MAKING THE HOLE DISAPPEAR

Most of us have a history of hiding from photos of ourselves - and not just those produced by photographers working for school yearbooks or the BMV. 

We demand veto rights over the photos that others post of us on social media. 

A camera can bring some deep insecurities to the surface.

So as I have taken pictures over the past week, I have tried to ask permission.

(I am not against occasionally sneaking a shot to get something un-posed.)

Ghanaians have been pretty laid back when I have asked to take their pictures. 

Today, though, after our final group meeting, I unintentionally produced a sad experience with my camera. 

A little boy in a Dora shirt showed some curiosity about me and we tried to communicate, but we had no words in common.  

So I pulled out the phone and started showing him his own image on the screen. He thought it was pretty cool.

Then we started to draw a crowd of other boys. The one in the red and white checkered shirt was a real camera hog! 

I would take a photo and then show them the screen and we would zoom in on various faces. And then take another photo. 

And then a little boy in white showed up and got in on the act. Here he is on the right, giving me the side eye. 

So then I took this next picture and showed it to all of them. 

And what a smile that kid in white had:

And here comes the sad part. When I zoomed in, he didn't see the beauty of his own smile. You know what he saw?

You can tell from the next photos.

The hole in his shirt has "disappeared". 

But so did his smile. 

Is it just me or is there something deeply heartbreaking about that ...