There is an unspoken rule when traveling on public transportation: keep to yourself and keep quiet. I’ve lived in smaller communities for the majority of my life (Burlington, VT and Saratoga Springs, NY) and I’ve found that people look each other in the eye more often in these small communities. Whenever I’m in a big city, I feel the lack of engagement like fresh snow, everything is covered in a thin layer of concealment, but concealment that could easily be brushed away. I decided I’d try an experiment and break the silent rule. I approached people waiting for the T or in transit and asked them if I could take their portrait.