The Seflie Sensation There you are holding your camera an arm’s length away from your face, posing in the most flattering position to capture your best angle. There you are taking a photo of yourself to share with all of your Facebook friends. Taking a self-portrait photo, also known as a selfie, is something almost everyone has done in this new generation. This action is typically done without a second thought. In Alex Williams’ article “Here I Am Taking My Own Picture” that second thought is provoked through exploring the quickly spreading trend of self-portrait photography. In the article while Williams’ provides interesting examples on a changing generation as this trend progresses through social media and modern technology; Williams also leaves something to be desired within the article due to a lack of direction in the author’s stance on the topic. Williams’ begins the article “Here I Am Taking My Own Picture” with a description of a young female college student who is taking her own photo for her social media page. She tries out several poses in her pictures. Instead of taking the photos in front a mirror the woman takes the photos in front of a webcam. Williams leads out of the …show more content…
Adams the self-portrait photographer from Williams’ description in the opening paragraph. Ms. Adams proclaims all people as a bit self-obsessed. Ms. Adams proceeded to shed light why people prefer to take their own photos. That answer being; people have total control over the photos being taken when they take the photos themselves. Williams proceeds to support the statements by Ms. Adams by explaining the impact modern technology has within the self-portrait trend. More people now have access to small digital cameras that come equipped with all cellphones and most computers. This is the point in the article where Williams specifically puts emphasis on the self-portrait photography trend within the younger generation and how technology accommodates the
She starts by bringing a pessimistic view to photographs of nature, by describing what may or may not lie just outside the boundaries of the picture. Mockingly she leads the reader to assume that there are no real nature photos left in the world, but rather only digitaly enhanced photos of nature wit...
Adams not only was an excellent photographer, but he even taught himself to play the piano and read music at only twelve years old. Not much after teaching himself how to play, he began to take lessons which became a “substitute for formal schooling” for him (Turnage). He spent twelve years of his life committed to the piano and even planned on making it his profession. Although, he ended up giving up on music, playing the piano brought structure and discipline in his life; the training and craft also helped enlighten his artistic vision. His artistic vision was not only enlightened by his practice of the piano, but by his love of nature as well. His love of nature began by ...
In the article “What Your Selfies Say About You” by Peggy Drexler, she talks about self-portraits also known as the “selfie”, and how it has taken over social media and added a manifestation to society’s obsession with looks. Taking a self-portrait can be positive in the sense that you are proud of your image and are not scared to share it with others helping boost up your self-esteem. Although this may help others by persuading them to not be ashamed to share their true image, Drexler believes this can also affect other individuals whose focus is only on looks making them feel self-conscious about their looks. A recent study out of the UK found that the selfie phenomenon may be damaging to real world relationships, concluding that both excessive
Photography allows us to maintain memories and relish them whenever we desire. Although some advocates might argue that people are no longer enjoying experiences instead taking more pictures, in the essay, “Why We Take Pictures”, by Susan Sontag, she conflates that photography can be used as a defense against anxiety and a tool of empowerment. I agree with Sontag on the significance of photographs and how it allows us to store a part of our extended relatives so we are able to hold on the memories of family. Therefore, we must appreciate how photography allows us to manage anxiety, express feelings and remember our loved ones.
In the essay “Why We Take Pictures” by Susan Sontag, she argues that taking photos can be a tool of power and sometimes even a defense against anxiety(353). Taking pictures can be a great source of power, according to Sontag. The photographer has the power to show what they want and people can choose whether or not to be in the photo. Sontag uses the example of a family photo; as some family photos portray the family being happy, many people cannot see that the family might not actually be as happy as they look. Sontag also uses examples like nuclear families and traveling in order to enforce her claims about picture taking. In a nuclear family, Sontag believes that taking a picture of that family can help relieve some anxiety because people
The essay How You See Yourself by Nicholas Mirzoeff discusses the evolution of art. The author discusses the use of art to represent changing identities over the years including cultural practices and societal expectations. The selfie, according to Nicholas Mirzoeff’s essay, is the equivalent of a self-portrait in the previous centuries preceding the technological development required for the present day selfie. The essay explores the different periods and the significance of art, particularly self-portraits, the selfies of the time, and their development over time. The author focuses on different themes including heroism, gender definition, and the focus of an image. Mirzoeff effectively provides examples illustrating and reinforcing the themes he highlights in his essay.
Moss, Laura, and Cynthia Conchita. Sugars. “This Is a Photograph of Me.” Canadian ……..Literature in English: Texts and Contexts. Vol. 2. Toronto: Pearson Education, …….2009. Print.
