February 14, 2018

It had been a while since I commuted into the city every day. Then a couple of months ago I took the train into town for some personal business and something interesting caught my eye. It had escaped me before, probably because for a regular commuting participant it just blended into the daily routine. But after a long pause, and now as an observer, I noticed that commuters exist in two separate states. Either inactivity, or hyperactivity. One moment they’re virtually inert - standing, sitting, waiting, staring down and lost inside their iPhones. Then something triggers them – a posting on the big board, an announcement, maybe an arriving train. As if on cue, the scene explodes. A wave of humanity scurries, sprints to make it, pushes, squeezes through to hopefully get a good seat. Suddenly, all is quiet again the way it was just moments ago. What also jumped out at me was the degree to which electronic devices have taken over people’s lives. While older commuters still read a paper, virtually everyone has assumed “smart phone posture.” Perhaps future generations will evolve to develop a stronger neck, a more muscular upper back, lightning fast thumbs, and a permanently forward tilting head. This world was a visual experience, so I decided to capture it in a photo portfolio called “Commuting.”. Check it out and tell me if it rings true.