I Don't Get It

There are always fads that are really cute when they spring out of nowhere.  I've seen more than a few in my day (leg warmers, tube tops, mohawks and mullets).  If you didn't recognize or remember any of these, don't worry about it - you didn't miss anything.

However, there are some fads I just don't get.  They really don't make sense to me and frankly, they look odd.  For purposes of this post, I'll limit the fads I don't get to these photography trends.  Photographers and girls who pose weird, don't hate me, just sayin'.

The Mustache (and all other goofy photo props):

If you've been locked in a closet for the past year or so, these little paper mustaches on sticks are used in front of your face to take "cute" pictures.  Maybe the idea is that "old time" look from tintype pictures?  I just don't get it.  Here's the mustache in action:

O.K., this is wrong on so many levels.  First of all, an apparently naked baby in a box (see my pet peeve about that below), coupled with a mustache on a pacifier and a big a** bow on the baby's head.  In the future, people will find these pictures in time capsules and wonder what kind of experiments we were doing on babies.  I don't get it.

The Baby in the . . . 

Anne Geddes is a famous photographer that originated this adorable idea of photographing babies in unique ways.  The theme of most of her photographs was to depict babies as part of nature (pea in a pod, flowers, angels, etc)  Here's one of her photos:

I will admit, her many pictures were very cute, especially when no one else had this very creative idea.  Recent photographers have taken this idea to mean you can get babies to sleep in the craziest places.  Please, leave the cute infant pictures in strange sleeping poses to Anne Geddes (who I think has also moved on from this idea).  Unfortunately, the Anne Geddes copies just keep coming:

I have no idea what you have to do to a baby to make him/her sleep in those weird positions (and places).  Speaking on behalf of your children-who-don't-want-to-see-this-picture-on-a-giant-video-screen-at-their-wedding-reception, don't do this.  It's unkind and I don't get it.

The "Pose"

I don't think photographers are to blame on this one.  Anyone who has seen a picture of high school (or older) girls will know exactly what I'm talking about.  Hand on hip, turned slightly sideways and left or right leg slightly bent at the knee.  It's so prevalent that every time I see a girl that age get her picture taken (for anything!) out comes "the pose."

I do understand that it's not a good idea for a woman to have her photo taken straight on, but I don't know what the hand, hip and bent leg are trying to say.  I don't get it.

Duck Face

Last, but definitely not least, is the ugliest look I've ever seen on a face.  Photographers, this one is certainly not on you, because most of these pictures are taken by the subject with a camera at arm's length.  Not being a hater here, but any person - man, woman or child - who thinks this is cool looking in a photo, has obviously not seen that photo. 

And that's a good one.  Please. Don't.

There are two things in common here - neither Angelina Jolie nor the duck are making the "duck face."  (Sorry for the sentence on the bottom - not nice to call Angelina Jolie or the duck by that term.)

Anyway, I don't get it.

If anyone would like to explain these things to me, please do so in the comments.  Otherwise, I will just remain blissfully ignorant.  

cindy