If one were to ask, “When did the selfie begin?” most people would answer, “Oh, sometime within the last ten years.” However, that answer would be incorrect.
According to a recent article about selfies on theguardian.com, in 1839 Robert Cornelius took the first “selfie” standing outside his family’s store in Philadelphia. However, due to the high prices of film, pictures in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were taken to capture important moments--not selfies.
With the invention of the compact digital camera, selfies began to boom. 2004 marked the beginning of “#selfies” on the internet website Flickr. Once the IPhone 4 came out in 2010, with the front facing camera, selfies instantly became popular worldwide and went viral.
So, what is a selfie? Well, a selfie is a picture of an individual who holds the camera out in front of his or her body and captures an image of him or herself. Some people use the selfie to capture an image of themselves with a particular background if they do not have anyone else to take their photo. While some people use the selfie to capture a background, others enjoy adding quotes to their picture to express their mood. When discussing selfies, NHHS senior Trista Kormeier stated, “ I love to see when people are just happy and have the perfect quote to go with their selfie.”
People use the “selfie” to show off what they are doing, build self-esteem, express boredom, and gain popularity on their photos.
So, who participates in selfies? Almost everyone. In today’s day and age, almost everybody has been involved in a selfie. From an everyday best friend, to celebrities, to even the President, almost everyone has probably at least been a part of a selfie in their lifetime.
Senior Courtney Yowell’s favorite kind of selfie is with friends. She states, “ I love hanging out with my friends, so when I’m with them, I want a picture to capture the moment forever.
Selfies are not always a good thing, however. In today's society girls use the selfie to seem “sexy.” One may often find their photos to seem seductive. Girls pose with sucked in cheeks, pouting lips, tilt of the head, and filters to enhance the photo. Guys are at fault for wanting to seem “sexy” in their photos as well. They will often take pictures of themselves in the mirror flexing their muscles to show off their body. These are ways people abuse the selfie. After talking about selfies with Diane Munsinger, as a parent and educator, she feels, “ Pointless selfies just to post online because one is bored is silly. Selfies that capture fun moments and memories are appropriate.”
A selfie also doesn't have to be an individual photo. Recently, the words “usies” and “groupies” have become known to represent other selfie options. When there are two people in a photo, it is called an “usie;” when there is more than two people, it is called a “groupie.”
The selfie has transformed into society's new diary. People take pictures of themselves to remember what they were doing or wearing on a particular day. Then, they often add the photo to an internet site with some kind of explanation, whether it be a quote or caption for others to see.
With the advancements in technology, the selfie era has taken a leap and is a trend that will probably be around for many years to come.
-by Molly Munsinger
With the invention of the compact digital camera, selfies began to boom. 2004 marked the beginning of “#selfies” on the internet website Flickr. Once the IPhone 4 came out in 2010, with the front facing camera, selfies instantly became popular worldwide and went viral.
So, what is a selfie? Well, a selfie is a picture of an individual who holds the camera out in front of his or her body and captures an image of him or herself. Some people use the selfie to capture an image of themselves with a particular background if they do not have anyone else to take their photo. While some people use the selfie to capture a background, others enjoy adding quotes to their picture to express their mood. When discussing selfies, NHHS senior Trista Kormeier stated, “ I love to see when people are just happy and have the perfect quote to go with their selfie.”
People use the “selfie” to show off what they are doing, build self-esteem, express boredom, and gain popularity on their photos.
So, who participates in selfies? Almost everyone. In today’s day and age, almost everybody has been involved in a selfie. From an everyday best friend, to celebrities, to even the President, almost everyone has probably at least been a part of a selfie in their lifetime.
Senior Courtney Yowell’s favorite kind of selfie is with friends. She states, “ I love hanging out with my friends, so when I’m with them, I want a picture to capture the moment forever.
Selfies are not always a good thing, however. In today's society girls use the selfie to seem “sexy.” One may often find their photos to seem seductive. Girls pose with sucked in cheeks, pouting lips, tilt of the head, and filters to enhance the photo. Guys are at fault for wanting to seem “sexy” in their photos as well. They will often take pictures of themselves in the mirror flexing their muscles to show off their body. These are ways people abuse the selfie. After talking about selfies with Diane Munsinger, as a parent and educator, she feels, “ Pointless selfies just to post online because one is bored is silly. Selfies that capture fun moments and memories are appropriate.”
A selfie also doesn't have to be an individual photo. Recently, the words “usies” and “groupies” have become known to represent other selfie options. When there are two people in a photo, it is called an “usie;” when there is more than two people, it is called a “groupie.”
The selfie has transformed into society's new diary. People take pictures of themselves to remember what they were doing or wearing on a particular day. Then, they often add the photo to an internet site with some kind of explanation, whether it be a quote or caption for others to see.
With the advancements in technology, the selfie era has taken a leap and is a trend that will probably be around for many years to come.
-by Molly Munsinger
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