23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The Window Connection

In the notorious traffic of Nigeria, a moment of stillness occurred. While I was traveling to a leadership training, our vehicle slowed alongside a public bus. Through the layers of dust and glass, I locked eyes with this stranger. Seeing my lens, she didn't turn away but offered a radiant, unprompted smile—a fleeting connection between two travelers moving in the same direction, separated by glass but connected by joy.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 03.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Ore, Nigeria
Copyright: © Adeboye Malumi