HURRY UP AND WAIT
Recent observations from a former big-city commuter
FEATURING THE WORK OF Klaus Gensheimer + www . klaus-gensheimer . com
It ’ s been a while since my daily commute into the big city . 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 daily commuter it was a just a part of life and blended into my daily routine . But after a long pause , and now as a somewhat detached 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 or laptops . 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 before . 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 ( like I used to ), 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 collection called “ Commuting .”. The following pages attempt to capture it . Enjoy . Or maybe like me , you ’ re glad to be done with it .
PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE 53