[32bitkid]

I guess what I'm trying to say is which is more depressing or sad: a couple ignoring each other, or a guy watching a couple ignore each other, or even, if I were to turn the lens on myself, a guy watching another guy watching a couple ignore each other.

[rimunroe]

Being in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to pay attention to each other constantly. Some people read books/magazines/papers before sleeping, and some others do stuff on their phones.

[dragonwriter]

> a couple ignoring each other

Being back to back in physical contact, even while also engaging in some other activity, is not necessarily (or, IME, even most likely) ignoring each other.

[32bitkid]

I agree with what you are saying, in regards to a healthy relationship… But, I'm nearly positive that's not the message that is being conveyed by the artist/photographer in this image/collection of images. So, I'm not really sure where you are going with this.

[dragonwriter]

> But, I'm nearly positive that's not the message that is being conveyed by the artist/photographer in this image/collection of images. So, I'm not really sure where you are going with this.

I actually think it's very much part of the message of the particular image it concerns (at least, it's part of what I take from it because of how it resonates with my personal experience), to wit, the whole collection speaks to the pervasiveness of the smartphone in modern society, and the image in question speaks specifically into it's insertion into moments of casual intimacy.