Rick Patrick
Columnist
I have often been intrigued by the subject of humor. During my time spent on this big, round rock floating through the cosmos, I have discovered that there is humor all around us, if we just learn to notice it. Quite often, a camera can capture images that can be quite funny, especially when humor was not the original goal.
I once had a co-worker ask how I was going to take photos of a certain sporting event. I simply turned to him and said, “with the camera.” Speaking of cameras, I once repeated the old thought that “the camera adds 10 pounds.” The person I was talking to looked at my photo and asked, “well, how many cameras did you have pointed at you?” Just earlier today, someone mentioned that their camera bag felt heavier than normal. I asked, “have you been taking pictures of a lot of fat people?”
I have found that it is a good practice to get several pictures of one singular event, such as when a person is speaking. This is because, the person often has a humorous, and possibly embarrassing expression on their face. I love the photos when the camera catches them with their eyes half closed. This usually gives them the look of either being half asleep or of having a few adult beverages prior to them speaking. I remember one particular funny picture I caught of our state’s governor. It was after one of the hurricanes we had experienced and he was helping to serve food, which I thought was a very nice thing for the governor to do. In one particular photo I snapped, he had an expression on his face that made him look almost like a “mad scientist.”
Taking photos has led to a running joke with a very good friend here in town. Several years ago, this person received a job promotion which proved to be newsworthy. I was in the process of taking what I thought should have been a simple “head shot” types of photo. In my mind, I would take four or five snapshots, just to make sure there was at least one photo in which the subject had her eyes open. I could not have been more mistaken that day. After nearly every photo, it had to be inspected to make sure every strand of hair was in perfect order and the expression had the perfect balance of professional competence and friendly approachability. When we had finally captured an acceptable image, I told my friend, “You know Cindy Crawford was not this difficult to work with.”
It goes without saying that photos can capture funny images, even when humor may not be the primary objective. It has been my experience that a mirror can do the same thing. So, keep smiling. You may be caught on camera, here on the Sunny Side.
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