Remember when you got dressed to the nines and went along to Studios like X’OR, Browns, or Manila Portraits to pose for ‘the’ life defining photograph? Although the studios still exist, they are now left for high end commercial photography.
Kodakan, a favourite Filipino pastime, is a term long gone as it is now a world of “di-jay-tal” and I would have no doubt that Filipinos have now deposed the Japanese as the top photo lovers. Technology has taken us from the large cameras to those mini Minoltas and now the capability of taking a photos is right in our own hands. Mobile phones, ipads are now used more as a camera, rather than what it was originally intended for. We can now capture every wink, every smile of any moment. And with the existence of facebook, everyone is an instant celebrity. Everybody is armed and ready to shoot!
It has been quite amusing to watch and observe how Filipinos have taken a photo shoot to a whole new level. Throw in a title holder or a celebrity into the equation and the viewfinder takes on a whole new meaning. People’s behavior can even turn bizarre. If you have bad eyesight, you would think they were simply raising their hands wanting to speak. But really, they’ve got their phone cameras up in the air, hoping to take a shot of something – anything – even a selfie. Some of these creatures even lose all sense of conversation and all you’ll hear are gasps of resounding echoes of two or three syllable words….”picture, picture”, “ako rin, ako rin”, or “ isa pa, isa pa”.
Of course the emergence of benevolent, snap-happy souls like Jade Cadelina, Daryl O’Brien, and the BerNikz team of Bernadette Manthey and Nikki Lagrito who have simply fed the photosensitive appetite of the community and have patiently obliged and indulged clamoring crowds. While the ultimate goal is the same, to have that photo taken, it is interesting to know that people adopt different approaches. There are the dashers, the wigglers, the pushers and the flashers.
First, there are the dashers. A flash of light from a distance can throw dashers into a frenzy. They will rush from the far end corner of the room, like the bulls of Pamplona for that photo opportunity. What sometimes starts as photo intended with two or three people turns out to be a class picture and you wonder days after, how they all got to sneak in the photo. A token of the moment has turned into a photo spread!
Then, we have the wigglers who are the most interesting to watch as they literally wiggle their way into a scene. Lacking in confidence but wanting their photos nonetheless, they resort to covert tactics which a trained eye can easily detect. They survey the surrounds with their eyes looking upwards and sideways, pacing slowly and circling the subjects inconspicuously, ready to squat on vacant seats at VIP tables. A hello turns into an all night stand as they no longer will move from their preferred spot. With them, it’s like the game ‘Trip to Jerusalem’ aiming for the much desired seat right next to the title holder. They are ready to go for the kill when the camera is in position or when the music stops.
Other wigglers have anchoring techniques to ensure their spot. They pretend to be roving with their own camera and are quick to sneak in for the all important pose. They extend or wave their arms as if almost touching but not really touching the other person’s garment, or put their foot, leg or bag within obstructing distance. That’s an invisible barricade which prevents anyone from getting close to the sphere of influence. And as soon as the camera is aimed…presto, quick as a flash, they’ve got the prime spot. I watched one do the wiggle only to ask at the end, “Sino nga, siya?” (Who are they?) All that mattered was that they were in the frame.
Then, there are the pushers who do exactly that – push! And they want to be right smack in the center, the spot/seat right next to the title-holder. They never aim for the sidelines and you can see their sigh of relief and smug look when they get it. Like Moses who divided the Red sea, they will push their way in, and yep, divide and conquer. With the false notion that they deserve the seat more than you do, they even have the audacity to tell you to move it with one word: “Urong!” And if by chance, they get that seat before anyone does, because they pre-planned it, you’ll need a crane to move them out.
And lastly, there are the flashers who are totally unfazed with what’s going on around them. They are most visible functions and are annoyingly distracting at concerts. They are not to be confused with the wigglers, as they are thicker skinned and usually work with a partner. Flashers are masters at photo bumming, which is of course getting into the frame with celebrities or dignitaries. They will stand behind people eating at a table, in front of the stage, and will get their partner in crime to snap the photo to capture the moment with them in it.
So next time, you find one of those cameras staring at you, think again, they may be only taking a selfie (their own photo) after all. But smile anyway!
