Billy & Chips, a photo from North Yorkshire, England

Photographer's Note

The seaside town of Whitby on a sunny bank holiday weekend. There were almost as many dogs as people enjoying its delights, especially the fish & chips. Every second shop in Whitby seems to be a fish and chip shop. Holidaymakers were sitting outside enjoying their fish and chips, eating from polystyrene trays. Theirs dogs staring at these trays as if hypnotised. This dog's name is Billy.
I asked if I could take this picture and the lady kindly obliged, although unfortunately she felt I needed some help to stage manage the shot. This happened another time too when I tried to photograph two cavalier king charles spaniels.
Apparently the Magnum photographer Martin Parr plans to travel the length & breadth of Britain photographing people enjoying their meals. Whitby on a bank holiday weekend would be a good place to start.

holmertz, SnapRJW, CLODO, adores has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (95848) 2014-06-22 1:24

Hello Bev,
A nice daily life shot of the kind that I like. I usually want people to keep on with what they were doing before I arrived, but they have a tendency to watch me with a smile, thinking that's how to behave in front of a camera. Considering that this is a very natural scene. I wonder what happened when the seagull discovered the chips.
Kind regards,
Gert

SnapRJW (31631) 2014-06-22 2:27

Hello Bev - I like this, it is up close and personal and a great take on English seaside life. You have some great little details here; the young girls' nail polish coordinates with her shoes, the dog's collar and lead coordinates with his mistresses skirt. Top marks for getting a candid shot with realism!

Warm regards

Rosemary

abmdsudi (90721) 2014-06-25 3:46

Hi Bev
Ideal title I can almost smell the goodies there! what can be better than Fish & Chips at the seaside on a sunny day - British style! and great observation of people enjoying summer weather and there's more sun bouncing off on the dynamic figs on beautifully balanced shot. It is of a normal everyday situation but you have made it more interesting by adding a bit of humour when Billy is eagerly awaiting his fish and chips oblivious to your lens and there seems to be a mute agreement between the three, and the poor hungry seagull would dearly love its share too. You've managed to capture everything in one shot - a brilliant candid, wildlife, pet, body lingo and lovely combination of colour to it. Your description sums the mood so well, memories of summer days. Really well seen and timely captured.

Your WS hip shot is a great technique it can be very hit and miss which is normal, while preventing eye contact resulting a much more interesting perspective allowing viewers to feel as if they are part of the whole scene. Superb capture, Congrats and tfs
Warm regards

CLODO (45100) 2014-06-27 0:45

Hi Bev

A good slice of life, describing well a country habit. We feel it's the seaside resort looking at the gull, wanting to have some chips too. But I prefer the WS to the main picture, with the low POV, as taken from the dog height.
Cheers
CLODO

adores (46979) 2014-07-15 17:11

Hi Bev!
I really like this! Everything seems so natural and details are excellent. I like their poses,the food in the box and even the seagul on the wall. There is a lot to see here!