Firstly, apologies to my contacts here on Flickr. It’s been a quite hilariously busy week since my return from holiday and I’ve not caught up with everyone yet.

On Tuesday I brought a stripped down photography kit into work (camera, macro lens, on camera softbox, strobe and reflector) to head out after hours. In fact, a busy day kept me in the office through the glory and death of a wonderful brass and copper sunset. When I was free to head out, the light was all but gone. Nonetheless, I marched out determined to deliver on my resolution to shoot.

I met Weily at Old Street roundabout (aka Silicon Roundabout), some five minutes march north of my office. I saw him walking with an easy confidence and dashing blue scarf. Halting him on his walk back home, he agreed to a quick portrait and very gamely followed me around the back of a restaurant where I had scouted a newly painted building site fence.

Weily’s an interior designer, working on five and six star hotels, plus the very highest end residential projects. If you ever stay with St Regis, then there’s a chance you’ve enjoyed the fruits of his labour.

He’s originally from Taiwan, living now in London. When I asked about his favourite aspects of living here, he noted the creativity and freedom around the city; “getting stopped for a photo on the way home, for instance!”.

Thank you Weily for stopping and sharing a moment’s conversation. Good luck with the next big project; your work sounded amazing.

On a technical side, I do wish I’d predicted the late run of work and brought a proper softbox and a stand; the on camera version (I use a Lastolite Ezybox) is just a little too flat when it starts fighting for “key” status as it does here. I went for the much flatter backdrop than I’d normally seek in an attempt to disguise its short fallings in this department!

This is portrait #42 of my 100 Strangers Project – check out the group page and get involved.