This story by Stephen Leacock makes use of irony and hyperbole to satirize artistic arrogance. A man who visits a professional photographer to have a portrait taken is humiliated during his sitting. The photographer not only criticizes every aspect of his facial features, but also insists on a number of different posture changes to hide what he considers flaws. Later, when the man views the developed product, his face has been so artificially altered as to be unrecognizable. Other themes include appearance and the disconnect between self-perception and the way others see us, insecurity, body shaming, humiliation, anger and frustration.
With the Photographer Full Text / PDF (1,200 words)