The Commute (closeup), a photo from Chiba, Kanto

Photographer's Note

I like this shot because it really mirrors how one sometimes feels when coming home from the daily commute in Japan -- anonymous, drab, tired, sometimes in an alcoholic haze, and surrounded by hundreds of people in a similar condition. This scene is repeated literally every 5-10 minutes in the evening as each train unloads its human cargo.

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Critiques | Translate

Skorj (581) 2003-03-14 6:30

Great interpretation of salaryman malaise. Their downtrodden attitude is brilliantly shown (even if it is forced because they're looking at the stairs nicely cropped out).

I like the fluoro lit color.

I notice too that one of them is not wearing a jacket - no wonder Japan is going down the tubes...

CedarBough (74) 2003-03-14 8:22

this is better than the other, by far. I still say that next time you should take this on Tungsten balanced film, and preferably use a tripod and try to get one sharp crisp thing in the shot somewhere to anchor emphasize the movement.

[2]

Bayleaf (1484) 2003-03-16 9:22

I totally agree with Bob. This is one of the best shots on TrekEarth.

I pay slightly higher than average rent to live within walking distance of the office in Tokyo, just to avoid having to do this everyday. (Though it might have provided me with a few more photo opps. ;-) This photo not only makes me happy that I don't have to commute, and also drives home the desperation of most of these guys as they trudge home, day-in day-out, in a wave of sadness. As Bob says, it's provoking emotions, and good or bad, I like that.

It's a brilliant work of art.

battousai (827) 2004-02-13 18:07

Gosh... It's nice. I really felt anonymous while watching this one. It's a bit scary though...

DiaAzul (1403) 2004-07-23 16:14 [Comment]

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burdallet (0) 2004-08-04 12:25

Wakling as punished men ..

randompics (961) 2007-02-04 10:01

Very true. This is exactly how life revolves arond the train stations in Japan. Nicely captured. The slight blurness has added the haziness of the surroundings.