Wait Watchers: A Woman Reverses the Gaze

sharpestrose:

erinkyan:

youdontlooklikeafeminist:

Memphis-based photographer Haley Morris-Cafiero has long been aware of strangers making fun of her behind her back due to her size. So aware, in fact, that she has turned the whole concept into a full-blown photography project. Titled Wait Watchers, the series consists of Morris-Cafiero’s self-portraits in public in which strangers can be seen in the background giving her strange looks and/or laughing.

The project was born when Morris-Cafiero was working on a separate project titled Something to Weigh. For one of the photos in that project, she snapped a self-portrait while sitting on some steps in Times Square.

After processing the film, she noticed that there was a man behind her making a face at her while being photographed by a female friend:

She noticed something similar in a photograph captured just five minutes later at a different location.

Morris-Cafiero then began setting up her camera in heavily trafficked public areas, composing the shots, setting a self-timer, and then stepping into the frame. The camera snaps a photo while she’s doing everything things (e.g. chatting on her phone or grabbing a bite to eat), and her hope is that the image also captures an interesting expression from at least one passing stranger.

I now reverse the gaze and record their reactions to me while I perform mundane tasks in public spaces. I seek out spaces that are visually interesting and geographically diverse. I try to place myself in compositions that contain feminine icons or advertisements. Otherwise, I position myself and the camera in a pool of people…and wait [#]

The images capture the gazer in a microsecond moment where they, for unknowable reasons, have a look on their face that questions my presence. Whether they are questioning my position in front of the lens or questioning my body size, the gazer appears to be visually troubled that I am in front of them [#]

You can find more photos from this series over on Haley Morris-Cafiero’s personal website.

wow this is amazing but also painful because I see those same looks aimed at me every time I go out…

Christ yes 

just

yes.

I like this project but I have some issues with it. Like, I deeply empathize with these looks, having had them aimed at myself or my loved ones. But, in many of the photos it’s unclear whether the looks are because of her weight, or her presence as a tourist who clearly isn’t getting out of the damn road to look for directions, or even about the camera (several of these shots feature people looking directly into the lens).

Like, the shot of her on her cell phone in what appears to be a Times Square intersection - that woman is most likely looking somewhat disapproving because she is blocking the flow of traffic. The girls on the street corner, otoh, seem to be judging her body as they are giggling. The little boy seems to have noticed the camera.  And some of them it’s impossible to tell.

IDK. It’s easy for me to assume everything is about fatphobia, but if a thin person didn’t pull themselves out of a busy sidewalk to pull out a giant map, I would definitely judge them, as someone who travels. And I’d definitely be looking around if someone who was not me had a tripod set up and there were few other people around. It’s hard to know what these people are thinking, especially since these shots are most likely curated for the weirdest looks.