serendipity

Earlier this week I attended a fantastic talk by ace photographer, Mandy Burton.  Mandy was speaking ostensibly about her book, '100 Strangers and their Dogs', which you can read about on her mighty fine blog of similar name.  The talk, however, was much, much more than that. It was an insightful, hilarious, moving and humble story of life, and in particular how and why to take a step outside the comfort zone.

I first came across Mandy's work through Kate Green, my photography tutor at the Midlands Art Centre. She showed our photography group some of her amazing pictures and I was hooked from the 'get go'.  Do take a look at them on Instagram - Mandy's hashtag is #burty123m.

My head was buzzing when I left the talk and blow me down if I didn't stumble across a fantastic photo opportunity at some traffic lights just round the corner from where the event had taken place.  A Yorkshire terrier was looking out the open window of a queuing car. I nearly passed it by, but the urge proved too great to resist. I doubled back and took the snap above.

True serendipity, but weirder still I posted the photograph on my own Instagram account (#electrofried1000) only to discover that Kate Green knows both the dog and its owner!!