'Alone in Public'

The Spring Mating Season may have passed, but the affects linger, as

they are supposed to. This couple passes a weekend night on a Metro

in a large Eastern European City smooching as their Metro coach

lurches slightly, speeding to a distant destination for a very small fare, or

so it seems to foreigners.. 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

"Alone in Public" is such an appropriate title for this.  That so many people can be seen in the reflection is much more interesting than if we could have seen all of these people directly -- it just emphasizes the title you've given to this.  It's a very interesting photograph.  As an aside, I'm always amazed that some people can seemingly be so oblivious to those around them; in fact, they can even be photographed!

Stephen, having been 'in love' more than once, and having practiced myself over my lifetime the same blinders that being 'in love' gives when smooching a beloved, I have little problem understanding how easy it is to focus on the object 'at hand' or better, 'at lips'.  Hormones may have a good part of it -- it just 'feels good', and better, there are few who observe such behavior who don't understand, really, as this is not rock-ribbed Republican territory or Bible Belt South where all sorts of goings on are done in private, including marrying cousins and maybe some young'uns, but in public, nary a word of sexuality among certain folks.

I had a time in Houston not long ago, late at night, and it seems everybody, and I do mean everybody I came into contact with was talking religion -- and fundamental get yourself to God religion, the kind of God who smites sinners, fundamentalist Christianity, Bible-quoting Christians, often who didn't even understand the full import of what they were sayaing, or the countervailing Scripture, but they felt Holy so long as they were quoting Scripture . . . . and then I did understand Texas (not Austin though).

Well, this is former Communist territory, and since in two World Wars (the second called 'The Great Patriotic War'), the Soviet Union lost more young men (old ones too) than any other country, so they had to repopulate, and part of that began with smooching.

Small apartments afforded little place for smooching, so although it was a repressive regime, couples managed to Court and with the fall of Communism, courting is done in public, and on nearly every Metro train after dark or on the weekends, there's a smooching couple and on weekends, many, especially on platforms on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Trust me, I know.   

They also smooch in the streets, including Kyiv's celebrated main street, lined with a greater width of walkways and benches than its six or eight lanes of traffic fronting chic boutiques and department stores.

Smooching is something one can count on when one visits Kyiv, and I'm a documentarian of smooching, in many of its permutations and combinations . . . not all shown here, like with the older people.

And my viewers seem to like it very much, so I post the better ones.

Stephen, if you've never been able to shut your eyes and only feel lips and the warm body of your lover near you while the world is around you, I'm sad for that -- it's a wonderful experience and an easy (for me at least) exercise in focus.

It's easier for this young couple I'm sure, because invariably her momma is hectoring her, 'where are my grandchildren?' - the nearly universal chant of the momma's of barely 20 year-old young women in Ukraine.

No degree for six years, trial live-in lover, and marriage only when the biological clock is ticking . . . women have babies when they're ready in Ukraine -- it's momma's command.

Momma (soon to be grandmother) wants grandkids.

It's daughter's duty to produce them.

And the young man's delight to participate in this ritual.

;~)))

Things are different in Ukraine . . . . than the USA, Stephen.

Even though underage pregnancies in the USA belie the myth that no one in the USA is producing babies until after graduate school, after the trial marriage to the live-in boyfriend, etc., etc., etc.

It's just that few in the USA get married at all anymore.

And courting couples in the US have houses, individual rooms, cars. and other places for smooching, so they can restrain themselves, but for the most part, those things are limited in Ukraine.

However, hormones are in substantial supply.

I hope you appreciate the thought that went into this comment back, Stephen.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I recommend a visit; it's good for the soul.  And if you're a girl-watcher it's far better for the soul than you can imagine, as few are overfed (though 'fast food' a la McDonald's is making inroads,alas.)

john

John (Crosley)

This is a rare Crosley 'hip shot'.

I rarely do such, but I'm getting better at it.

I prefer geometry and framing with my photos, and that's terribly hard with the 'hip shot' absent some sort of articulating screen (or looking down at a Rolleiflex -- with the image reversed of course).

But I'm getting better at it, and with digital, if one's discreet, one can take in the course of between two Metro stations, ten to 15 or so photos, varying the zoom distance.  The main problem shooting blind is keeping the camera horizontal, in my experience.  One can chimp the zoom, if one has time, then adjust.

john

John (Crosley)

Well chosen arrow-head perspective, John. Reflections? I rather think it is the next carriage that we are glimpsing - with its own little cameo which fits with your caption, and perhaps much better. In the frontal scene the man seems to be proactive with the woman perhaps permitting him; in the little scene behind them they both seem equally proactive... in fact i'm drawn in more by the latter...

You are, of course, a master at using locational geometry in your compositions...

I am smiling for recognizing your ability to 'see' in this photo that there is a 'mirror' couple in the next coach.  Kudos.

I 'see' things all the time, but don't feel it is necessary when people are actively commenting to personally have to point them all out, but when comments seem finished, then, if the point is not made, I may weigh in.

I like your nice expression 'arrow-head' perspective, for that's exactly what it is -- it's neat and economical!

I tried cropping, but it really robbed this photo of what made it special, though it was a 'hip shot' -- which I shot widely in order 'maybe' to crop,, but I like it the way it is, and after a minute amount of straightening (really minute), here it is -- or as the French say, 'voici'.

There is, of course, a 'contrast' which is often found in many of my better photos -- they have the end of this coach to themselves, while the next coach is pretty full.  We can see them well, but the jammed coach next is pretty much obscured by reflective glass and images of overhead lights glaring at us from windows and maybe plastic frames over advertising posters.

Well made critique.  Kudos again and thanks.

john

John (Crosley)

John:

I always look forward to your photos, but even more to your commentary.  Thanks again for sharing.

Bill Moeller

You put a big smile on my face with your comment.

Thanks!

john

John (Crosley)