Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

Michael Zhang · Feb 11, 2013

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 everyday 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

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

Image credits: Photographs by Haley Morris-Cafiero and used with permission

Alstar

That doesn’t prove these people are doing that – her past experience could be making her more likely to presume intent. But without proof, she has potentially harmed any one depicted with this insinuation about their character, especially if they are recognised by employers or friends. It could harm a teacher for example. If this goes viral that’s likely to happen. In this form, I dont think the project is ‘valid’ in any normal sense as it provides insufficient proof, just one person acting as judge and jury. Its valid if valid includes being reckless and damaging to innocent people and potentially likely to end up with a letter from someones lawyer and a trip to court. I know if my photo appeared here with such an insinuation, I would not be happy.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1191327317 Amanda Guyton

Its amazing how many people do not realize that photography is a manipulatable art medium. It doesn’t matter why those people were staring at her right then- what the project i about is knowing that people are often uncomfortable sharing space with people who are different or outside what is considered socially acceptable in appearance. She then set up the situation to capture what that would look like. This is how it often feels to be out in public when you are different: that people stare, sneer, snicker, and make faces at you, judging you based not kno knowing who you are, but what you look like.

Perhaps if we gave it some thought, we’d all understand the real meaning of accepting people as they are.
http://www.facebook.com/robin.moad Robin Moad

I think a lot of the looks have to do with a camera pointing their direction.
http://en.gravatar.com/adamantineheart adamantine

I was confused by some of these shots (like the swing set one) because it does seem like the looks could be about about her actions, not appearance but looking at in the way you’ve explained it made me *get* the project so thank you.
ii

Thats a heavy dose of paranoia right there. pun entirely intended. if you take enough pictures of yourself, in public, doing things.. ppl are bound to look at some point. ppl dont always have smiles on their faces when theyre curious.. its more “what is she doing there?” the camera isnt even concealed…shes taking these pics of herself.. Id look at her like “wtf is she doing” too. also..there is no proof some of those ppl are ACTUALLY looking AT her.. they could very well be laughing at something the person next to them said about something completely different and just happen to be looking in that ladys general direction. Im not buyin it.
Neen

I really don’t think she’s so big that people would stare everywhere she goes. If anything, this shoot seems to show her own insecurities – she thinks people are always staring at her and the intention of the shoot is “Look at how people always give me dirty looks just because of my size.” But perhaps the ‘looks’ are all in her head because she’s ashamed of her size – not because people care.
jayjam

Of course people are going to look if you’re snapping photos next to them. Geez.
Ingemar Smith

This is the best project I’ve ever come across on Petapixel. I hope the editors don’t let the negative responses prevent them from seeking out future projects like this with real creativity and courage.
TwoHoots

Well, She is fat. Looks to have a funny/lost expression on her face in the middle of people going about in a busy street. She is bound to have this… many of the expressions of people around her are inconclusive.. she should just not be so self centered in thinking that people are giving her the looks. interesting pictures, but I think the term is ‘imagined slights’.
Harry

People will stare, she’s very overweight, she can lose weight or live with it!
Living with it is easier than losing weight.
Karin

Love the pictures and I think what you do is important. Read some comments below, and I can see that the it’s dangerous to reflect upon norms and to question human behaviour in the same way that it’s in Sweden. You show your everyday reactions from people and question them. People see your pictures and are not even willing to recognize your experiences. Keep up what you’re doing!
/Karin från Sweden
http://www.facebook.com/david.eickhoff1 David Eickhoff

I dont see the big thing here. (pun intended) It’s not strange to find people looking behind someones back if they look like that. In my opinon, having lived in 3rd world countries for a while, where people struggle to get food on their plate. Being that overweight is just disgusting, and a big mocking on poor countries…
Marie

This is actually very disturbing – passerby’s give a judgemental look to a stranger, I thought things were better
JC

I’m interested in learning more about that. I recently, like last week, just bought a Breville juicer as I started having some health issues in recent years. I’m thinking it’s all from the poor quality food choices available at most restaurants here in the U.S.
http://twitter.com/dandyli0n Anya M

There are no such things as ‘obesogens’ and GMO foods are not labelled in ‘Europe’ (as if Europe is one state anyway?) any more than they are in the US. If you’re going to be one of those stupid American conspiracy theorists, leave the rest of the world out of it.
http://www.facebook.com/sarma.burdeu Sarma Burdeu

Perhaps the looks are b/c of Hayley’s weight, but I’m more inclined to think it’s b/c of the dour and negative attitude she puts forward with the way she carries herself. If she didn’t dress like a child and smiled I think the reactions would be totally different. Ok, we shouldn’t be judged by any aspect of how we look – but we are. Sad, but true and I bet each and every one of us is guilty of giving someone, somewhere such a look.
http://www.facebook.com/sandra.e.downs Sandra Earles Downs

Does she not see the legal liaboility of what she has done? She wants to publicly publish and a profit from photos of people she doesn’t have permission to photograph.
http://www.facebook.com/amanda.flowers.503 Amanda Flowers

Humans are such dicks sometimes.
http://www.facebook.com/elijah.heal Elijah Heal

really, you actually used that long assed word? No one knows what it means dude, why use a word like that? it doesnt make you sound smart when your rambling on about this lame assed topic.
joseph

well unfortunately here in america, a mc donalds burger is cheaper than a salad, a 2L bottle of pepsi is cheaper than milk, and a bag of chips is cheaper than fresh produce. ‘Merica, f- yeah. So economics should be considered before you judge someone. Health should also be considered, just because someones fat doesnt necessarily mean they are gluttonous, they just make very poor health choices. That could be for social reasons, economic reasons or yeah just not giving a damn can also be a reason but you dont know what the reason is unless you get to know a person. Health and weight in america is a very multifaceted subject and regardless of the reasons for a person being over weight, people shouldn’t be so judgmental.
Alana Springsteen

Having had to help larger friends shop for clothing, I will say that the styles they make for overweight women half her size are appalling unless you want to pay through the nose for clothing. The fact that she is dressed badly has as much to do with poor selection as it does with poor taste. I agree that the looks may not have had anything to do with her, but the project does point out one thing that the “artist” herslef may have overlooked: body image issues cause insecurity. Whether real or imagined, she is given reason to interpret them or herself in this manner. The fact is, Western societies glamorize waif like women. Art is meant to spark discussion and debate. Whether anyone agrees with the project or its interpretation, this was a mission accomplished.
Alana Springsteen

I don’t understand why the answer has to be for her to loose weight. Hypothetically, if these people are truly laughing at her, and I’m not saying that they are, there seems to be a problem on both ends. We ridicult people that are different from us and them pass it off as their fault. What buisness is it of others if you do not fit into society exactly? Why is the answer not also “people should mind their own business?”
Alana Springsteen

I don’t see how anyone can disagree with you here.
jaci

so true angela
http://www.facebook.com/lisaknortman Lisa Nortman

I commend you for being courageous enough to do this. As a large woman I have spent my life receiving similar looks from people where ever I’ve gone. It’s particularly fun when people talk about you in a foreign language too – not realizing you speak their language. People don’t usually believe me or brush aside my hurt feelings or stories of how I’ve been treated by complete strangers – your pictures help prove that I was not and have not been over sensitive, that people can and are publicly disdainful and mean – particularly in regards to overweight women.
http://www.facebook.com/lisaknortman Lisa Nortman

YES it is. so often I’ve had Germans, Swiss and Austrians making comments about my size – while standing next to me – not realizing I’m fluent in German. Trust me – this happens in Europe – at least in the 12 I’ve been to.

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Woman Photographs Herself Receiving Strange Looks in Public

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