The comments to Walters' photos are revealing. One notes that the photos are self-selecting, that is, the photographer deliberately ignored scenes that did not fit his ideas about a people-less city. An Omahaan chimes in to say, yes, visit this part of town and you'll find lots of people. Another commenter believes the photographer should be more in touch with his subjects, approaching people on the street to find out why they are on the street. Someone finds the images bleak. One man wonders why readers would be interested in "amateur random pictures" of "mundane scenes."
What we prefer is to feel safe, with other people around; to feel charmed by stories that reaffirm our own stories about ourselves; and reassured that our existence isn't really this bleak. What most people seem to prefer when looking at images can be found in popular styles of photography relying on creating super-saturated hyper-realities.
Rob Walters website.
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