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A sharply dressed queue of people lined up for red-carpet photos in front of a step-and-repeat banner emblazoned with logos of corporate sponsors.

My three red flags for profile photos were: no photos on a step-and-repeat; no photos with a celebrity; and no photos cheers-ing with a drink.

They eyed a compound with nine pop-up tents, a DJ booth, multiple television screens, a step-and-repeat, a ping-pong table, and a 7-foot-tall inflatable alligator.

But no step-and-repeat can bottle the crackling anticipation, the eruption of victory, the sting of loss or the quiet exchange between individuals amid a sea of superstars like these candid shots from the audience at Sunday night’s Oscars ceremony.

The step-and-repeat was invented for the sole purpose of being seen — it pushes you toward the gaze.