NZ Visual Diary - entry 362

waiting for the train

Like train stations everywhere, the Waitematā Station (Britomart) is a fun place to observe and photograph people. The station serves as the terminus of a train network that connects the central city to its neighbouring suburbs to the east, west and south.

Having returned from a ride to a train station that proved to be less photographically appealing than I had remembered, I lingered on one of the platforms and scanned the passenger benches for an interesting visual image.

What caught my eye was a bench occupied by four young people, and judging by their book bags all seeming to be students. To my surprise, only one of the four was actively engaged with a mobile phone. The other three were suspended in reverie, head bowed or turned sideways to study some curiosity or fixed straight ahead, no doubt at me as I trained my camera on her and her momentary companions.

Behind them stainless steel bollards and columns stood sentry. A large flatscreen pleaded with the expectant passengers for attention, but they would not oblige. Each gaze fell elsewhere or nowhere.