Peering over her shoulder
Deerfield Beach, FL, December 2008
About this photo: All week long, Thematic sticks its lens where it doesn't belong as we share perspectives on complete strangers. Click here to share your own.I have no idea who this woman is, and I'm pretty sure I shot this picture-within-a-picture picture so quickly that she never knew I was even there. Which suits me fine, because I'm pretty sure she would have been creeped out if she knew someone had trained a lens on her camera's screen while she was trying to follow her grandchildren around the surf.
Be that as it may, there's an interesting vibe associated with being in an overtly public space because there's no way to fully isolate the private from the public. We don't haul around cubicle-like partitions with us, so it's entirely likely that we'll end up capturing others in the process - and likewise others will end up capturing us. Want to stay completely off the grid? Stay home.
On the plus side, it was a joy to see grandma, indeed any grandma, out and about with her kinderlings. This is, after all, what life is supposed to be about. Stranger or not, it was nice to see.
Your turn: So what's grandma thinking right about now?
How do u know she's a grandma? the way women have kids late in life, she could be that kids mother. LOL
ReplyDeleteOh, this could get very charged, indeed! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is why I try to stick to butterflies, birdies, and flowers, Carmi.
ReplyDelete;)
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Carmi, lol, I think u is in twobble...lol..
ReplyDeleteI really like that shot Carmi. I'm a little shy of photographing folks I don't know. This was a great catch.
ReplyDeleteInteresting shot, Carmi, although I'm worried about that woman's back - I hope she has regular mole maps done.
ReplyDeleteAnd I too would like to know if you have any substance for the 'grandma' label, or were you just making assumptions....?
:)
"Gramma" is thinking about this handsome young man behind her taking her photo and she's both flattered and shy. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour assumption that it is "grandma" reminded me of an incident with one of my youngest daughter's school friends. She said to me "are you C's mother?" When I said yes, she said "you don't look like someone's mother, you look like someone's grandma"!
ReplyDeleteVery flattering! I wasn't even all that old at the time, though granted, her own mother was quite young, and always tarted up in stilettos, lipstick and a big flash hairdo..
I think she's thinking, "why can't I get this autofocus to work without my glasses on?" :)
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps she's just a stranger, childless and happy to see children frolicking about! lol!
ReplyDeleteShe might have been photographing stranger kids for Thematic Photographic.
ReplyDeleteAll her life, she chased her kids to pose for her like the way we do and now she is chasing her grandkids. What's up with woman and cameras....we feel every moment is important and treat as if it has to be captured and guard it in our treasure chest. I heard from many kids how they are frustrated with their moms, chasing them to pose here and there as if the moment, the place never comes back and as a matter of fact, that's what happens all the time;)
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just me and the lighting, but I think she should be thinking about sunscreen! Her back looks like she has skin damage. (I'm currently in a cancer hyper-awareness mode.)
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