Duncan Raban

An hour in Cafe Rouge with 90 yr old Elsie

I love to photograph people almost as if I need to photograph someone daily, a bit like we all feel like a snack in the day, we feel we have to eat one- it’s like me with my photography. Well I love snacks way too much myself. I need to photograph someone daily as taking pictures is my daily food or I just feel empty.

The problem for me is that whenever I go into a restaurant or a café, within 20 minutes I have this huge desire to chat to someone I feel looks interesting.

Maybe it’s because my father didn’t talk to me much at all.

Anyway yesterday I popped into Café Rouge for a snack with my wife when I saw an older lady having tea and cake on her own. I thought she looks nice, so I said “Hello there!” and then we started chatting about her life. Then her son came in and he was very interesting too. Within half an hour (as usual) I was photographing Elsie laughing and then when they left I had them both cuddling together as I put them on my ‘catwalk’ outside the restaurant. I have to talk to people a lot when I’m shooting to get them laughing- really laughing out loud.

A passer-by then stopped to watch the commotion- he was laughing and he said; “that looks fun!” So I grabbed him and his son together on the catwalk too. His name was Raymond (a nice man) his son was called Frazer.

I really enjoyed taking the pictures and giving people that special attention make them feel good. However, I then have a situation when they want to see all the pictures and that can be a problem, as I make a promise to them that I will give them the photos and then I let them down. It is hard because I take so many photographs each day and capture so many great moments that I need to make sure I start giving people their photos more!