In 2012 Rome also supplied a clutch of pictures in the second broad category, for images whose stories are not self-evident and whose narratives range from ambiguous to unknowable. Some examples are set out below.  These images invite speculation and attempts to supply at least one logical narrative for what they depict. They are visual short stories. Or, more accurately, visual short mystery stories. 

That said, and notwithstanding any intriguing backstories they may imply, I would like to think these selections remain “good photographs,” primarily that they are strong compositionally and “interesting.” Success in street photography is inherently fortuitous. Be there and be lucky. Scenes are fleeting, like pictorial flash-cards, and scenarios don’t repeat. There is rarely opportunity for multiple exposures to give choices in composition and narrative, and follow-on images are usually not available to show “what happened next” or to add content to narrow the narrative choices.

Red

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With her red skirt, red shoes, and red toenails, this woman walked through the tourist crowd in the piazza above the Spanish Steps. She did not, surprisingly, attract much attention. Her strides were purposeful and confident, but her gesture seemed less certain. Perhaps she was just checking the nape of her hair, which appeared carelessly wind-blown. Her eyeglasses, an important social marker in Italy, seem more conservative, nearly stereotypically librarian, than the short skirt and very tanned legs and bare arms and shoulders would imply. She is probably about to meet someone. We hope it went well.

Distraught or distracted

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This gentleman appeared to be lost in thought, distraught or distracted, as he marched over the cobbles near the Tiber, seemingly heading somewhere with a purpose. We might infer he is dealing with some troubling or difficult situation. We hope it is not the illness of a loved one, or some insurmountable financial challenge.  He is dressed casually but well, with a dress shirt under his suit jacket, suggesting a professional connection or errand. Something is beneath his left arm. We can hope that it is innocuous, possibly a bundle of dress shirts destined for the laundry, and that he is simply a little behind schedule, and trying to decide which errand to attend to after leaving the shirts at the laundry.  

Waiting

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This man is waiting in the Borghese Gardens. We don't know why. He has newspapers, and a bag, so perhaps he is just relaxing and taking a break on a sunny day on a convenient and striking seat. His posture is erect. He seems watchful, but not apprehensive. He is probably not meeting someone. He seems alone.  The newspapers and sack imply self-sufficiency. He may be waiting for the passage of time.

Tiber Practice  K03C8044a  This man was playing his saxophone under a Tiber bridge, not far from some Trastavere night spots or from the distractions of biking and walking lanes. He may like the acoustics under the bridge and the setting, and the Tiber whispers patiently here. He is dressed like a mature jazz musician might dress: with loose presence. It is some hours before he would be likely to play at a local bistro. Perhaps he is working on a new piece that will debut soon.

The Conversation K03C7529  Two young women in the Borghese Gardens share a bench and converse. Given posture and direct eye contact and their proximity, they seem to be conversing intently, concentrating their shared attention on whatever they are discussing. The subject is likely to be of moderate mutual importance, but judging from the expression on the visible face, neither gravely distressing nor pleasantly enjoyable. One assumes and hopes they have pleasant and fulfilling social lives.

Gelato K03C8530
Not far from Piazza del Popolo there is a popular gelato shop. Having been served first, this young girl has commandeered the stroller of a young sibling while the rest of the family awaits their gelatos. Given the set of her lips and the way she regards her gelato, she seems vaguely dissatisfied with her lot in life, although her stylish clothing and cunning sandals and the fact she was served first suggest she doesn't have much to be dissatisfied about. It would be very interesting to see how she has, so far, turned out, 13 years later.  Perhaps well. Perhaps not.

Young Girl in Piazza Navona K03C7159 This young girl was having lunch at a restaurant in the Piazza Navona. Accompanied by an attentive but not overly solicitous mother and grandmother or aunt, she was remarkably well-mannered and self-sufficient.It would be very interesting to see how she has, so far, turned out, 13 years later.  Almost certainly very well. Some things seem more predictable than others.
 

First Aid in Piazza Navona K03C8835
Here there is a surprising amount of solicitous interest in attending to a young woman in the Piazza Navona who seems to have injured her ankle. Perhaps they are family members. She seems in good hands. Perhaps the young man happens to have some medical training and has applied a stabilizing wrap that will allow her to carry on. Or perhaps she will be forced to rest at one of the nearby bistros while all the others, except for the young man, continue touring.