Back when we were kids, mom would pull out the camera, and we would make our silliest faces or do the strangest dance. We weren’t afraid to be weird or not “look our best” in front of a camera. It didn’t matter what clothes we were wearing, what was stuck in our teeth, or how messy our hair was that day. So when did it start to matter? Thinking about this question myself, I’m not too sure of the answer. Looking back at old photos circa ages 3-6, I was always in some weird pose with my arms in every which way and a goofy, crooked-toothed grin on my face. Starting ages 7-10, I still smiled for pictures, although I was just standing. No more weird poses. After age 12? I hated taking photos. The words “picture day” at school struck fear in my heart, and you could see the sheer terror of everyone else in the room. But as kids, we weren’t afraid.
Recently, I found a video by Dove (one of their Real Beauty Sketches) for their beauty campaign entitled:
Camera Shy – When did you stop feeling beautiful?
Light-hearted as this video is, it brought a very serious question to my mind; it wasn’t until a few seconds into the video that I realized the trend. Why do we stop wanting our picture taken? As we get older, whenever someone has a camera, we try to duck away. Is it because we start becoming less confident about our appearances? “Get it away from me!” No one wants their face to be recorded without them having two hours prior notice. Although in this video, it is only females being represented (since Dove’s campaigns target the female population), the same can be said for males.
Can all of this be attributed to our society’s version of “beauty”?
We see thin models in lingerie plastered on billboards every day. Almost every commercial nowadays is about how great it is to feel skinny, or how you can become skinny in some way or another. It is a very specific demographic that ads target with the long-haired, tan-skinned, bursting-eyed, and not to mention photo-shopped, models. And it’s fair to say that less than 1 per cent of the population actually looks like that. But being surrounded by all these women who seem perfect, it is hard to be confident that you’re beautiful the way you are.
On the other hand, is it right to say that women who are naturally thin and have nice hair aren’t beautiful? Should we degrade our standards so that those who try harder for their looks, wearing makeup and dressing up, are perceived as “vain” or “fake”? No matter how people try to put it, the fact is that 90 per cent of teenage girls and women do look better with makeup. Neither “skinny” nor “fat” are necessarily healthy body types. All of these descriptors are completely subjective depending on where you are. Someone living in the United States who is considered a size small could be an extra large in China or Japan.
At the end of the day, why must we categorize people based on their appearance? Is it out of biological ease for our brains when looking for a mate, or are humans just vain and shallow creatures?
No matter what the answer is, there’s nothing wrong with looking silly in front of a camera.
Have a wonderful day you beautiful people!