Gone are the days of a fun and casual holiday click or a candid shot of oneself smiling as a profile picture. People are now pooling their money and resources into getting the best click of themselves to then share with the public as their profile picture or DP! First impressions are lasting impressions and that might be the reason for this quickly growing trend amongst the social media youth.
“It never starts out directly with a request. I usually get called for a “portfolio shoot” which then turns into a shoot for profile pictures. This one time I got called by a guy for a photo shoot that ended up being for his Tinder profile,” shares Neeta Shankar, professional Bengaluru-based photographer. With Tinder being a dating app, the “I want to look my best” scenario is still understandable. But the trend doesn’t just apply to these dating websites. Users of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook too, are also employing these methods, in order to offer the most perfect version of themselves to their online communities.
“I used to take pictures for school events and things like that and soon, people were asking me if I could “make them look pretty”. I got called on a couple of times to take photos of people for people’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. They were willing to pay too,” reveals Anisha Rego, a student of St. Joseph’s College and an ardent photographer.
“The reason I started getting these pictures clicked is to help a friend out with his photography page. The ones I liked, I used as my DPs. I think posing is an actual talent and getting my picture clicked professionally, showcases that talent. I just love posing! And these pictures make people aware of a different side of you that they otherwise wouldn’t know,” reveals Kamakshi Kamath, a 22 year old copywriter and a seasoned participant of photo shoots.
The general opinion is that that the trend allows for a “feel good” factor that comes with looking good as well as the attention it attracts from the various members of our online fraternity. And though there may be valid reasons for the trend catching on, does it contribute to the growing problem of the need for social media validation?
“To be liked is basic human motivation, but there is a fine line between the desire for a good self-worth and an addiction to it. This line gets blurred with social media because everyone is forming an opinion of self based on the opinions of others and their likes and comments. This dependence on a reality that is basically non-existent is dangerous,” opines Dr. Divya Kumawat, Consultant Counselling Psychologist at Narayana Health City. With everyone aiming for perfection, are our real selves in danger?
- Ahalya Narayanan
