This simple photograph of an Asian girl with a mirror fixing her face in a public is a small symbol of a growing trend. I see a lot of activity, which in my opinion belongs to a bathroom occurring in public. Women cutting, cleaning and polishing their nails on trains, applying makeup (this is also dangerous when they do it in traffic, in “privacy” of their cars). Applying hairspray and deodorant in public. The list goes on. When has all of this become acceptable behaviour? Are we as a society so short on time we have to use any time and any place to do things like toiletries outside of our homes? I think not, but obviously many people make it their routine.
On my daily walks I come across many different characters. I photograph people because human nature and behaviour interests me, sometimes because there is a peculiar situation and sometimes, like in this case, because the person has something special about them that draws an instant attention.
This tall, pretty girl in an unusual dress walked in a particular way – gracefully, gently and yet with a lot of self confidence. She held her head high and proud with some expression of satisfaction or happiness. She seemed to be oblivious to all the people around her.
This photograph is all about coincidences. The night before I took this photograph I was watching a documentary which stipulated there are “infectious” behaviours and that our brains can pick and tune to a mood or behaviour of another person. We all know about yawning, but the program suggested this phenomenon can go much further. Laugh, sorrow, depression, anxiety etc apparently all can be picked up subconciously from a person near by.
I am not sure if this is true but here I am the next morning photographing this dark girl in deep thought with some people in the background, which I have to say I did not pay attention to. It only struck me when I watched this photograph on my monitor that the man in the background adds to a somber, almost sad mood. perhaps these researches are onto something.
I am yet to learn a lot about human behaviours. Here a couple of young women talk in front of the Sydney Town Hall. One of them is touching the knees of the other one. In the background an Asian woman is looking at them very critically, as if with disapproval. Yet, in her own culture it is common for young girls to walk holding hands. What makes one behaviour acceptable and not the other one?
Have you ever seen a Kawasaki bicycle? Well, I for one never did, so when I noticed this girl approaching the pedestrian crossing on this odd size and shape bicycle with Kawasaki branding I decided to take a photo of it. However, by the time I raised the camera to my eye my interest in the bicycle has quickly shifted to its owner, a young girl, who out of nowhere decided to have this huge stretch right in front of me. So, here is a photograph, which started as a bicycle curiosity and ended up with a human behaviour.
