The judge's critics called him narcissistic. (narcissistic: egotistical, egotistic, self-centered) His admirers cited his exalted position as proof that he was the epitome of public service. (exalted: elevated, high-ranking, eminent; epitome: embodiment, exemplar, paradigm) Neither portrait bore much semblance to the man who came into the studio with a loose button. (semblance: resemblance, likeness) His shy request to hide it surprised the photographer.
She had encountered both idolatry and opprobrium in her career. (idolatry: adulation, hero worship, idolization; opprobrium: disgrace, condemnation, public censure) Neither was much help in getting the light right. A flicker from a silver tray gave his face an unfamiliar softness. The change was almost subliminal. (subliminal: subthreshold, below awareness, below conscious detection) She moved the tray an inch and took the photograph.
He bought the print for his daughter, who loved the crooked button. In one detail she could see a whole person. The photographer thought of that whenever a client asked her to polish away a supposed flaw.