Sunday, June 03, 2007

Caption This 21


Please name this image [See below for deets]
Shanghai, China, May 2007 [Click to enlarge]


I am fascinated by the unpredictability of the slice-of-life shot. When people are simply going about their business and a camera quietly records the scene from far away, the results are often so much more entertaining than when the camera is obvious to all.

I shot this one from the window of the bus on the way in from the airport (see here for another image from the same series.) What stuck in my mind was how different the look on each person's face was, and how I could spend hours staring at this picture coming up with stories for them. But this is Caption This. It's not about me: it's about you. It's your turn to come up with some witty words for this image.

But before you do, I need to ramble a bit. It's Sunday, and I'm in the middle of a major life change, so I figure I can spill a few more words before I turn things over to you. Here's the deal: Photography tells the stories of lives; of people we know and love, as well as of complete strangers we'll likely never see again. I wonder where these folks are now, and what they're doing, and what they'd think if they knew that for 1/500 of a second at 5:22 on the afternoon of May 7, 2007, an unseen stranger from far away captured a fleeting moment as they waited for the light to change.

Your turn: I'm hoping you'll take a crack at the stories of these folks. How would you caption this image? See here for instructions on how to play Caption This. Submit your best shot - or many best shots - in a comment here, and I'll post the winner next Sunday. Fame, fortune, and my eternal adulation await.

Oh yes, last week's winner! Remember last week's image? Leanne coined the topper of a very strong bunch of submissions: Do you think he knows his fly is open? When I first took the image, I was stymied by the presence of all sorts of people in the foreground - Shanghai is, after all, an amazingly crowded place. I couldn't crop the guy on the right out, and Leanne's submission was the only one that recognized this seemingly foreign presence. I liked the dimensionality of her words, and I hope they inspire you to come up with something similarly scintillating for this week's image. OK, I'm done yakking. Over to you...

18 comments:

tommie said...

Never done a caption this...

but here I go...

"Bow to your neighbor, doe see doe....take his elbow and don't let go!"

Catherine said...

Michele sent me over for another virtual trip to Shanghai. I have no ideas for the caption yet, but I'll think about it. I love the yarn photo just below.

Bobkat said...

Hey Carmi.

It is wonderful how a photograph can capture a slice of life and you do this so excellently! I have been following your Shanghai posts and together they make a vivid scrapbook of your experiences there. Wonderful!

As for the caption, how about:

'I'm a little teapot...'

JC said...

uh-oh, she's gonna blow!

kenju said...

I'm no good at captions, Carmi, but I do wonder what they were all looking at that day.

Unknown said...

Wow that is a huge wad of chew in there.


Thanks for the shout out Carmi!

Anonymous said...

(Man in front) - How long is it going to be before this light changes? I have a ton of things to do and getting across this street is one of them!
(Lady to the right in polka dot shirt) - I can't seem to get this thing out of my teeth. What did I have for lunch that got stuck there? Do I have any floss in my bad?
(Guy to left with sunglasses) - OMG! Why didn't I drive today?! Oh yeah, it would take more time that way... it sure is warm out!

Karen said...

Ah, cleverness eludes me. Or should I say cleverless surrounds me! I think anyone else is better qualified, but it's an interesting shot. Hope you're enjoying your first post-change weekend!

Michele sent me over here again today, Carmi. Have a great day.

Anonymous said...

Here via Michele. Love your blog and will be back!

Caption: "Patiently waiting my life away"

Nestor Family said...

"Aaaargh! I hate being the one in front to decide when the best time to dodge traffic might be. I'm uncomfortable in this role."

Unknown said...

Hi! I see obvious disenchantment with how long something is taking. So my quote would be, "It's going to take how long?"

Unknown said...

You looking at me? You LOOKING AT ME?

Catherine said...

That's a good bunch of captions there - I still don't have anything to offer. Michele sent me back again.

Anna said...

I am SO not good at this....

This shot reminds me of all the waiting I see going on in London.....buses, tubes, and traffic... everywhere....it is all a bit frustrating...these people look tired.

Scotsman said...

Must not think about toilets, must not think about toilets, must not think about toilets - Oh come on and change already!

longspider said...

Chugalugin' line

Rachel said...

Sorry Carmi, but I'm not very good at caption's either! Sometimes I try but I'm getting nothing that hasn't already been said on this one.

Sara said...

How come I always have to wait for the green man to cross the street?