Oh! So Pathos...
Wait Watchers: A Woman Reverses the Gaze ⇢

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:

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public waitwatcher

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 [#]

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

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

Not going to lie. I had a hard time viewing these. We’ve all caught those looks.

Source: youdontlooklikeafeminist

Notes

  1. kuronedlc reblogged this from inappropriateresponses
  2. snorlucks reblogged this from youdontlooklikeafeminist
  3. ivypo reblogged this from abhortion
  4. fondli reblogged this from youdontlooklikeafeminist
  5. breakingtableswithcurlynstripes reblogged this from excessunrated
  6. aqualilium reblogged this from elonorata and added:
    I disliked seeing the people look at her like that…like she were some sort of alien
  7. myteenagefangirllife reblogged this from elonorata
  8. elonorata reblogged this from enajcosta and added:
    Disgusting people! :(
  9. enajcosta reblogged this from marfmellow
  10. hechu reblogged this from badbitchbrigade
  11. ctfan reblogged this from abhortion
  12. anonymouscatastrophe reblogged this from iapetusneume
  13. iapetusneume reblogged this from renaissancedweeb
  14. lizerdlicker reblogged this from the-patient-zero
  15. anangellookingtogetfuckedhard reblogged this from youdontlooklikeafeminist
  16. sepiagoddess reblogged this from andbonnykate and added:
    This will be a hugely unpopular opinion here on...
  17. barrenunderground reblogged this from andbonnykate
  18. andbonnykate reblogged this from the-patient-zero
  19. agathabagshot reblogged this from the-patient-zero
  20. the-patient-zero reblogged this from bodysexgender
  21. elahicale reblogged this from alibrariangoestoikea and added:
    and people say that they’re not judgmental. being heavy myself i know for a fact that people are still disgusted with...
  22. notasdeepasweseem reblogged this from nvinciblesummer
  23. nvinciblesummer reblogged this from bold-black-beautiful
  24. sen091990 reblogged this from locsgirl
  25. everythingismusical reblogged this from bananaleaves
  26. victoriamoon reblogged this from locsgirl
  27. bold-black-beautiful reblogged this from locsgirl
  28. displacedbody reblogged this from locsgirl and added:
    THIS.
  29. locsgirl reblogged this from yellowcakemiix
  30. cake-from-the-prairie reblogged this from feminist-physicist

← Previous Post Next Post →

About

Crochet... Fatshion... Fat Acceptance... Montreal... Occasionally NSFW (nudity, weed). Just a tumblr for things that interest me.... That is, after all, the point, no? [Everyone is welcome to Ask me anything, but please tell me if you absolutely want the response to remain private. If you're here to objectify me, however, all bets are off]


Contact me Submit

Following