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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > Streetcar riders, Hiroshima, Japan, 2006
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23-MAR-2006

Streetcar riders, Hiroshima, Japan, 2006

This child has fallen asleep in an incongruous posture somewhere between standing up and lying down. His masked mother (many Japanese women wear masks as a health measure) appears to be oblivious to his awkward position. The other riders are not concerned either – they have their own cares. The boy’s mother is multi-tasking – not only supporting his weight, but also holding on to the straps of three shopping bags.
All of these elements express incongruous appearances or relationships and give this image its value as expression.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/160s f/5.6 at 7.4mm iso80 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time23-Mar-2005 22:35:19
MakePanasonic
ModelDMC-FZ30
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length7.4 mm
Exposure Time1/160 sec
Aperturef/5.6
ISO Equivalent80
Exposure Bias-0.33
White Balance (10)
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

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Phil Douglis19-Jun-2007 15:27
There is a sense of pride here, Alina. She holds her head high. That's why you see the strength in her.
Alina19-Jun-2007 13:26
She has to be strong. Great portrait of Japanese mother.
Phil Douglis01-Jan-2007 20:30
Thanks, Dick, for making the point about riding street cars. I try to take public transportation on my travels whenever possible. I do not like the isolation imposed by tour buses. I prefer to find interpret life as it normally flows-- this scene is a good example.
Guest 24-Dec-2006 21:48
Well done. You've caught a slice of real Japanese life. Riding streetcars in Jpan is something most tourists miss. So different from Shinjuku and Roppongi they see and think, "wow! this is really Japan". Little do they know. :)
Phil Douglis02-Dec-2006 22:28
It is all about exhaustion, and protection, isn't it, Jen? The child is so helpless and vulnerable, but the mother seems as much concerned about protecting herself and her belongings as she is in protecting him. It is an incongruous image that is rich in human values as well.
Jennifer Zhou02-Dec-2006 15:23
There is much food for thought, and just by looking at this picture, we come to know a great deal about the people in it. The adults look exhausted and worried, but they have to hold on and carry the burden of life, while the boy can just fall asleep on his mother. His sleeping posture indicates the way he connects and depends on his mom and the way he feels about the outside world --- he can be completely relaxed and unaware of any danger or anything out here, so there is no need for any protection. Not like his mom who has to use a mask to protect herself and has to proteact her child and rest of the belongings..
Phil Douglis26-Apr-2006 18:32
Yes, Iris -- I was thinking of the Pieta as I framed this image. And I was also thinking of the larger societal issue here -- raising a child in a polluted world. Thanks for seeing that in this image and for leaving this beautiful comment.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)26-Apr-2006 17:50
Pieta, Japanese style! Both mother and child appear to be sacrificing themselves,
he through exhausted sleep and she through the mask, to the contemporary evils of commercialism and pollution. The others, as typical of many who are burdened with their everyday existence, pay no heed to these insidious societal problems. For me, this image makes a powerful statement.
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