Chichester is – according to my colleagues – a haven for celebrities. People I work with every day frequently tell me tales of spotting Hugh Dennis or Tim Curry or various other names. However, in over a year of frequenting the city's streets at lunchtime I've spotted not one single person that I could claim to be in any way famous. But that may have changed today.
I was drawn to this man for one reason only: that coat. I loved that it was damp at the bottom. I loved how loose it all hung. I loved that my first thought was: Columbo has risen from the grave!
He was initially turned away from me when I noticed him and I waited until he turned back slightly before taking my shot; of course, being a brave street photographer, I immediately angled my camera away afterwards so as not to make eye contact and it was for this reason that I never really paid attention to his face.
"Excellent!" I said to my colleague. "There should be quite a bit of interest in that shot."
"Yes," my colleague said. "Isn't that… erm?"
"A flasher?"
"No! You know! He reminds me of someone."
"A flasher?"
"No, no, no. It'll come to me in a second."
"Are you sure it's not a flasher?"
He was sure it wasn't a flasher despite my best efforts. I, at the time, had no idea what he was talking about and it's only now that I look at the photo that I realise it was the actor Peter Bowles. My first celebrity.
Or it's a flasher who looks like Peter Bowles. My first pervert celebrity double.
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April 25, 2012
the aspect of one with mililion of othersllllllllllllto see where they go/?.or to be let to see that which they do.
April 25, 2012
Another great story and another +1 for going out in the rain:)
April 25, 2012
Excellent stuff Mark. He's probably only known in the UK but he has done loads of television here. Even if it wasn't a celeb it would be a great rain shot:-)
April 25, 2012
If that's not him, it has to be his doppelganger! Nice catch +Mark Hooper! 🙂
April 25, 2012
Nice shot +Mark Hooper !
April 25, 2012
Wow – to the manor born – very cool shot and capture 🙂
April 25, 2012
Brilliant! Only When I Laugh? Not today :/
April 25, 2012
Great shot & post as always.. "pervert celebrity double" haha!
April 25, 2012
Love this and your story.
April 25, 2012
+Mark Hooper to the Manor Born … superb image Mark
April 25, 2012
+UK Photography Community – I was just about to say that…
Wonderful capture.
April 26, 2012
Great shot, +Mark Hooper! Keep that camera dry, though!
April 28, 2012
For some reason I always get him confused with Bernard Hill.
May 2, 2012
Wonderful capture, nice mood to it