Selfies (Self Portraits) Rock!!!

Photo credit: usmagazine.com

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson just set a record for the most selfies in three minutes.  I am quite fond of the "Rock" because he was on the cover of the Ebony magazine issue when I was chosen as one of Ebony Magazine's Super Single Sisters of 2001.  I also love taking selfies or self portraits myself!

Camera phones today are great for recording police brutality and capturing aerial views, but I find them horrible when amateur people are taking pictures of other people.

Group pictures

I hate when I see a group picture where everyone has their bodies in awkward positions "squeezing" to fit all the heads into the frame like the old days when the person taking the picture takes a aerial shot from the floor to the ceiling fan.  Pictures like that look too raw.

Hair/Makeup Shots

I have had to submit shots for hair and makeup print consideration, and it never fails that 75% or more of the picture is a full body shot with the skyline included whenever I get a friend to take them for me.  I always have to crop and zoom just to get the actual hair and makeup shot.  Of course, in my mind, I am thinking what a waste of time.  I could have taken selfies, and I could have gotten even better angles.

Snapshots

I hate snapshots for the same reason.  Often times, you are entering or leaving the scene with items in your hands. I usually am not trying to do a full body pose, but again, the amateur picture taker takes an aerial shot versus a head and shoulder shot exposing a very raw image.

Bad shots

I remember touring a replica of the Air Force One plane.  I wanted a window and Presidential seal shot which should have included mostly an upper body shot.  Because there was a long line to take pictures in the space, I did not check the shot that my friend took of me until later, and I was so disappointed.  She barely captured the Presidential seal nor the window, it was mostly a picture of me slightly reclined in the chair.  My thoughts were you can take a full body picture of me anywhere - I was really trying to capture the image of me flying in Air Force One. 

So I have vowed to always pose for a full body shot when anyone is using their camera phones to take pictures and/or I will give full directions of what I need in the shot.  When all else fails, then you can always rely on the selfie!

June 2015 update:  The new Selfie Sticks are an awesome solution!

These monopods use Bluetooth technology. The mobile phones can make the stick heavy to hold using only one hand, but it allows for more full body pictures without being in a mirror.