more fun with stock photography

I'm taking a quick break to come out from under the pile of work I'm trapped under to say hello. Work has been a bitch this week -- 12-13 hour days of working at a frenzied pace. And I have PMS. Pleasant would not be a word to describe me this week.

I've been doing LOTS of photo research the past few days. In the process of looking for financially-strapped mothers and irritable babies (separate stories, by the way), I came across two very interesting pictures. Let's take a look at the first:

Corbis

Am I wrong or is this not Stacie J. from The Apprentice? I knew she was a model but frankly, I'm hoping her career consisted of more than posing for crappy royalty-free photos. It's not the most respected gig. In fact, in terms of prestige, I think it comes after modeling for a K-mart circular or the JC Penney catalog. You're so busted, Stacie J.

And here's number two (pun fully intended):

PictureQuest

This image, without question, blows my first encounter with a scary baby stock photo right out of the water. What parent would do this to a child? Again, I see what looks like hair spray in this kid's ridiculous 'do. I'll avoid the obvious mullet criticism but is that a comb over? And those bangs!!! He doesn't even look like a baby. He looks like a smaller version of some of the men I've seen wandering around Paramus. Poor thing. Here's hoping that when he's older, parental emancipation -- and a good mirror -- will right these wrongs.