A picture-perfect compromise

Laser Cat, meet Laser Dog.

The meme of the year — a proposed senior portrait by Schenectady High School student Draven Rodriguez that involved his cat and lasers — that was not to be resulted in a compromise accord worthy of Camp David.

Rodriguez and his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, will get their picture in another section of the yearbook — alongside high school principal Diane Wilkinson and her dog, Vivienne.

And, yes, there are lasers.

The photo was taken recently. Like the first photograph, there is a second image of the pets in the background. The new photo was taken by the same photographer, Vincent Giordano of Trinacria Photography.

Rodriguez launched a pre-emptive petition to get the tongue-in-cheek portrait used as his senior yearbook portrait. The photo, posted on Instagram and incorporating Internet memes, went viral around the world.

Rodriguez, 16, said he wanted his photo to be unique so he would be remembered. That he accomplished.

The district denied his request to allow it to be his portrait, but said all along that the photo could be in the yearbook somewhere. The principal upped the ante by posing along with Rodriguez. The photo will be featured on the principal’s yearbook page, district spokeswoman Karen Corona said.

Like the first photo, the second photo went viral Monday. And the reviews?

“ … an even more epic laser-animal picture.” — LaughSpin.com.

“ … epic” — Buzzfeed.

Rodriguez’ initial idea was to have a photo so “ridiculous” that he would be

remembered. That was before his now 15 minutes times two of Internet fame. Even Rodriguez was taken aback by how much the story spread.

“I woke up and someone said, ‘Man, you’re on Buzzfeed,’ and I was like, ‘Noooo,’ ” he said. “Viral I expected, but not like this.”

Now the new photo in the yearbook also has a stated purposed of raising awareness for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and rescue animals.

“If I’m making a resurgence I’m trying to do something good with it,” Rodriguez said.

Call it a win-win-win.

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