Photo Shoot

Women are amusing creatures…

My office is celebrating 25 years of existence this year, and, as many companies do, a part of the celebration involves a supplement to be published in the papers. You know what that means… pictures.

The photographer was here right on time this morning to take pictures, department by department. I turned up to work this morning, and immediately I was reminded of the occasion- the air smelt fresh, hair and nails looked perfect, clothes have never been so well ironed, and none of the women were smiling…

“What? None of the women are smiling? That makes no sense!”, you may be thinking. But it makes perfect sense. All the lipsticks that were preserved for very special occasions got released from their trinket boxes this morning, as all the ladies put on their best. So smiling, laughing, or even talking was not an option… that would simply undo the two hours of time and energy put into getting the application just right.

Everything was different. Hair that’s always in a bun was allowed to flow (we never knew that some people had so much hair… hmmm… maybe they didn’t!). The cheeks are so made up that the face ended up looking like that of a corpse… all in the name of one silly photograph.

Ultimately, what will the camera see- pretty nails or wandering eyes? Red lips or a crooked smile? Nice perfume or… well, obviously not the perfume. Is it all really that important? Some pictures had up to 15 people, so sorry, miss, the nice pair of shoes you’re wearing for the first time won’t make an appearance. The hair that you’ve fixed like a water fountain is cascading behind your neck, and unless the cameraman decides to take rear shots, your hair’s out of luck too… Man, all your efforts seem in vain…

Next time… wear you clothes, fix your hair, wash your face, stand in your position, get the picture taken, and go back to work. The best face work in the world can’t make you pretty if you aren’t pretty, and if you are pretty, what’s the make-up for?