Most photographers have a statement in mind and look for a picture that expresses it. Erwitt observes what life wants to say and then records it so others can hear. For me this is what photography is about. I believe a scene should inspire you not be staged. Like Erwitt’s work I try to take pic...
A selfie is a picture that you take of yourself especially by using the front camera of your smartphone ("Selfie"). The word was added to the dictionary in 2013 and originates from Australia. A selfie can be used to relive moments with someone but is mostly used for attention. There are people who post more than one selfie a day and that is outrageous. It is one of the most narcissistic acts created because there are people who spend hours a day taking selfies and don 't do anything productive instead. Majority of children know how to take selfies but not tie their shoes. It 's a trend that will never have an end. If anything the trend evolves more each day with gadgets to help take better selfies. There are tools to create a great selfie such as selfie sticks and selfie timers. There are apps to take selfies even if your phone comes with a camera application which is the most logical location on which to take a selfie. The worst selfie application I have seen to this day is the one where it appears that you were wearing make up or have a different hairstyle. The reason why are the worst because some people take it to an extreme level where they hide all of their imperfections and look like a completely different person. I have aunts who take too much advantage of those applications and end up looking as if they belonged in a cartoon. I have met many people from
According to the author, “The centrality of personal autonomy and individualism in privacy discourse is reflected in the growing perception of our self-image as our own property.” Could this growing perception, including negative viewpoints on photographers, be credited to the rise of social media? I feel like apps such as Instagram and Facebook, in which we post pictures of ourselves on our personal profiles, encouraged us all to believe that our self-image is our own property.
On Nov 19, Oxford Dictionaries declared “selfie” Word of the Year for 2013, in honor of the term having taken over the world thanks to millions of Smartphone self-portraits and the resulting shares on social media. When I start writing this paper, there are 326,634,280 posts with the #selfies in instagram. Many people enjoy the pleasure that selfies bring to them, which is seeing their image in the picture. Long before the electronic devises exist, people already began to be eager to express themselves by using rock painting and with the development of western oil painting, The beginning of the selfies is more conveyed by the values of the self, and the artists explore themselves by selfies. self-portrait has become a way for people to show
Most of the studies on selfie are about young adults. People are hesitant to take selfies because they think and feel that they might look unattractive. On the other hand, analyzing and editing carefully the selfies could be helpful and be a therapeutic negotiation to girls. Selfie could be relevant to finding our true selves. Nowadays, brilliant photographers had made selfie taking techniques to be a guide in taking the perfect
In "This is a Photograph of Me," inspite of the easy assurances of the speaker that we will see her picture, it is clear as the poem develops and the speaker reveals her true identity as a dead person that the clarity she seems to promise never emerges. The challenges in establishing a sense of identity are portrayed in the speaker's description of what the viewer will see as they look at the photo to begin with:
The second source, The Age of the Selfie: Endless Need to Share Tears Society’s Last Shred of Decency by Robert Wilcox, discusses a different point of view on the intentions of a selfie. The focus stressed was to warn everyone about the dangers of posting selfies on social media. The argument conversed is that selfies are “destroying the last shreds of decency in our society” (Wilcox, pg. 534). There are severe amounts of consequences that come with posting selfies such as: someone could break in to your house when they know you’re out, kidnappings can happen because your location can be displayed on your selfie, or predators can view all your photos just at the swipe of their fingers. Also, posting many selfies or comments can cause giant annoyance others. While the article explains that there are dangers of posting pictures or anything on social media, they also provide people with ways of avoiding the danger by securing, blocking or locking their accounts from strangers or bullies. In this article, the intentions of a selfie are highly deemed dangerous and annoying, which completely contradicts the first source, but both articles show how a selfie can be viewed in many ways and how people can avoid the dangers of posting
Humphrey states many times that a “picture is worth 1000 words,” and that may be true. Photos have the capability to send messages that words cannot. Humphrey observed from her interviews that many see Selfies as a way to allow users to record the memories being made in the present. While this is a valid truth, the Selfie is being abused in society. Most Selfie takers are using their photos as a means of winning a popularity contest. Many people take Selfies to brag to others about their new hair, or new outfit. It’s okay to share those things with others, but if the motive of the Selfie is an ego boost, then the photo loses its magic. Later in her article, Humphrey records the testimony of Pamela Rutledge, who supports the Selfie by asking “why text "I 'm happy" when you could post a picture of your smiling face,” (Humphrey). Rutledge has a