{"id":27831,"date":"2022-08-02T10:46:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-02T02:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/?p=27831"},"modified":"2022-09-09T09:18:14","modified_gmt":"2022-09-09T01:18:14","slug":"on-seeing-and-being-seen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/27831\/on-seeing-and-being-seen\/","title":{"rendered":"Photo Essay &#8211; On Seeing and Being Seen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><em>By Khadija Azhar<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t enjoy being visible. The vulnerability in being seen, in taking up space among other people, feels unnerving. My friends think that\u2019s irrational, and I agree; strangers on the streets have places to be, and things to do. They\u2019re probably not looking at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Funnily enough though, it\u2019s not the fact of being <em>looked at<\/em> that unnerves me, but just the fact that I exist. I occupy space, and in doing so, I am visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Which is why, in many ways, taking pictures feels like an act of hypocrisy. I force my gaze on unsuspecting strangers and spaces, immortalizing them in photos they will probably (read: most definitely) never see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it is also an act of acknowledgement. When I see people existing, occupying space, it\u2019s almost like they\u2019re giving me permission to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"705\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13-1024x705.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27844\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13-1024x705.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13-768x529.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13-1536x1057.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-13.jpg 2030w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"699\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12-1024x699.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27843\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12-1024x699.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12-768x524.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12-1536x1049.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-12.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"637\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09-1024x637.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09-1024x637.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09-1536x956.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-09.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"616\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10-1024x616.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10-1024x616.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10-768x462.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10-1536x924.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-10.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"687\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15-1024x687.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15-1024x687.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15-1536x1030.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-15.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27847\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-16.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27834\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-03.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"556\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04-1024x556.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27835\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04-1024x556.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04-768x417.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04-1536x833.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-04.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"833\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01-1024x833.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01-1024x833.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01-300x244.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01-768x625.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01-1536x1250.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-01.jpg 2002w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14-1024x796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27845\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14-1024x796.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14-300x233.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14-768x597.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14-1536x1193.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-14.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-11.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-05.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27839\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-08.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27838\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-07.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"740\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02-740x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27833\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02-740x1024.jpg 740w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02-217x300.jpg 217w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02-768x1063.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02-1110x1536.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-02.jpg 1480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-06-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27837\" srcset=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-06-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-06-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-06-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Photo-Essay-06.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Khadija Azhar I don\u2019t enjoy being visible. The vulnerability in being seen, in taking up space among other people, feels unnerving. My friends think that\u2019s irrational, and I agree; strangers on the streets have places to be, and things to do. They\u2019re probably not looking at me. Funnily enough though, it\u2019s not the fact<a href=\"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/27831\/on-seeing-and-being-seen\/\" class=\"read-more\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27831"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27831"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28049,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27831\/revisions\/28049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.hku.hk\/alumni\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}