Selfie
Selfie is a style of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone. Selfies are often associated with social networking and photo sharing services such as MySpace, Facebook and Instagram, where they are commonly posted. They are often casual, are typically taken either with a camera held at arms length or in a mirror, and may include only the photographer or other people as well.
Initially popular with young people, selfies have become popular among adults as well.[1][2] According to a 2013 survey, two-thirds of Australian women age 18-35 take selfies—the most common purpose for which is posting on Facebook.[2]
The appeal of selfies comes from how easy they are to create and share, and the control they give self-photographers over how they present themselves. Many selfies are intended to present a flattering image of the person, especially to friends whom they photographer expects to be supportive.[1][2] However, posting intentionally unattractive selfies has become common in the early 2010s—typically for their humor value, but in some cases also to explore issues of body image or as a reaction against the perceived narcissism or over-sexualization of more typical selfies.[3]
Selfies are particularly popular among girls and young women. Sociologist Ben Agger describes the trend of selfies as "the male gaze gone viral", and sociologist and women's studies professor Gail Dines links it to the rise of porn culture and the idea that "there’s only one way to visibility, and that’s fuckability."[4] Writer Andrew Keen has pointed out that while selfies are often intended to give the photographer control over how their image is presented, posting images publicly or sharing them with others who do so often has the opposite effect—dramatically so in the case of revenge porn, where ex-lovers post sexually explicit photographs or nude selfies (sexting photos) to exact revenge or humiliate their former lovers.[4]
In 2013, artist Patrick Specchio and the Museum of Modern Art presented an exhibited called Art in Translation: Selfie, The 20/20 Experience, in which viewers use a provided digital camera to take photographs of themselves in a large mirror.[5]
Notes
- ^ a b Adewunmi, Bim (2013-04-02). "The rise and rise of the 'selfie'". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ a b c McHugh, Jillian (2013-04-03). "'Selfies' just as much for the insecure as show-offs". Bunbury Mail. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ Hills, Rachel (2013-03-29). "Ugly Is the New Pretty: How Unattractive Selfies Took Over the Internet". New York Magazine. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ a b Murphy, Meghan (2013-04-03). "Putting selfies under a feminist lens". Georgia Straight. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ Colburn, June (2013-04-01). "Innovative mirror art gallery from Gallatin alum to be displayed". Washington Square News. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
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