Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Drew345]

I've noticed that when taking photos with a group of friends, everyone will bend over at the moment the picture is taken. Has anyone else noticed this before?
I study Korean, and we we take our class photo, usually the photographer counts one, two... and then everyone else but me bends over to about 3/4 their height just before the picture is taken. Since this is language class, usually the other students are Asian girls, but I really have no idea if this is an Asian thing, girl thing, or just something I never noticed before coming to Korea.
The other night on Namsan we were taking a group photo and then the bending over started. Everyone tried to bend over more that the others until we were all actually sitting/kneeling on the ground for no apparent reason at all.
Have others noticed this? Did we do that in America and I just missed it?

[yodanole]

I've noticed that also. I imagine that it is an attempt at obsequiousness.
Some Korean kids (or adults ) don't really like being photographed.

It is only interesting if the photo is being taken from behind.

[jvalmer]

To hide their fat?

[Gorf]

It's the mindset of togetherness, they think that the closer they all gravitate towards the same 1-dimensional point in space, the better people and closer friends they are.

[sml7285]

[Drew345]

That's it!
Thanks so much. I did an image search for "sorority squat" and there were great examples.
Just seeing that there is a name for this helps me know I am not imagining things or losing my mind.
I guess it has nothing to do with Asia. I just was never in pictures with large groups of girls until studying Korean.
Thanks,

[minos]

I was a semi-pro event photographer formerly in Korea...

Honestly I don't know why and never noticed it myself before. I have about a bazillion photos of random asian people on my comp.

Example with moderately attractive women:

http://bluenitephoto.com/manilafes/content/IMG_6041_large.html

I usually ask groups to bunch closer together if I'm using my primes. Asians like doing photo shoots more and maybe understand the concept better(unless your zoom or prime is ultra-wide or you have enough distance; fitting everybody in a photo can be problematic...especially in tight asian buildings).

Nothing sucks more than a group shot where one person leans the opposite way at the last minute when I have my 85 mm prime on..

Also, Asians enjoy being physically closer and holding their friends. Westerners don't do it as often unless they're drunk off their ass.

Example:

http://bluenitephoto.com/manilafes/content/IMG_6282_large.html

http://bluenitephoto.com/manilafes/content/IMG_9157_large.html

I noticed I tend to tilt my head in photos...I think it's a subconcious thing...I tend to do it too much and look like an idiot.

[Drew345]

In one class photo myself, the teacher, and a Japanese lady were sitting in front. I thought everyone was standing behind us, but the other 12 students managed to "fold" themselves with each showing nothing more than their head, by squatting and hiding behind the three of us seated. I looked HUGE in the picture; well, because I am rather large.
So I decided that from then on I will certainly be in the back of the pictures. Next class picture, I am standing in the back. They count for the picture, one, two... and then everybody bends over two feet lower except me. Again huge, had I known I would have at least sucked in my gut.
I guess I'll just join in the sorority squat next time.

[rchristo10]

They're trying to get their heads closer together in the picture; it's the same reason the "sorority squat" became the "sorority squat"--girls don't mind taking pictures face to face (sometimes cheek to cheek).