I thoroughly enjoy taking photos of individuals. In a different life, I would have loved to be a photojournalist. Recently, our son Charles sent me news about the death of the great Indian photographer Raghu Rai who chronicled South Asian life of the famous and not-at-all famous for decades. Amazing work.

To me, my most interesting photos capture the emotion, the unaware preoccupation of a person, or simply the uniqueness of a person’s face or body. Anybody is a candidate for that revealing feature.

As I review my photos, I realize that life in England, compared to life in the Mediterranean world or the Asian world, makes my taking of photos more difficult. Setting aside the usual cultural sensitivities of avoiding children and women, I find that England simply doesn’t have as many outdoor gathering places. The Mediterranean and Asian cultures are much more outdoor and public. The piazza. The taverna. The cafe. The chai cart. The field workers. The railroad platforms. Not so here.

Besides context, I find that an IPhone does not allow as many opportunities as a Nikon with an array of lens. It is awkward to say “Excuse me sir, may I take your photo as you play chess over the internet?” “Excuse me sir, may I take your photo with that peasant eyeing your chips?” Oh well….

Enjoy the photos.