Someone Says This Monkey Looks Like Every Journalist’s Headshot, Journalists Confirm It

Nasty commenters, nailing down sources and trying to find the perfect nut graf – there are common experiences that unite all journalists but a picture is worth a thousand words and this viral photo of a monkey captured those experiences in a single headshot. Twitter user @RuchoSharma tweeted an image of a monkey striking a remarkably familiar pose for all journalists – especially those in print- with the caption “this is every journalist headshot” and it hit a little too close to home. The tweet sparked an entire thread of responses from writers across the internet and when you see the photo you will understand why.

This photo of a monkey has gone viral among journalists online

Image credits: RuchoSharma

Staff writer for i newspaper, Ruchira Sharma recently tweeted out this hilarious satire photo of a monkey comparing it to every journalist’s headshot – and understandably journalists everywhere couldn’t deny it. The tweet spawned a thread of responses from writers sharing side-by-side images of their headshots next to the dapper monkey and the similarities are spot on down to the head tilts and slight smirk.

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The first photograph was made in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce whose research was continued by his business partner Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. He invented the first practical process of photography known as daguerreotype. In 1841 Richard Beard opened the first daguerreotype studio, and it spread like wildfire. 100,000 daguerreotype portraits were taken in 1849 in Paris. This new form of photography made portraits accessible to those outside the very rich. If you look in historic portraits you will notice that even back then people followed this popular pose trend.

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The earliest portraits bare a striking resemblance to the headshots you see today, with subjects seated against a plain backdrop, aided by some natural light. Portraits rapidly gained their place in print media, not for the reporters themselves, but so readers could see the faces of politicians, entertainers, and other pop culture figures.

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So what’s up with the body tilt anyway? Photographers are encouraged to make their subjects look as comfortable as possible during photo-shoots and when it comes to portrait photography this can be difficult. Taking a picture of someone head-on can look awkward, which is why they suggest the 45 degree angle which is not only more “natural” looking but more flattering. Well, this technique is so widely used the result is a flood of journalists all looking the same.