-13T02:46:00.002-04:00

I found it comical that these two oddly dressed street performers in Verona, Italy are pointing out and talking about other people. It goes to show that EVERYONE gets to be catty.

Multicultural

2008-07-09T08:33:00.003-04:00

Indian strangers on a Japanese bridge in Ireland. (Taken by an American photographer.)

Strawberry Festival

2008-07-07T10:08:00.002-04:00

This Stranger couldn't resist checking out the perfect strawberries for sale at the local farmers' market last week. I couldn't either! Yum!

Blacksmith

2008-07-05T17:12:00.002-04:00

This fellow was working very hard at the Muckross Traditional Farms in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.

Inconvenient...

2008-06-30T17:55:00.002-04:00

No...this isn't your conventional Strangers photo...but frankly, this guy was just in the way. I shot over and around him as best I could, but there was this one shot I wanted...and he was there. So here is the back of his frickin' head.

I'm better now. :)

Giant Strangers

2008-06-29T17:52:00.001-04:00

Strangers take a bit of respite at the Giant's Causeway.

Off guard...

2008-06-26T00:33:00.002-04:00

Heh, I really enjoyed this shot, simply because it catches the Stranger in an atypical moment. Surfers are usually shown in graceful, athletic poses.

another wet one...

2008-06-24T03:42:00.002-04:00

i spotted this couple sat in a bar called farrington's across the way from a restaurant we were sitting in. there was no way they were coming out into the shower, they just sat chatting and people watching, occasionally taking a sip from their drinks. you can't tell from this photo but they were quite animated and looked like they were having fun, i guess i snapped them at a quiet moment.
as you can see from the sign it's located in the temple bar area of dublin which has a wonderful history.
oh yes, and it was wet... very wet!

Drenched...

2008-06-23T01:31:00.004-04:00

This image captures a shared moment between Stranger and photographer. At the time I snapped this rain-soaked Stranger making his way down a soggy Venetian street, I too was soaked to the bone. The colorful canopies are just brief respites. (I promise that my Strangers shots do NOT have umbrellas after Venice :)

Bread Man

2008-06-19T18:33:00.002-04:00

I love visiting the local farmers' market on Thursdays. You can always count on the bread man for some wonderful quickbreads, pastries and scones.