Ship Shape.

So I'm six subjects down the line so far and have 3 lined up this weekend so should have 10 by November. I'm so pleased with what an eclectic group of people I've put together.

So this is James Cen Bonsor, who I shot today, he is 29 and so far the oldest of all my subjects. James is half-Chinese on his mother's side and his father is British. He has quite an interesting view on being half-Chinese and I don't think he feels that it singles him out that much, despite the fact that he lives and works in China - luckily for me his family live in Portsmouth which is why he was able to stop by.

I think he likes being a point of interest or mystery, he even thinks he's more intelligent due to coming from an Oriental background. James brought his girlfriend along to the shoot, she was Chinese and he was speaking fluent Chinese to her, he's probably the most 'Chinese' of my subjects so far. I wish I'd asked him whether he had just always spoken it as he seems to be the only one who does on a regular basis.

© Ruth Johnston 2010.

James was the first of my 'strangers', we have no mutual friends, it was a bit awkward, because I'm not sure he knew quite what to expect from me. At least with Jamie and Marcus they knew I was around their age and 'just a photography student'.
I think Gareth, who is coming on Saturday might have a better idea of what I'm about so here's hoping I don't get flustered and forget to ask him questions too. I also have Rishi to shoot before then on Friday, he's half-Chinese, half-Indian, so it will be really interesting to hear what he has to say.