The Do-It-Yourself-Double-Self-Portrait Problem

There is an uncanny phenomena which occurs when one is doing self-portraiture with another. Gone unnoticed by most, it is my observation that said such activity results in one photographee reveling in the spotlight to the detriment of the partner. I define this activity as picture pushing. Please note a visual of this phenomena below:

Case in point. Girlfriend is enjoying the spotlight a wee bit too much. However, not one to be of a shy disposition, she demands more:

Yep. There it was. The picture push. In my studies of the subject, I've found that the picture push usually follows the first failed attempt to obtain a priceless and foolproof photo from the camera. When attempt number one [two, three, and four, while producing peals of laughter and occassional (ahem) wet pants] goes down the drain, the dominant photographee pushes his or her way into the spotlight even more aggressively!

Need proof? Here's more:

A pleasantly quaint Double Self-Portrait, which might have been a keeper, had Photographee #1 not flattened Photographee #2's hair against her head.

A retake was in order.

In this picture, note the sudden agressiveness of Photographee #1 to take the spotlight:

There! There it was! The picture push! I'm telling you, it's an epidemic!

Further into my research, I found that the education of Picture Pushers begins at an early age. Note my clandestine capture of the brainwashing of one such minature individual:

The earlier the Picture Pushers prosthelytize, the better. . . Once in awhile, however, a bona-fide Picture Pusher will find herself in the company of one who hasn't been trained in the art.

Again, my clandestine picture taking manuevers were at work. Here, I captured the indoctrination of an elder:

"Are you ready, Grandpa? This is tricky. You'll have to pay close attention!"

"MMmmm, almost . . . but you've still got to master a bit of technique yet. Your form will improve as you practice. By the way . . .that's a great hug!"

"Ah, what the heck . . .I don't mind sharing the spotlight with you . . ."

Hmm. It would appear that picture pushing has just met its' match. :)