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20 {bvwnews.com
spotlight opinion
Old traditions are disrupted on picture day
H
Smil s r e Senio
aving formal pictures taken throughout senior year can actually be me I probably shouldn’t wear the glasses in my photo. I respect exhausting, there are only so many times that I can be forced into a adults, but assumed he was only suggesting it because it would make my formal picture session before I really just don’t care anymore. So picture look strange, which was the very point of my beautiful orange after taking senior pictures and going through a very uncomfortable glasses. So I simply moved along in line with my glasses attached senior portrait session, the picture fiasco of senior year seemed to finally be over. firmly and proudly to my face. Then regular old picture day rolled around. The picture taken on the official picture As I went to sit down to take the picture that I had happily imagined on my ID day is not put in the yearbook; my card since I was a freshman, the man apparents will not purchase it after proached me again and told me they would not they have spent a decent amount of allow me to wear my glasses in the picture and money on pictures already, so I only that if I did not take the glasses off he would be planned to see the school picture on forced to call Mr. Bruto. Since I had yet to have my student ID card. the pleasure of meeting Mr. Bruto, and did not Since this picture seems to be so want to meet him in that circumstance, I reluctrivial, many seniors over the years tantly have started a sort of tradition on complied. He let me go and take my lame, picture day. Many people do their rather normal looking picture. hair crazy, wear weird clothes, or As I sat down I could tell the photograadd a strange accessory. Then to pher was not a huge fan of me give when he said “sit down and smile normal.” I the picture a final touch, many will smiled for the photographer, and he even told give the camera a crazy smile or me to “stop the cheesy smile,” when I had actuwild look. It is a strange tradition ally been trying not to frown in disappointment indeed, but it’s just one more from the horrible experience. It was once again, fun thing to do to enhance senior an uncomfortable experience. year. What I don’t understand is why I was not This year was a little different for allowed to look however I wanted, as long as seniors compared to the past. I didn’t break the dress code. I was not unrecRolland Studios tried their hardest ognizable for my ID shot. I didn’t do anything to stop seniors from “ruining” wrong. I broke no rule. The administration their school picture. They were not did not give the seniors any guidelines for takintentionally trying to take away ing these pictures. The obvious rules applied our fun (although they did) but - follow the dress code, and don’t flip off the were merely trying to make more camera. None of us did anything wrong, money. but we were treated rudely. The studio believed that if we took I apologize if the picture man thought I did a classically beautiful not look pretty, but he should not have made or handsome picture that our paranyone take off or change anything about thements would see the prints and decide selves, as long as it was appropriate. Rolland MICHELLE BROX Studios was just trying to make more money off of us, which is underto buy the picture, even though there are so many other “senior pictures” taken of each and every one of us. So Rolland Studios made standable because they are a business, but seniors had already purchased Editor in Chief sure seniors, and only seniors, did not wear anything obnoxious, or senior portraits from Rolland Studios so we were not taking away from make extremely weird faces. A couple seniors managed to sneak a strange look at the their profits. On top of it all, there is no way that they knew my mom didn’t want a camera right as the picture man made them say “cheese,” but most were not so lucky. picture of me with orange glasses - she would probably order that picture before she The cameramen harassed seniors if they tried to do an thing out of an ordinary smile, order just another ordinary picture of me. It all comes down to the fact that I have the and many people were told to “look normal” while taking their pictures. right to look however I see fit in my school picture as long as it is appropriate. And I I had high pigtails for my hairdo and an awesome orange pair of hope Rolland Studios will treat future senior classes more kindly than the 2012 class glasses. While I was waiting in line, a man from Rolland studios told was treated.
Supreme Studios Featured in photos from left to right: Clair Steinbron, Abby Burger, Amy Stumpf
theRYEstudio Thrive Creative Studio Photography pinkberry photography (913) 317-8682 (913) 526-9991 (913) 271-9909 www.theryestudio.com www.pinkberryphoto.com www. thriveseniors.com