prof pic

My profile picture was taken over winter break with a good friend of mine. The picture was taken using the camera on the computer, which implies that it was taken for fun. More serious pictures are generally taken by someone better able to capture their objects at good angles. The lighting is also extremely unfortunate and we both are obviously cheesing pretty hard. We are both dressed in clothes made for lounging and are sitting on a bed. If anything, the message being conveyed in this picture is that two dopey girls are bored out of their minds but looking for something to do.

My friend, Dani, is smiling with her teeth showing and her eyes slightly squinted. By her facial expression, you can automatically tell she loves to take pictures and is comfortable when taking pictures randomly and with no prior beautification done beforehand. My face, on the other hand, is less amused. My mouth is formed into a reserved half smile and the rest of my face is without expression. This is because I was forced into a frenzy of awful pictures taken in my room without an aforementioned warning.  I was also holding a phone in the picture, showing that my full attention was not in taking these pictures.

If such a picture was taken at such an inconvenient time, and without the enthusiasm expected to be present at the taking of a future profile picture, why actually make it public for all to see? The real meaning behind the profile picture is that the girl beside me is one of my best friends and goes to college in Oregon. As awful this picture is, it is one of the only ones we have together and I want to be shown with one of the people I care most about. Profile pictures, in my opinion, should not be the best pictures you have of yourself, but one that means the most to you.