The day I took photos for note, my back felt itchy

An image of a woman taking a photo at a World Cup venue appeared in my feed.

She is wearing a Japan national team jersey, with the venue behind her, facing toward the camera. I cannot tell if it is a selfie or if someone else is taking it for her.

After that, an image mocking her even appeared.

I thought, this is no laughing matter.

There are articles on note that include photos.
Was that photo taken for the purpose of writing a note?
Or did the note happen to exist beyond the photo that was taken?

I have previously taken photos with the intention of posting them on note and written articles for them.

That felt a little unsettling.

It is not that the photo itself is unsettling.
It was unsettling because I saw myself taking the photo from a slight distance.

Holding up a smartphone.
Looking for an angle.
Checking the light.
Planning to use this for an article.

Each of those actions suddenly became visible.

Ugh, I thought.

I still have that photo posted even now.
But every time I look back at it, before I see what is in the photo, I see the back of myself taking it.

That back feels itchy.

The same thing happens when I read articles with photos.

It is a good photo.
It is a good piece of writing.

But behind it, someone is holding a smartphone.
Bending over slightly, looking for an angle, checking the light, and probably retaking it a few times.

The moment that image comes to mind, what was beautiful becomes a bit of a comedy sketch.

Of course, since it is creative work, that must be part of the creation as well.
Both photos and writing are crafted a little more the moment they are chosen.

However, there are moments when that artifice is suddenly revealed.
Like a thin layer of skin peeling away, there are moments when it is suddenly visible.

If so, wouldn't it be better to just photograph that as well?

Photographing someone taking a picture of a shortcake.
Photographing someone who is photographing that person.
Photographing again from even further outside that.

A photo of a photo shoot.
A photo of someone photographing a photo shoot.
A photo of someone photographing someone who is photographing a photo shoot.

Once you get to this point, you no longer know what you are photographing.

Is it the shortcake?
Is it the person taking the picture of it?
Is it the person laughing at that scene?
Is it myself, who is trying to turn this into an article again?

Probably, it is all of them.

A photo does not just capture the subject.
The self-consciousness of the person who tried to take it is also inadvertently captured.

The day I took photos for note, my back felt itchy.

But, perhaps, even that itchiness was captured.