I believe Walker Evans was a very talented photographer. He also had a brilliant mind to come up with the idea of taking pictures of subway riders during the depression era where emotions was all he was getting. I like the fact that he hid his camera from the passengers. By doing so, he was able to catch raw emotions, expression and people doing different things. If he did not hide his camera, not only would he not be able to get real emotions and random act from the passengers, they may have not agreed with him taking they’re pictures, which is the reason why it took him so long to release them. I am frequent subway rider, and I see more similarities than differences on the subway with passengers from both era. In some of the pictures, I saw a priest staring at the ceiling, a mother holding her child, two women who seem to be in a very interesting conversation. That is exactly what I witness everyday on the subway. Friends talking to each, people reading, families sitting down, and others doing random things just to avoid eye contact with strangers. I am guilty of staring at my phone all the time. I wonder if in the next 25 years will I be featured in a series of great photos such as these, it was a very brilliant idea from Evans to do that. It shows that no matter what the time is or what is happening, we as people are always the same when it comes to riding the subway.
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I agree with you so much, I ride the subway as well and I always see so many people doing all these different things. I really like what you said about you being guilty about being on your phone. I do the same and it brings up a good point, we might be in someone photographs someday! Evans was a very clever person to do this with a camera and I think that it is funny what he did. The expressions of people look so much like those of today. We are similar in the way that we all are always moving around in the subway to where we need to go or are going. People seem to always be in their own worlds when riding the subway or walking around in the subway. I know when im in the subway I always have a serious face so I can relate to these photograhs in some way.
I agree that Evans Walker’s way of taking photos are different compared to other photographers. You don’t often see someone who would pull out their camera and start photographing peoples’ expressions. It was interesting how he hid his camera in his coat to capture peoples’ true and real expression while riding the train. If he took his camera out in front of people, their expression would change. Some would lighten up and smile, some would be angry for having their photo taken, and some may just walk away. This would also be the same way some people would react in today’s time if someone was to photograph them. I am also one of those people who take the train a lot to get me to places. Often times when I take the train, I will I either listen to music and ignore everything around me, someone who looks off to the side and avoid eye contact, someone who often drifts off to my thoughts, or on my phone checking social media or answering messages.