'The Toilet Woman'

If you have to use a toilet in Ukraine, there are generally four choices:  (1) go in the bushes or at street side; (2) find a store where you generally must pay one or two local currency (hrivna) - -about 25 cents; (3) find a smelly public outdoor outlet, like these chemical toilets here (smelly because no chemicals) or (4) find a McDonald's where use is free and no longer requires a purchase and a toilet code.  (Or hold it and go home).  This woman's half smile may be because she anticipates that 25 cents (US) for its use and the frown for having to endure the awful smells because the toilets are never clean and smell horrible.  Your ratings, critiques and observations are invited and most welcome.  If you rate harshly, very critically or wish to make a remark, please submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your photographic knowledge to help improve my photography.  Thanks!  Enjoy!  John

This is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, a toilet attendant, in charge of two

outdoor 'chemical' toilets, except there are no chemicals, just

discharge,and units which are infrequently cleaned and smell to the

heavens. The price of use -- about 25 US cents -- two local Ukrainian

currency--hrivna. There are actually three 'Porta' units -- she uses

one as her 'office'. As she said, 'this is life in Ukraine'. A retail

complex far across the street and upstairs has toilets which charge

the same price, have an attendant and are very clean - these serve

bus drivers and passengers which sto pon the adjacent street. Your

ratings, critiques, and observations are invited and most welcome. If

you rate harshly, very critically or wish to make a remark, please

submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! john

Yet another of your "amazingly" interesting images and great story. Always interesting to see "how the other half live". Thanks for both.

Seasons greetings

Best regards

It would be really stupid to put up over 1850 photos on this service and not have them be 'interesting'.

To have them be 'amazingly interesting' to a man like you who has not previously commented (to my recollection) is a fine feather in my cap.

It means that I'm doing something right, and not wasting myself or engaging in a sort of 'onanism' with these postings (you can look that word up if it's unfamiliar;~)).

Best to you this holiday season, and thanks for saying just the right thing to me as I arise from a brief sleep after feeling a little sorry for myself.  It's very much appreciated -- more than you might imagine.

john

John (Crosley)

Either you have to be very stupid or very dedicated and believe in your image to post a sure loser in ratings like 'the toilet woman' on Christmas, but I believe in my images; I almost never (really almost never) take them down.

And somehow I see great merit in this image; one composed  primarily of blues and a crooked smile and twisted, concerned face.

john

John (Crosley)

A slice of reality brought to our screens in a matter of fact way, it's not screaming shocking, or disgusting. But it is poignant, it communicates the blaze expression of a woman that has witnessed a million toilet users, from the ocassional desperate and needy to the reliable habitual customer. A woman resigned to her occupation who takes lifes path in her stride and without question. Of course I couldn't possbly know all this from a photograph, it is purely an impression. I could be totally off the mark, she could be a great entrepreneur, but I dont think so, otherwise she would be blocking the toilets in the store across the road and putting her prices up... again all conjecture on my part, but then thats what I like about the photograph, it invites my eyes and mind to pause for a moment and contemplate the life of a complete stranger in an environment that is almost completely alien to me. I say almost, because I have had some mundane and dirty jobs myself in my youth, though it's fair to say none would quite compare to this ladies position. A few questions if I may: - Did you use the toilets? What was the ladies reaction at being photographed?  Did you leave a tip?

Sincere compliments for a thought provoking image.

Regards

Alf

I posted this photo precisely because of the qualities that you have commented on; her blase attitude and the earthiness of the situation.

She is an entrepreneur with her own little business, and like undertakers, life needs people like her; no matter how much we like to think we would not want to get stuck in jobs like that.  

Probably she also did not want to spend her life like that, but Communism fell Christmas 1991 and with it the guaranteed job and salary for life, so she has to claw her way through life, one urination and defecation at a time, not cleaning her toilets or emptying them to save money and put extra food on the table and pay probably high rent (Kyiv rents are high for the relatively low salaries of its citizens).

She had no way to block the toilets across the street, which I used at first, and later when in urgent need, I used hers also; and from the comments you KNOW I didn't leave a tip ;~))

I love her face because it's most expressive.  In some she was laughing and smiling, but this expression seems (like the three bears) 'just right' for the subject and the framing, and the blueness of the early winter evening (about 4:00  p.m. at ISO 25000, with darkness almost there with color shifting -- almost screwed up that word, gotta be careful) - also seemed right on. 

Blue is considered a sad color, and this is a somewhat depressing photo, but true to life with wonderful (to me) color coordination, one reason it got posted.

It's not exactly what you want to find under a Christmas tree, but then I don't run with expectations or find after opening presents in the morning, but it gives you a chance to reflect on your better luck in life, I suspect.

Thanks for a truly wonderful critique and comment.

john

John (Crosley)

Yes, this is life as it is.

Zhitomirskaya.

Not far from home.

But things take time to change.

And she is nice, pleasant woman.

;~)

john

John (Crosley)