how-to-photograph-science
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Explanation
The Joke
A photographer is trying to take a portrait of a scientist for what appears to be a press photo or profile. The photographer notes that for many scientists, their most "sciency" photograph involves them looking out at something on Google on a laptop, or standing in front of lab equipment. The photographer explains that they wrote code to make a microchip in a language the scientist does not know, and suggests putting the code in an Erlenmeyer flask to make it look more scientific.
The photographer continues, noting that usually photos are staged because in reality most science does not make for visually interesting images. Given that the actual science being done is mainly data analysis, the photographer asks what they should do. The scientist enthusiastically suggests: "Can you photograph me looking into a pocket telescope?" The final panel shows the scientist posing dramatically while peering into a small telescope, with a sign reading "SCIENCE" placed nearby.
The Humor
The comic pokes fun at the disconnect between what science actually looks like (staring at a computer screen, analyzing data) and how it is visually represented in the media (dramatic poses with lab equipment, telescopes, and beakers). Most modern science involves computational work that is inherently unphotogenic, leading to the absurd theater of staged "science photos" where researchers pose with props they may never actually use. The scientist's eager suggestion to be photographed with a pocket telescope -- completely unrelated to their actual work -- perfectly captures how both scientists and media outlets are complicit in this performative visual language of what science "should" look like.