After a long period of rain which caused floods in part s of the UK, the sky cleared on Sunday 25th November and the crowds and I came out to the Gloucester Victorian Christmas Market held at the Quays and docks.
This years event was billed as being the biggest and best yet with over 100 stalls many of those manning them dressed in Victorian costume, a carousel, live music and re-enactment groups including the Severn Dials Rapscallions wandering amongst the crowd. This was a photographic opportunity that I could not pass up. So, with my G12 and 220SX speedlight in my coat pocket, Gloucester Quays beckoned.
There were a lot of people toting DSLR cameras with zoom lenses of all sizes, but I felt at a bit of an advantage with too many bodies around that could block the line of sight of bigger zooms. In situations like these up close and personal can prove equally as successful with a compact and wide angle lens as shooting with a zoom on a DSLR.
Having to get close in confined situations meant that people may asked why I had taken their picture. Holy crap!! This is the photographers nightmare (and what makes many use a zoom lens too). I havent been challenged when shooting the public before but as it was bound to happen some day, why not today?
The first challange came from a 6ft + stallholder dressed in his best Victorian blue and red jacket. "I thought you looked great in your outfit. Here, take a look", at which point I showed him the photo on the camera screen. "Wow, I look too serious" and that was it!! Ice broken.
And so it went throughout the afternoon, I suppose I was "challenged" 10-12 times in all, and not one request to delete the picture. Baptism by fire it may have been but I went into the afternoon ready to shoot and delete if asked to. O.K. so many of the days subjects had put themselves into a situation where they knew they would be photographed, but that's not the point. Dealing with a challenges takes practice. Events like these can provide that, allowing a fledgling photographer to rehearse being at ease with the situation. Now I would sooner get up close where practical than shoot telephoto.
The day also held a surprise for me that I was not expecting. Around 3:45 I was preparing to head home when I saw a couple dressed in their Victorian outfits chatting with a couple of the event stewards. Having taken a candid shot of the lady of the group I asked if I could take a quick snap of the couple. When the man, dapper in his top hat turned around I was surprised to come face to face with someone that I had taken a candid photo of in 2011 at the Gloucester Tall Ships Festival 2011. I mentioned that I had photographed him in the past. Quite to my surprise he asked "At the Tall Ships Festival? Posted on Flickr? You're not Tom Tapping by any chance".
Well, I was stunned to say the least. For him to have seen his photo and and remembered my name was awesome. We had quite a chat after that and it certainly put the icing on the cake for a great day.
Now there is another album on Flickr, of the Gloucester Victorian Christmas Market.. Check out the last pic against this from the Tall ships Festival 2011.
As an aside, the Severn Dials Rapscallions also have a great website here
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