Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Strangers in a strange land

This is a post for Thematic Photographic 176, "Strangers among us". Carmi asked us to take "a photo of a stranger, any stranger" and post it to our blogs. 
For most of these choices, I'm the stranger!

In April, for my first morning in Rome, I had booked a guided tour to see the Vatican, St Peter's Basilica, etc. - a good way of avoiding the loooong lines of people queueing to get in, sometimes for hours. This is the group of strangers I was about to spend the day with, pictured as we waited for the guide to sort something out.


When I downloaded this shot taken in the timeless streets of Pompei, I was amused 
to see a man busy talking on his cellphone:


If you've been to Pompei you will remember the large open sheds where there are lots of artefacts stacked roof-high, and a number of glass cases with twisted bodies, human and animal, 'mummified' by the ash:


In Palermo I enjoyed seeing this young monk having his visit to the Cathedral recorded - an elderly lady, his mother I'd guess, was taking the photo:


These two ladies, residents of Parma, were too busy crossing the square outside the Duomo to cast a glance at strange photographers:



"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."
~ Tennessee Williams 

10 comments:

  1. Great set of strangers - especially love the Pompeii cell phone guy and the monk.

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  2. I love how that glass case frames not only the statue but the people looking at it!.

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  3. Lovely, lovely shots. I am with Kalei's Best Friend. That was an amazing shot. Did you realise as you were taking it?

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  4. Great photos capped off with the quote at the end!

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  5. Oh these are just wonderful, and what an exciting time you surely had. At such a breath taking place It's amazing he could use his cell phone at all! I agree with that quote too, most of the time....

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  6. An ecletic selection of strange(r) photos.

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  7. love 'em ...love 'em ....love 'em!
    thank you

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  8. Loved those last three shots! They are just great!

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  9. Great pics.

    I'm somewhat shy of taking/posting pictures of strangers (not to mention, more distracted by the plants/animals/scenery).
    ~

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  10. Max: thanks - the little monk looks as if he hasn't started shaving yet :)

    KBF and EC: No, it was pure accident - saw the framing effect when I cropped it.

    ifthethunder: I nearly always take scenery shots - training myself to take more people (partly because of TP)!

    Lisa, Karen, Galen, Bob, Gilly and Gilly: thank you!

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