[SSG nudge Leadership] Taking Photos! One, Two, ..., Six, Seven...

-Finding the Lost Smile

During the recent Lunar New Year holiday, I climbed Cheonggyesan Mountain. At the summit, many people were gathered in small groups, taking photos. Young women who looked like college students handed me their smartphones and asked me to take their pictures. After taking a group photo with masks on, I offered to take individual shots, and they happily posed. Since there was a distance of about 3 to 4 meters and they were alone, I told them to remove their masks for the photo, but their expressions were very awkward. It was obvious that if I counted “one, two, three” and took the picture, their expressions would stiffen even more. So I said, “Okay, I’m taking the picture. One, two, three, ..., five, six, seven, eight...” which made people around laugh, and the subjects themselves smiled. That’s when I pressed the shutter.

It seems that Koreans have become accustomed to stiffening up when taking photos. Even bright and cheerful expressions freeze into formal poses as soon as a camera is pointed at them. It’s a kind of stage fright. Saying “Kimchi, cheese, smile” doesn’t help. At least when the photographer has wit and humor, it’s somewhat better. I often think it would be nice to capture photos with natural expressions, more smiles, or even hearty laughter.

Especially nowadays, with COVID-19, there’s hardly any reason to smile, and when two or more people stand together, they must wear masks. Over the past year, we have taken many strange photos where faces are barely visible. Wedding celebration photos, graduation photos, commemorative photos for various beginnings and endings... However, someday we will stand together in front of the camera again with natural expressions. When that day comes, let’s create an atmosphere where the person taking the photo can have a natural and bright expression. One principle of humor is that laughter comes when something unexpected happens while someone is tense. So let’s try two methods to take photos “quickly.”

“Okay. I’m taking the picture. One, (click), taken.” Count only one and take the photo during the preparation. Then people get flustered and say something. Then you say you’ll take it again.

“Okay. I’m taking the picture. One, two, three, four, … five, six.” When you get to this point, everyone has a bewildered expression and says something. Just when they least expect it, you take the photo “quickly.” Then say, “Smile,” and take another shot.

This was a method I came up with when I enjoyed taking photos with a camera during my college days. The naturalness that appears before or after saying “three” helps release tension. The photos taken at that moment show smiling, bright expressions. Sometimes I even counted up to twelve or thirteen times.

After taking photos this way and handing the camera back, when I say, “Did it turn out well? Naturally,” they quickly check and always say, “Thank you.” I could hear laughter and conversations among their friends behind them. The steps down the mountain became lighter.

The Seoul and Busan mayoral elections are just around the corner. It may seem a bit out of place, but I wonder if there is a candidate who can gift voters and citizens with laughter and ease. The people have become worn out in many ways. I want to cast my vote for a candidate who has the composure to create laughter. It may sound trivial, but suddenly the wisdom of British Prime Minister Churchill’s humor and wit comes to mind.

Churchill stumbled and fell while stepping onto the podium to give a speech. The audience laughed at this. How embarrassed he must have been! It could have been interpreted as a sign of weakness. Composing himself and standing at the podium, Churchill took the microphone and said,

“If I can make the people laugh by falling, I will fall again!”

How witty, composed, and humorous is that? The idea that he could fall again as many times as needed to bring laughter and win the hearts of the people is truly enviable. This story carries a sense of solemnity amid the grave circumstances of World War II. Although I spoke about politics, in reality, all of us are weak in humor and laughter. In that sense, I hope this year I can be the one to gift laughter with small words like these.

Park Chang-wook, CEO of Korea Knowledge Leader Association (Secretary General of Daewoo World Management Research Association)

◆ What is 'Nudge Leadership'?

- 'Nudge Leadership' is about leading change in organizations or individuals through small and gentle interventions or motivation rather than coercive or directive methods. It also involves improving human relationships through small personal changes and transforming oneself into someone others want to follow. Ultimately, it breathes creativity and passion into organizations or relationships, creating new value and happiness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.