March 2nd: A picture is worth a thousand laughs

I stumbled upon some photos taken over a decade ago for an album project I was working on with John Batdorf.   Some of the shots are HILARIOUS!!  It was in LA and I remember having lost about 10 pounds before the photo session and was feeling kind of hip and happening. Today as I looked at the proof sheet I giggled at my lame attempts to look “hot” .  I could hear the photographer trying to coax from me a certain expression.

“All right Michael, let’s get some rock star shots.   Give me that hey, baby, what’s happening look.  No…Not that one.  You look constipated.  Try something more alluring.   You’re married, right?  Imagine the camera is your wife and you’re giving her THE LOOK.  You know what I’m talking about.  The LOOK of LOVE!!!”

I did my best.   A long pause from the photographer.  Then, in frustration she asked: “You DO have children, don’t you?”

My answer was simple. “Apparently ‘My  Look’ was never that important to my wife”.

I’m not absolutely certain, but I think I remember hearing her saying something like, “Duh?”

So, today I found a moment of surprising glee with a memory of failing to look cool for a hot shot LA photographer.   I subsequently found my way to the mirror in the bathroom and checked to see if I’d made any improvements in my “come hither” looks.  I guess not.   Lynne saw me making faces in the mirror and asked if I was constipated.