Not blinking is pretty eerie, even if we are not aware that people around us blink all day. You might have heard that when Anthony Hopkins played Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, he made sure never to blink while speaking on camera. He said he noticed it while viewing tapes of serial killers and mass murderers like Charles Manson in preparation for the role. But a person caught with their eye closed mid-blink in a photograph looks a bit off.

I always try to respect the dignity of my subjects. I don’t mind showing people tired or worn down, especially while commuting at the end of a work day. Generally, however, I would choose not to show a shot with just a random moment with an odd expression. Closed eyes are a close call. So it is with some apology to the gentleman waiting at the bus stop that I use this shot, primarily because I like how the man walking with the big SLR is checking out my Minolta film gear while I’m taking the photo.