Groooan! It looks like I won't be able to avoid using a bad picture of myself (above) to illustrate this. Okay, here goes: I look a hundred years old in this picture! I look at this photo and imagine that there must be an IV stand and oxygen tanks just out of frame. How I wish the person who'd taken this had told me that when he took it. If I'd known, I could have struck a different pose, one that was more flattering.
People don't tell you that you look bad in a picture because they figure that, whatever its defects, it captures the real you. That's because they value fidelity to reality above all. Not me. I can see the real me any day by looking in the mirror. I don't need pictures for that. What I want is a snapshot that makes me look good, that creates a reality where I fit in. That's what I'm thinking when I take pictures of myself (below).
I've been thinking about this lately and it occurs to me that a lot of people probably feel the way I do. At least some of the time they want snapshots that reflect their inner life or the way they react to the world around them.
The conclusion that I've come to is that I'll have to modify the way I photograph other people. I'll try never to take snapshots of friends that makes them look less than the way they'd like to look (well, within reason...). If I do take some questionable pictures I'll delete them then and there, on the spot. The subject will never have to worry that an unflattering photo that I've taken is circulating out there, waiting to bite them.
The way I look at it now, when I take your picture I'm acting as your agent. I'm trying to sell you to the world. I want you to look good, or as good as a snapshot can. If you have a best side, or a most flattering angle, let me know. If you have a weak point let me know that too, so I can avoid it. If I take a picture of you at work I'll try to make you look efficient, or like somebody it would be fun to work with. If I get you in a social situation, I'll try to get one that shows you solidly in the mood. I only ask that you allow me to make several pictures, because the first one isn't always the best.
P.S.: The picture I criticized at the top isn't really all that bad, and I'm grateful to the photographer for taking it. I had to exaggerate a bit to make my point. That's Mike on the right in that picture. He always takes a good picture, though he denies it.
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BTW: I just learned that my old animation pals Byron and Betty Vaughns are in desperate need. Very serious medical problems together with a house that burned down and no immediate prospect of work, have left them in a bind reminiscent of something from The Book of Job. If you can help it would be much appreciated. You can learn more about the situation at their site: http://bvneedshelp.blogspot.com/
The conclusion that I've come to is that I'll have to modify the way I photograph other people. I'll try never to take snapshots of friends that makes them look less than the way they'd like to look (well, within reason...). If I do take some questionable pictures I'll delete them then and there, on the spot. The subject will never have to worry that an unflattering photo that I've taken is circulating out there, waiting to bite them.
The way I look at it now, when I take your picture I'm acting as your agent. I'm trying to sell you to the world. I want you to look good, or as good as a snapshot can. If you have a best side, or a most flattering angle, let me know. If you have a weak point let me know that too, so I can avoid it. If I take a picture of you at work I'll try to make you look efficient, or like somebody it would be fun to work with. If I get you in a social situation, I'll try to get one that shows you solidly in the mood. I only ask that you allow me to make several pictures, because the first one isn't always the best.
P.S.: The picture I criticized at the top isn't really all that bad, and I'm grateful to the photographer for taking it. I had to exaggerate a bit to make my point. That's Mike on the right in that picture. He always takes a good picture, though he denies it.
.............................................................................................................................
BTW: I just learned that my old animation pals Byron and Betty Vaughns are in desperate need. Very serious medical problems together with a house that burned down and no immediate prospect of work, have left them in a bind reminiscent of something from The Book of Job. If you can help it would be much appreciated. You can learn more about the situation at their site: http://bvneedshelp.blogspot.com/
7 comments:
Haw! I had a suspicious feeling that was good ol' Mike even before reading the entire post! You two need to do a photo story together. Maybe a parody of "Strangers on a Train" could suffice or "Notorious." Always loved the black and white lighting in those films.
From Eddie: Anonymous just wrote this comment to a 3/11 post about Colonel Hunt's performance in the Vietman War:
"Colonel David Hackworth paints a much different portrait of Hunt. See chapters 9 & 22 of Hackworth's 2002 book, Steel My Soldiers' Hearts. Hunt was a phony, according to Hackworth. And directly responsible for directing friendly fire into two companies of his own command, during a fight at Thanh Phu, on March 11 and 12, 1969."
From Eddie: Thanks to Anon for the interesting comment! My reply can be read in the comments to the original 3/11 post.
What with social media sites like Facebook, it is practically impossible to control what pics end up on the net. Quelle Horreur!
Unrelated, but I found another economics vid for you, Eddie. You'll like this one: a "pretty" nerdy girl sings a love song to F. A. Hayek! *swoon*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psosLpDALuA
Kelly: Holeeeeee Mackerel! I had no idea there that videos like this existed. Many, many thanks!!!!!
What?? Eddie, as a fellow cartoonist I am SHOCKED that you don't appreciate bad pictures! Those are what cartoons are MADE out of! All the hilarious accidental facial expressions and distorted features and such...that's what sets the inbetweening work in Spumco cartoons apart from all others!
Zoran: Gimme a break! I'm also human. My self esteem requires that I believe all girls are dying to jump on me, and are only just barely able to restrain themselves from breaking up with their boyfriends and selling their children into slavery in order to be with me.
Okay, fair enough, I guess....
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