Stephen
Leacock is a modern English prose writer.
He has written many prose pieces.
All his prose pieces are known for their subtle humour. They talk about real life situation. With The Photographer is a short prose
that describes the Leacock’s experience with a photographer. Leacock, as is the regular case, gets a
bitter experience.
Leacock goes to a
photographer to get himself photographed.
He waits for an hour and he is called into the inner room. The photographer is a grave man. The photographer is not satisfied with the
Leacock’s face. He says that Leacock
looks ugly. He then concludes that he
would shoot three quarter view of Leacock.
Leacock acknowledges this and starts reasoning about the decision but
the photographer do not respond or care for what Leacock is talking.
The photographer
hides himself behind the camera and comes out of it. He comes close to Leacock. Leacock thinks that the photographer is going
to kiss him but he turns Leacock’s face that would be good for a pose. The photographer gives a series of
instructions like close mouth, droop ears, roll eyes, turn face, expand lungs,
etc., to Leacock. Leacock is confused
and he is frightened. Leacock becomes
impatient, he scolds the photographer, and the photographer clicks a shot. Leacock is shocked.
The photographer
asks Leacock to check the proof on Saturday and the photograph would be
delivered by Sunday. On Saturday Leacock
is further shocked on seeing the proof.
The photographer says that he has edited the eyebrows and the
mouth. He also plans to edit his
ears. Leacock shouts at the photographer
asking for a photograph that would resemble him. He says that he loves his original face than
the altered one. He leaves the photo
studio with tears.
