emöke

The weather forecast for the next week looks dreary. Simone and I ride to the river with a sense of urgency as the clouds swell and grey. On my way I imagine the shot I’m after: a little girl holding a skateboard in the park near where I photographed Dino yesterday. We get there and the place is deserted. We venture on.

I see several people I think could be interesting but none that actually stop me. We bike along the river until we are almost out of town. On the path ahead I spot a woman wearing a pink raincoat with a little black dog and my heart flutters. She’s the one. I stop my bike ahead of her and wait for her to catch up. I politely ask for a minute and introduce myself, explaining what I’d like to do. She considers it for a moment and then declines because she is late to meet her husband. I thank her and we ride on.

We stop on the pedestrian/bicycle bridge that crosses over to Birsfelden and wait to see if someone interesting comes along. After a few minutes I see the lady with the pink raincoat, heading our way. Fate. I setup so we’re ready once she gets to us and ask again. As she approaches she smiles, anticipating my question. Emöke from Hungary gently picks up her dog and looks to camera. I depress the shutter as Simone wrestles the flash umbrella against the defiant wind.

Special thanks to Simone today. And to Emöke for giving me a chance.

[3] Saturday, May 15, 2021