Yusuf (my first portrait!)

This is the lovely Yusuf, who I met when I had a wander over to the Regents Canal at lunchtime today. I'd been on a half-day course in the morning (a follow-up to the two day one I went on last month) and wanted a quick walk before going back to work. Yusuf spotted me taking a photo from a bridge over the canal, and started talking to me about photography and his own art.

I'd normally be pretty wary about a stranger trying to strike up a conversation with me, but he was so disarming and just so passionate about art, photography and the history of the local area (he's lived there for 50 years), that I was really just happy to chat to him. Before I finally got back off to work, I asked him if I could take his photo - the first time I've ever done that. I'm quite happy with the result - and Yusuf seemed to quite like it too (although he did say he looked a bit suspicious in this shot!)

Horribly busy and stressful afternoon at work. I'm looking forward to being able to stop saying that at some point, but I can't help feeling that it's going to take a while....