posing for photos

At the beginning itself let me make it clear that I am not opposed to anything I write here or for that matter support it.

For many of us "the camera" is always an inseparable part of our luggage wherever we go, even to the party down the street. Some of us miss our camera so much we borrow someone else' and take snaps with it!
A variety of reasons are cited for this behavior, ranging from the want to preserver memories to passion for still moments. But lets try and answer a basic question here, isn't being behind the camera betray one's desire to not be there in front of it? Doesn't it seem like trying to be behind the scenes?
Another line of thought arises here. Before there were cameras there was still art. Artists of renown were hired to paint stills of the scene and such. But they were the natural settings which caught the artist's imagination. But today we have photos taken where we intentionally pose for it! Ever wondered why the lady in the beautiful dress looks so beautiful? or the handsome man looks so irresistible? They are intentionally posing in ways they know will make them look better.

And gullible as we are we are drawn towards the photos. Photographs are all about remembering the scenes as they were not artificially making up scenes we would want to remember. For instance the other day we were at this beautiful lakeside. And some of us were admiring the lake. But soon the commotion behind us was not that of the beautiful sunset that one would want to remember but posing for photographs. Would you have liked to remember the beautiful sunset with cherished friends admiring it or would you prefer your friends jumping around making a mockery of the sunset?

While we were returning a cute little child wandered off from his parents and was smiling at us. We like the posers guild burst into a flurry of activity and were hustling around for the best positions to be in with the kid in front of flashing lights going off. It was no less than a Hollywood movie premiere night's flashing with only two cameras.
The child looks natural in his smiles but there were two broad artificial ones on both sides of him. So is that "picture perfect" or picture "tried-to-make" perfect?