Yang Yu

Shot in Lisbon, this photograph captures an emotionally charged moment between a barefoot man seeking help and two café diners lost in conversation. The handwritten sign he holds trembles with urgency, yet his presence is barely acknowledged. A passerby turns her head—perhaps curious, perhaps conflicted. This is not a scene of confrontation, but of quiet invisibility. The image examines urban empathy, social roles, and the moral tension of being present but disconnected. It poses the question: in modern cities, who do we really see, and who fades into the background? Invisible Conversations is a study in spatial proximity and emotional distance.