Phil (19/100)

Kevin_Housen has added a photo to the pool:

While out for an urban walk in Tacoma today, we passed by a small car repair shop named Phil’s Automotive. Phil and a customer were trying to push a dead car into a spot in his parking lot. I gave them a hand, and later started talking with Phil about his shop. Phil has owned the shop for most of his working life. He discovered a passion for working on cars while in high school. Soon after graduation he rented some space at a nearby gas station as a shop. Later on, around 1968, the station closed and he started his own business just around the corner, where it remains today.

It was really nice to meet someone who has such an obvious love for his craft. After we pushed the car into his lot, Phil showed us a beautiful 1955 Oldsmobile sedan he was working on. It was pretty clear he still liked his job after all these years.

I mentioned the Strangers project to him, and he agreed to a photograph without any hesitation. He even offered to move stuff around in his shop if I wanted. Looking back I wish I’d moved him to the left a bit and shown more of the Olds. Another lesson learned.

Thanks to Phil for being part of my strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/.

Strobist info: 580EXII through a shoot-through umbrella, camera right, triggered by a PW.