Street photography also lends itself to expressing those bonds that tie small groups of people together. Such is the case in this photo, which I made at a bus stop on the slope of a hill in Lisbon’s Chiado neighborhood. This picture is all about unconscious, unacknowledged bonding. Eight strangers, yet together they are forced to create a group that does not acknowledge human contact, at least for the moment. In fact, their body language expresses a sense of resignation. It is ritualistic, orderly, and expectant. I stood across the street from these people, this time using my Leica Digilux 2 at eye level, taking advantage of the detail produced by its remarkable lens, and using its huge LCD screen to compose my image. I could not have asked for a more coherent arrangement of figures – the group has magically composed the picture for me. Two women, wearing pink and red tops, appear as “book ends” on the ends of the tableaux. The three seated figures huddle in the cool shadows of the center, while the two people standing on the inside of the shelter each hold on to something with one hand. The woman at the left end lowers her head to touch it, while the man at the right end supports himself by holding on to the waste receptacle. None of them seem to notice me – they are all focusing on something other than the street shooter on the other side of the avenue. Most likely, they are concerned about the bus that has yet to arrive. I was intrigued by the incongruity of the man who is there, but really not there – appearing only as a phantom on the back side of the bus stop shelter’s frosted glass panel. Another incongruity is created by the sign over their heads, bearing the slogan “good to know you” yet most of these Portuguese people could not read those words, and if they did, their body language would say otherwise. Street photography can offer viewers slices of life that capture the essence of a place. To me, this bus stop represented just such a challenge. What do you see this image as saying? Do you have any questions to ask me about street photography? I welcome your own views on my interpretation of this scene. We can all learn from your comments, your questions, and your critiques on this image, and the other examples in this gallery and in this “cyberbook”. I’ll try to respond as best I can, shaping a dialogue that can greatly enhance your understanding of expressive travel photography. Thank you for viewing this gallery, and hopefully for participating in the discussions that can flow from it.