Personal/Public - B. Rieth

I have a terrible memory for places and people. For the life of me, I find it difficult to recall things even on a short term basis. It usually takes quite a bit of effort or impact for a place to stick in my mind.

This one happened the previous fall on the 15 route heading south some time in the early afternoon. I was out to photograph for my senior project (thesis), which consisted of the collection of an archive to be rediscovered later based largely on straight photography through everyday life; In short, a lot of "impulsive" photographs of people, places and things that caught my eye. I had decided not to walk to my destination (Walker's Point) as it was quite cold and I felt that I had made that walk too many times before and feared that my archive might repeat itself.

Remember how I have a terrible memory? In a way that's why I photograph, but even then I do not necessarily remember the images I have taken. For this project I had decided to leave processing for later in the year in aid in later selection, so I hadn't yet seen any of the images I had made.

So, I boarded the 15 and sat down towards the back; I readied my camera and checked it's settings. When I looked up there was a woman who was veiling her face and looking at me quite coldly. I got the feeling and came to the conclusion that she recognized me as a photographer who might take a photo without permission. I tried to ignore her; I didn't recognize her and I have never been particularly interested in photographing on buses. It got to be so uncomfortable on my end that I decided to depart several miles early and wait for another.

When we're out in public we're used to being anonymous; this was the first time I felt recognized...it sticks in my memory because of its negativity. I kept looking for her when I got to processing hoping that might help me understand if there had been something that I had done. I never found her in them, nor have I ever seen her in public again. Perhaps she just had another previous experience separate from me, giving natural distrust of persons with cameras; it's a weird concept for me considering the amount of surveillance in this country (both state and corporate).

My trip didn't happen that day. I put my camera away and walked home.

GPS: 43.073198,-87.8879