Saturday 24 September 2016

My Pleasing Profile Pictures

I don't know what happened this time. I always posted really innocent-looking profile pictures on Facebook, not wanting to rock the boat. I would put on makeup, pose in front of the camera. Snap! No, that's no good, my teeth look too big. Snap! My hand looks too fat in this one. And on it would go. I would usually have to take five selfies to get a picture that does not make me cringe too much. One that I would be willing to post on Facebook. One that might get me a few likes.

The last part is what I felt I needed to change. My profile picture didn't seem so much about reflecting me or my life as pleasing others. Then one day, I got an idea in my head. It was originally supposed to just be for DeviantArt. I would sit in front of the camera and smoke. I would take a big drag from my cigarette as I stared directly at the camera, the end of the cigarette burning orange. Snap! I only took one picture this time, and that was enough. I posted it on DeviantArt, and someone even favourited the picture. I wasn't expecting that, but I was glad it happened.

Then I began to think about my Facebook profile picture that looked nothing like me - no glasses, big happy smile, lying down to ensure that I had only one chin. A lot of people liked that picture. But what if I posted this new one? Nobody would like it, that's for sure. But did it really matter? It was an artistic piece but it was also a bigger reflection of me than those other pictures that required heavy editing. I took a chance and posted it.

That was a few days ago. No likes on this one. No comments about how great I look. But I am more happy with this profile picture than any other. It was my concept and it pleases me. And in the end, that's all I really need.

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