Thursday, August 9, 2007

Is This Seat Taken?

Because of how much I have been traveling these last few months for work I came up with an idea to jazz up those long flights... environmental airplane portraits! So I decided I would try take portraits of the people sitting next to me in airplanes. I thought it would be an interesting exercise in personal comfort zones, some how portraying the awkward tension of two strangers sitting hip to hip on a crowded craft hovering hundred of miles above ground (not unlike being squished next to strangers on a crowded subway car underground). The task simple as it may sound, deemed to be trickier than anticipated. People ignore you. They want to sleep. They want to pretend I am not sitting inches away from them holding a camera on my lap. I had to get brave. I started asking when I knew I wouldn't get punched in the face (which would make for a extremely awkward flight). People were receptive. It was quite a bonding experience...but when is stealing part of persons soul not bonding?

Here are some of the first few attempts with more sure to follow.







4 comments:

nikki said...

Yes... I love this project. I think you should do a book about it. I would buy it and put it on my coffee table and secretly hope I somehow made the cut :)

Rachel said...

hmmmmm...a book you say...not a bad idea. Too make the cut we will have to fly to an exotic location somewhere together. I'm thinking new zealand. you in?

Damian said...

there are really something. I think you really need to pursue this series.

Rachel said...

thanks d. I hope the airlines don't start thinking I'm a spy or something. I haven't gotten in trouble yet, but are you even allowed to take photographs on commercial airlines?