hong kong id - take 3

the past few years of too much celebrity watching and looking at my sis's party photos has led me to develop my own, initially deliberate, but now mostly unconscious way of posing for pics. this became quite apparent yesterday as i was getting my picture taken for my hk id. because my face is round and wide (according to mags, the least adaptable face shape of all) i've learned to angle it just so to get the most slimming effect while still displaying a clear view of all facial features. so as i sat there on the rounded swivel seat, under the harsh and not very forgiving flourescent lights i went unknowingly into a toned-down version of this pose - obviously, to eek out as much attractiveness as you can possibly get from a govt. id photo. in my mind's eye i was sitting perfectly straight up, looking perfectly straight at the camera. but apparently that is not what the lady saw on the computer screen. she kept trying to nudge me this way and that, telling me to look here, move my head there. she resorted to using hand gestures, much like the way you direct a baby or an animal during a photo shoot. i was surprised. when she told me to move my head 2 degrees to the left, i actually said, "really?" because when i did, i felt slightly unbalanced, 2 degrees off. i quickly stole a glance on the screen, and she was right. only then was i straight. huh. after three clicks of the camera, she finally got a usable picture. though, knowing i was being shot so straight on made me feel vulnerable and flat. and round. and the fact that she made me part my bangs to the side so that they wouldn't obsctruct my eyes just made it worse. i look like a mother of 3 who's just moved to hk from china. or maybe the phillipines. but when she showed me the final take, and asked me if i was happy with it. i very nonchalantly said, oh, yeah, sure. i didn't want her to think i cared too much.

perhaps i will post that photo later today depending on my mood...