So I went to get some passport-sized photos made the other day from the Kodak store here in Maadi. I needed them for a couple of membership cards, so I piled my hair on top of my head, put on my favorite lipstick, and smiled big for the camera. When he gave me the photos (and a framed 5 x 7 of the photo, just in case [I said no to that one and left it, which, in hindsight, I regret. That could have been someone's stellar stocking-stuffer for Christmas.]), I thought I looked, well, strange. I couldn't quite put on my finger on it, but the girl in the photo only sort of looked like me. Oh, well, I thought. It's just for some membership cards. No biggie.
The next day, I was at Becky's house, and noticed a framed photo that looked much like the one the Kodak shop had tried to give to me (except with a different face in it, of course) and I asked her if it was the same. She said it was a joke between her friend and her and they gave them to each other whenever they got passport photos made, but that her friend was actually much cuter than the photo but they airbrushed her freckles away (holy run-on sentence, Batman!). That's it, I realized! They took my freckles away, too. I pulled out the photos and upon inspection, Becky and I realized they also curved my pointy chin. With a round chin and no freckles, no wonder the photo didn't look like me. I looked like some other, plainer version of me. I quite like my freckly face and pointy chin, and it was odd that someone would feel the need to airbrush those features away. Like Owen Wilson's nose, the features they airbrushed away are what make me me. My signature features.
Becky told me they airbrush the student photos here as well. Got whiskers? They make them go away. Crooked nose? They straighten it. Crazy hair? They tame it. All of those slight imperfections that make us unique are gone in an instant. Interesting statement on society, huh? But here's my take: give me back my freckles, Kodak man! I am a fan of them. And pointy chins are sexy, so don't curve one just because you can. I worked hard to fully embrace what I look like, so I won't quietly let someone change me. Not even in a photo. Next time, I say no airbrushing or no deal. :)
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