Pose, and Awe

Stiff back, straight gaze, and a pose — replacing cool for awe in photographs. And our lives.

My office’s star attraction is a naval warship. In the lobby of the circular building — which sometimes cab drivers refer to as the “pineapple building” — lies HMS Trincomalee. A 1065-tonne sailing ship built in 1817 for the Royal Navy. A brass plate will tell you that the original warship (“the world’s second oldest”) is in the UK and what you see is actually a scaled-down replica. But for the hordes of people posing with it every day, this is a matter of technicality. For them, the warship is the star.

Unlike this newsletter, which is more interested in the people.

Specifically, their poses. Every time I find myself in the lobby, I see all possible kinds of photos being taken. A father nudging his two sons to stand in front of the ship. A couple clicking a selfie. A group of three sisters (or maybe friends?) asking a bystander to take a photo. (I usually oblige.) But what is similar in all their poses is a formality —stiff back, a quick straightening of the crease, rare smiles, straight gaze. A sense that this is a momentous thing to remember. An Occasion. A Memory. Title capitalisation fully intended.

That pose fascinates me. Because it’s the specific pose that you always see in old family photographs taken in colourful studios which have slowly disappeared the more cameras have become a convenience rather than a privilege.

But more importantly, I think, because it’s a pose that’s a reminder of the declining visibility of awe — in photography, and I would argue, in our lives.

First, a little more context — my office is located in a building which is a “tourist attraction.” There is an exhibition space in the building, a performance space right opposite, and a planetarium for children nearby. If the “Mumbai darshan” cabs outside my office are to be believed, then my office is a part of a “circuit” for tourists. So, I assume most of the people posing in front of the warship are out-of-towners. I think this context is important because much of the pose can be attributed to the awe one feels in a new, and exciting place — in this case, Mumbai.

Unlike me, for the people in that office lobby, Mumbai is new. I’ve been now living in Mumbai for the last seven months now. I’ve also lived in the city as a student. Which means, I now walk the city like I live in it — past the incredible buildings, the sea, the markets — with the weary cynicism of a “local.” But when I first arrived here some years ago, I was that awed young person posing in front of Mannat, Gateway of India, and the sea. (In that order.) Same pose —straight back, detailed instructions to whoever is clicking to “take everything haan!” and a formality because this was a photo I would take back as a “memento” of my trip.

This style of photography is not considered cool, though. Scroll through Instagram, and the implication is clear — you don’t want to openly display your awe, you want to carefully frame it. Sincerity is out, carefree is in. Make yourself the focus, not the backdrop. Even professional photographers will encourage you to frame people in motion — capture a fluid moment in time, don’t stop life for A Photo.

Admittedly though, when it comes to poses, I am a fairly uncool person. And I would argue, all of us are sometimes.

In a way, we all have our own naval warships. A sight of such incredible beauty that you drop all your carefully cultivated cool and ask someone to take a photo of you because you want to remember this moment forever. You probably want it for the ‘gram, your parents might’ve wanted it for a family photo album. The medium changes, the principle remains the same.

I think it’s a reassuring thing. That however old you get, or rich, or — god forbid — cool, that there still is something that can compel you to be a little less jaded. A little less cynical.

And a little bit more in awe.

In writing this essay, I tried to think of the last time I posed in all sincere glory. This was also the only way I could include a photo in the essay without paying a bomb for stock images of tourists posing in Mumbai. So here it is — me, on a solo trip in Berlin in 2016 where I asked a member of the walking group I was a part of to take this photo. (I told you I am uncool, ya. And yes, I was freezing.)

That’s it from me this week! I will write again soon — with a Links I’ve Read section. (I am sadly not reading as much as I would have liked.) Till then, as always, please share the newsletter if you liked it, or ask your friends (especially the ones that trouble you for a photo) to subscribe. Also, I would love to hear your stories on the last time you went for sincere pose - just hit reply!