Bulldog spirit
Modesty knows her place at The Society Club in Soho – she’s in charge.
During the day the Club opens as a bookshop, cafe and exhibition space. Then at night it becomes a Members’ Club. When I worked in central London I would often drop in. And on this occasion I found Modesty greeting visitors from her armchair just inside the doorway. She let me take her portrait.
With available light from the window behind me, the light meter showed a reading of 1/30th of a second at an aperture of f/2 – the widest setting on my 50mm lens. Having sorted out camera settings, I was then free to concentrate on the essentials of taking a portrait – composition and expression.
I shoot with film, so I use a printed contact sheet for editing. As I reviewed the miniature pictures of Modesty, she seemed almost human, sitting in her armchair. Only later did I realize who she reminded me of : the politician and wartime leader Winston Churchill. Famous for his bulldog spirit, he had a body to match. Look online for the 1941 portrait by Yousuf Karsh – and let me know if I’m being unfair on Modesty.
To view more pictures from the Town Dogs series, visit the gallery at my website.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
“We shall bite on the beaches, we shall bite on the landing grounds, we shall bite in the fields and the streets, we shall bite in the hills; we shall never surrender!”
Indeed, Eliot – except that Modesty doesn’t bite.
Modesty definitely looks as if she’s the boss – is she fierce?
No – she’s a gentle giant, Maria.
Modesty in Soho, the red light district of London? You must be joking.
No, Terry, I’m not joking. She’s modest by name and modest by nature – a true Lady.