Patel Shot

Patel Shot n. a candid photograph with a person in the foreground and a place or object of interest (such as a tourist destination or landmark) in the background. (Src: Double-tongued Dictionary)

In India, with international travel booming in the IT industry which employs almost 40% of the eligible educated bachelors, 'Patel shots' are the in-thing for quite sometime now. I am not sure if it is by choice or chance, 90% of such IT world groom-to-be snaps that are exchanged happen to be shot abroad in a well known tourist spot!

It is not the same with the opposite sex though. Bride-to-be pictures are usually shot at home, studio with a plain background in ethnic wear. Women travel abroad too, but the pics in western outfits in tourist spots are not preferred.

What is the psychology behind a 'patel shot'?

1. Implicit advertising - if your daughter marries my son, she will get to travel to these spots

2. The guy/his family thinks, foreground object looks all the more attractive, when the background is attractive

3. Even if the prospective bride is not impressed by the guy, she might be impressed by the location and say 'mmm' approvingly

4. It acts as an ISI(Internationally Salaried Indian) mark, which increases the guy's value

5. Assume if the prospective bride gets pics from 2 similar alliances, one shot in India and the other abroad, she is more likely to choose the foreign one

Heights of Patel shots:

1. Mr.X in front of Eiffel tower or a tall structure, and the photographer would have tried to cover the entire structure with X as a miniature.

2. Mr.X with shades and a cap standing in Brooklyn Bridge or near Niagara - wonder if they are attempts to hide the squint and bald head

3. Mr.X standing with a group(usually 4 or 5) of eerie looking friends (all guys though!) next to a Toyota, Ford, Chevy(rented from Avis, Budget).

4.Mr.X standing close to a railing with hands stretched out on the railing and right foot crossed in front of the left foot(ishtyle!!!) and glaring into the camera with side grin

5. Mr.X with a leather jacket, woodland shoes/boots, hands inside the jacket pocket, standing(shivering?!!) in snow covered area.

6. Mr.X standing amidst the colorful trees and leaves of autumn.. Could that be to morph into Maddy in 'Pachai nirame' song?

Wonder how guys/their parents will react to such pics from the prospective brides!