PEEVE DU JOUR #9

Look at the Camera and Smile.

Flip through any magazine and look at the pictures of people. Whether in articles or ads, they're all looking at the camera and smiling. Is this the only acceptable way of showing people? Looking at us and smiling? Straight-on shot, facing a face.


How about a nice 3/4 shot once in awhile? Maybe even a profile shot of them doing something. They're never doing anything, except looking at us and smiling.

What school of journalistic photography taught every student that they had to have a picture of the subject looking at the reader and smiling. I want to observe them and what they're doing.


I don't want celebrities, models or strangers all looking at me and smiling. Makes me want to edit my Profile Photo.

In fact, I did, as soon as I found another photo of me in 3/4 and not smiling.

The not smiling part came easy.


Here's some people not looking at me and some of them not even smiling. Much more interesting.

Some of them even look like they're focused on something besides me. Like that sushi chef, or that woodworker, both focused on what they're doing. So I'm focused on what they're doing, and not smiling at them like a Cheshire Cat.

Or the guy who's reading. I'd much rather look at him reading his book than for him to look at me reading his ad.

Or the people talking to each other. I like looking at people having a conversation with each other.

Leave me out of it.