smoking diptych

I end my first week slash theme with a couple photos and infos....
Aside from being a non smoker I have been drawn to photograph people when they smoke- to try to figure that out i looked into what smoking evokes:
Over the hundreds of years smoking has become associated with a persona of the lone cowboy (thanks Marlboro) being lost in thought or contemplation, independence and sexuality. What got its boom with the creation of the new middle class has now become a symbol for lawyers and bohemians a like.

But that doesn’t really answer why i am so drawn to photographing smokers - at times (especially during my beige-tastic summer job at an insurance company) I find myself jealous of smokers- the romantic act of stepping outside for fresh air (no matter the weather) to take a quiet moment to yourself. It acts as an excuse for being outside in such awful whether- or for even being alone.

oh to be a pipe smoking bohemian smoking/swimming against the current towards an art school education... but for now ill stick to my favorite drug of all.... the jittery headache inducing latte!