I remembered reading this quote, “I tried to live but I was distracted”
I’ve been looking for a new project, something to focus my work. After the past few weeks of shooting on the streets of Liverpool, I believe I’ve found it: distraction. Humans have always been easily distracted, it now feels that distraction has grown to an unbelievable level. Most of us walk around glued to our phones or have their headphones on blocking out the real world. We all seem to be living in our own little matrix, myself included. Now this isn’t a bad thing - it’s just where we are today as a society and I think it’ll be interesting to document it.
I want to be clear about this project, it is NOT about being negative. Rather, it’s just about showing the human race as we are today. I want to do this without hiding the truth.
This is something that future generations may look back on thinking ‘why?’. Or maybe they’ll be looking back saying ‘damn thats where the decline of Western civilisation started’. This project won’t mean much to those of us living today, but I really do hope that the next generation will be interested in looking at this moment of society. Too many of us spend our days logged on and looking at the lives of others, instead of paying attention to our own lives. Maybe we’re all like George Bailey, in need of our own angel to show us our own wonderful life.
Whether it’s people on phones or reading newspapers, listening to music or shopping, the point of this project is to focus on what distracts us from spending time with our loved ones and noticing the world around us.
I’m going to shoot this project in monochrome as this will enhance the idea of distraction more. I feel that colour itself would add more distraction to the photos. However, I’ll see where the project takes me. This project isn’t going to be about good light or even good weather, this is all about us: the humans and our distractions which are blocking out what is important.
I’ll be posting the photos here on my blog alongside monthly updates throughout 2023.
