Tonight’s Social has a theme of best seller book covers. We’re back in Trafalgar Square, the home of my first ever Frui Photography Social. It’s my ideal sort of team - old friends, new friends and some newbies to initiate in the lore of a Social. I'd really hoped to arrive on time for once but an awful cyclist accident earlier has blocked all the surrounding roads so I've had to take rather a circumventive route. But I'm here, we have a group and then I realise they've gone and I don't know the plan. However they are waiting for the slow coach and they've decided to stick together and not divvy up the challenges. Tonight we've got Catch 22, the Bible, Lolita, Twilight, The Great Gatsby and Fifty Shades of Grey.
We haven't really got an idea, but it's a fine evening and I guess it will come to us within the allotted hour, or at least I hope it will. Firstly AL and P try some backlit preacher style shots for the Bible. I suddenly have an idea for Fifty Shades... DB, the sole male of our team is wearing a tie - perfect for my plan. I suggest he removes it and ties up AB, his wife's, wrists. We find a handy stone plinth and try some poses. This one seems the most evocative and shot in black and white conveys the vision I had.
Whilst I'm messing around with bondage, P has shot a perfect image for Lolita, a short woman wearing a little floppy skirt, white socks and strapped sandals. She's cavorting around Trafalgar Square with her daughter and P’s shot has her running out of the picture. A fabulous image!
The talented I has captured a beautiful, poignant image of a tender hand holding of AB and DB, for the Great Gatsby. We’re on a roll!
We’ve had a brainwave for Catch 22, we need to do some sort of perspective shot of someone trying to catch a 22, we’re peering at bus numbers, building numbers, rates of exchange in the post office window but nothing is really leaping out at us. In the meantime we need to think about Twilight.
I suggest we need to procure an apple. A shiny red one! P suggests we go to “that place where you can borrow apples”. It’s unclear what apple borrowing place she has in mind (the Apple store???) but I take the less interesting option and buy a suitable apple from a still open Prêt. There's still a proposal for me to borrow one until I remind those making such a suggestion that generally places don't ’lend food’. What's curious is when we were exactly here back earlier in the year, I purchased a banana from a Prêt to represent a Yellow Submarine in the Beatles’ song challenge. I start to wonder what fruit I will be seeking on my next visit here...a pineapple, a watermelon or merely a raspberry? Well that's for next time!
I pose for the wrists wrapped in bracelets, black painted nails, pale hands holding the apple in an almost heart shape. AL is fanning out my black silk dress as a backdrop, it must look very curious to any passersby. AB's shot is really great, and I didn't know I could pass so easily for a teenage, angst-ridden goth, hmmmm may have to rethink my look there!
AL captures an elegant abstract double exposure of a carved in stone number two which is a much better photograph than us trying to catch a tiny 22 from the admissions sign for the National Gallery.
On returning to the pub we devise a long shutter speed shot with a glass of red wine, another of rosé and a third wine glass of water. DB nails this for our water into wine inspiration for the Bible.
Team “Great Lens-pectations” take the top prize tonight, woo hoo, I’m not surprised as our group came up with some awesome images. And I'm delighted about my ’strong’ 9.5 out of 10 for “Fifty Shades of Grey”, I could almost bite my lip! Hopefully Mr. And Mrs. B will forgive our competitive spirit and return again. Isn't it good when a plan comes together?
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