Stuck with it for five years.

I needed to get my picture taken because I have to get a new ID card this week. In my opinion there is nothing worse then having your picture taken. Okay, there are things, far worse, but I can't help it, I really, really hate the whole process because I always, okay not always, end up with stupid and awful pictures.

Saturday I was feeling quite optimistic though. I had a good hair day, my skin looked at its best, the sun was shining and the birds were singing, so what could go wrong on such a beautiful day. I jumped on my bike and went to the photo shop. Unfortunately they don’t allow photo booth photos on official document here. Before entering the shop I checked my hair and face and I was feeling very confident about the whole experience. Saturday was going to be a good day for a picture.

I entered the shop and went straight for the counter and said that I needed some pictures for my new ID card. A very bored looking guy asked me to follow him and we went into a little, non inspiring, room with a digital camera, a stool and a screen. While I was sitting down, the guy gave me instructions like “Back straight, shoulders back, look straight at the camera”. I just sat down and started to ask him something when I heard a click. Me: ‘you didn’t take the photo already now, did you?’ He: ‘Yes, it is on the screen now’. And indeed, my face was shown on the screen. Eyes almost closed, mouth open! Foh! Me: ‘You can take another one now surely?’ He: ‘Oh, you don’t like this one? Well, I take another’. Take two came by surprise too……result eyes completely closed. Still hopeful I said to myself: Third times a charm! I inhaled, exhaled……click! Damn……horrified I looked at the screen! There I was, with puffy cheeks. This wasn’t happening…… not today! But of course it was and the guy suggested that I should keep this one; at least my eyes were open! Me: ‘You’ve got to be kidding, right?’ But he wasn’t! I persuaded him to give it another try and he did. Result? Again terrible!! The lighting: really bad, my skin tone: much darker then I actually am, it looks like I have cheekbone implants, my eyes have a strange, somewhat annoyed, expression and my mouth ….. well, I actually can’t find words for the look. I was so fed up with the whole experience that I, in a momentary lapse of reason, agreed to these pictures. I paid my € 7.95 and left the shop with my photos, which I actually almost forgot.

I have looked at the photos a couple of times and I still think they are hideous and I am not even sure if they (municipal officials) are going to accept these dark pictures. If they don’t accept these I have to go through the whole ordeal again and if they do I’m stuck with this picture for five years. I am still not quite sure which is worse :)