Another Beef – Anguished Models

There was once a time when you saw products, especially clothing, advertised in totally positive ways. The models looked happy to be wearing what they had on. Happy to be where they were. Happy to be doing what they were doing. After all, they were trying to persuade you to buy their products so you could be happy, too.

1966 Botany 500 Ad (From Google Images)

I don’t photograph people…well, I do, but I’m no good at it. Friends say things like, “You take such nice pictures. Would you do my wedding?” My reply is usually something like, “Do you see any people in my pictures?” and then I agree to shoot the wedding and, instead of celebrating the marriage and partying, I’m working and trying hard not to screw things up.

But I digress. Of course people are fascinating subjects to photograph. News events, sports, street imagery, children, anything conveying emotion and activity, figure studies…all are established and essential areas of photographic pursuits. It’s just modern advertising that I don’t understand.

Taken at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris (9 October 2015)

“I’m so very bored. Why am I here? 

Can I look less interested?

This is certainly not a well-researched polemic. I don’t read fashion mags. I don’t know anyone in the business. Maybe if I were exposed to more of it, I would understand why everyone looks so uncomfortable. This was further brought home when we traveled through Europe where fashion is really a big deal.

I remember the controversial fashion look that peaked in the 90’s. In an apparent reaction to the healthy, happy looks of beauties like Cindy Crawford and Christy Brinkley, the wizards of fashion photography promoted the sad, emaciated, pale “heroin chic” look. If anything made me want to run out and buy something, it was a look that said, “Take me to the emergency room.”

Really?

Taken at Malpensa Airport, Milan (20 February 2018)

“Doc, can you tell me when you’re finished

lancing that boil on my ass?

They don’t pay me enough to do this.”

It’s OK to smile. It’s friendly. It’s encouraging. It’s welcoming.
What a concept.