I blame the Oxford Dictionary for the 'selfie' craze. IF THEY HADN'T MADE IT A LEGITIMATE WORD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME AS PSEUDO-COOL AS IT IS TODAY.
Gone are the days when photographers took the effort to be creative while taking pictures of themselves. They would use remotes, self-timers, reflections, locations, height and depth to create an image of how they perceived themselves. Perhaps what I love best about self portraits is how uncommon they were. How each one I came across had a different style, a new approach toward expression.
Self portrature is an art that came about from photographers having brilliant ideas and no subjects. Or, photographers who weren't conventionally shy about being in front of the camera. Or photographers who knew that no one else could encapture what they had in mind and who decided to take their own photographs.
Example:
In fact, I think self portrature is a beautiful way to experiment with camera features, light settings, to learn about composition and planning and to develop ideas and check how feasible they are.
It is important to understand that a selfie is NOT the same as a self portrait. And my indignation doesn't come from thinking they are synonymous. What it does stem from is the realization of how selfies are littering people's phones and the internet and how they are replacing the very thought of creating what could be art.
I don't think I will ever truly understand how people can be okay with being exactly like everyone else around them. Being a clone has been a haunting thought to me always and I feel uncomfortable when I cannot distinctly define myself within a group of people. Selfies have become more than a trend- they've become a way of life. They've become the purpose of outings, get-togethers, journeys, meals, festivals, new clothes, pets, life. There have been times when I've walked up to two people trying to take a selfie and offered to take the photo for them- but have been refused. It isn't a photo together that people want, they want a selfie. And they'll keep taking them until they get it right. Whatever 'right' means.
I'm not a selfie virgin. Far from it. At a time like this, when majority of my friends gather around and take pictures, I'm inadvertently squeezed into them and thus, into that culture. But I'm never okay with it. Somehow, my intestines twist whilst taking a selfie even more than they do before a final examination. I've tried both portrature and selfies and I must say, the former has been far more successful.
I really don't know what the purpose of this post is. But what I do know is if I see another selfie pop up on my Facebook feed again today, my shoulders won't have a head to support anymore- because it would've gone through the roof.
ALSO, I THINK POLICE FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOULD CONFISCATE SELFIE-STICKS AND USE THEM AS CANES TO BEAT PEOPLE WITH.
fin.
Gone are the days when photographers took the effort to be creative while taking pictures of themselves. They would use remotes, self-timers, reflections, locations, height and depth to create an image of how they perceived themselves. Perhaps what I love best about self portraits is how uncommon they were. How each one I came across had a different style, a new approach toward expression.
Self portrature is an art that came about from photographers having brilliant ideas and no subjects. Or, photographers who weren't conventionally shy about being in front of the camera. Or photographers who knew that no one else could encapture what they had in mind and who decided to take their own photographs.
Example:
In fact, I think self portrature is a beautiful way to experiment with camera features, light settings, to learn about composition and planning and to develop ideas and check how feasible they are.
It is important to understand that a selfie is NOT the same as a self portrait. And my indignation doesn't come from thinking they are synonymous. What it does stem from is the realization of how selfies are littering people's phones and the internet and how they are replacing the very thought of creating what could be art.
I don't think I will ever truly understand how people can be okay with being exactly like everyone else around them. Being a clone has been a haunting thought to me always and I feel uncomfortable when I cannot distinctly define myself within a group of people. Selfies have become more than a trend- they've become a way of life. They've become the purpose of outings, get-togethers, journeys, meals, festivals, new clothes, pets, life. There have been times when I've walked up to two people trying to take a selfie and offered to take the photo for them- but have been refused. It isn't a photo together that people want, they want a selfie. And they'll keep taking them until they get it right. Whatever 'right' means.
I'm not a selfie virgin. Far from it. At a time like this, when majority of my friends gather around and take pictures, I'm inadvertently squeezed into them and thus, into that culture. But I'm never okay with it. Somehow, my intestines twist whilst taking a selfie even more than they do before a final examination. I've tried both portrature and selfies and I must say, the former has been far more successful.
I really don't know what the purpose of this post is. But what I do know is if I see another selfie pop up on my Facebook feed again today, my shoulders won't have a head to support anymore- because it would've gone through the roof.
ALSO, I THINK POLICE FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOULD CONFISCATE SELFIE-STICKS AND USE THEM AS CANES TO BEAT PEOPLE WITH.
fin.
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