I am taking pictures secretly of the commuters opposite me: a middle-aged man keeps yawning as he plays on his phone.. Another military-type is next to him, head resting on the window; older, seemingly worn out. Unusually, he's got no phone with him, just an newspaper crossword which he works at closely, peering over his big glasses.
The man next to him keeps casually peering over at the crossword. He is not particulary interested, but he can't seem to focus on anything. He keeps putting his phone away, then getting it out, closing his eyes, opening them...thinking of the day ahead, maybe... I have the impression that he's very tired.
The important thing, right away, is to get a feel for the people. I wonder about their lives. All the important details of their lives are elsewhere. Here, you see just a surface. There should be a sign over their heads: MIND THE GAP. So much is missing - but on the other hand, this is such a large part of their lives. I need to think about how to deal with this.
One thing I have enjoyed doing in the past is to create a traditional painting from a photo of a very modern scene. The picture above appeals to me.
But then again, I think of Gerhard Richter and his blurred images...
