against the current

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Saturday, October 16, 2010 | 3 photos

There are 3 photos of a different angle capturing the same space. This is a breakfast cafe near Osaka Station in Japan.
All 3 features the same man, with only time changing around him.The first, juxtaposes the 2 movement, one of the streaming morning office workers, and the other, the man taking in the calm of morning, seated.This similiarity of situation for all the characters in working attire is made possible by a thin sheet of glass.The second picture shows the context of the place, though this scene can be in any country, the newspaper offers us a glimspe of how different we are even though we go through the same routines of life. The last picture shows a person going against the stream of people behind the glass.
I like this set of photos as they show the options that we can all make even in the mundane routine of life. Taking a pause to read the newspapers, rushing with the crowd, or even going against the current, in standing up for something that one believes in. What this place can offer then, is solace from the cold rush of the world, yet not totally disconnecting the person.The fritted glass provides some privacy for the identity of the face yet allows the behavior to be seen.This is a space that shows one the potential of how simple spaces can be to bring about a bigger change.