Pro Selfies?

DGMPhotography · Aug 11, 2013

Do you post some of your "pro selfies" on Facebook as your profile picture? Sometimes, you can be your own best model since you'll do anything you want to do, and you're readily available to yourself, but does posting these selfies make you seem narcissistic or anything? I'm not worried too much about it, and this isn't meant for serious discussion, but I'm curious what some people's thoughts may be on this.

And please excuse my use of the term "selfie."

CowgirlMama · Aug 11, 2013

I'm not very good at taking pictures of myself yet. When I get a decent one, I use it as a profile picture for a while. Then I change it back to a shot of my kid. He's cuter.

Derrel · Aug 11, 2013

I sometimes post my "anti-selfies" on Facebook. I throw the pro-selfies away.

terri · Aug 11, 2013

Give me that damn tee shirt!! :cheer: That is great!

To the OP: no selfies, just a shot of me taken by my husband on my site...FB, not so much. :razz:

Derrel · Aug 11, 2013

terri said:
Give me that damn tee shirt!! :cheer: That is great!

To the OP: no selfies, just a shot of me taken by my husband on my site...FB, not so much. :razz:

Heh,heh,heh...funny you mention the T-shirt: I bought this crazy silkscreened shirt from a special offer I saw on The Online Photographer blog about three years ago. The fellow who makes these T-shirts has a really clever marketing strategy; his company's designer silkscreen T-shirts are produced for exactly ONE DAY, and then an all-new design is made...

When I saw this thing on Mike's blog, I just HAD TO OWN one, since when I was a kid, my brother bought an old Kodak 35, for $7 at a flea market...and it was the first camera I ever tore apart....and the first, but not the last, camera that I was never able to reassemble correctly.

I also had a Bell & Howell 8mm, key-wind movie camera, like the one shown on the shirt...so to me, this T-shirt had incredible sentimental appeal...it was like 35+ years of my OWN, personal photographic history, so I shot the photos of this important T-shirt it with my current mid-life camera, my iPhone 4.

terri · Aug 11, 2013

I shot the photos of this important T-shirt it with my current mid-life camera, my iPhone 4

You're going to burn in hell. :meh:

Derrel · Aug 11, 2013

terri said:
I shot the photos of this important T-shirt it with my current mid-life camera, my iPhone 4

Click to expand...

You're going to burn in hell. :meh:

Yes, so I have been told!!! Many times! (In anticipation, I already have an exciting reservation set for Upper NW Hell, complete with a deposit to hold my spot, a long-term lease option, and a complimentary welcome basket of briquets! Stoked!!!)

terri · Aug 11, 2013

...heart-shaped tub and I'm in.

DGMPhotography · Aug 12, 2013

Hahaaa, loving the response here.

cynicaster · Aug 14, 2013

Having been on and off internet dating sites for a few years, I’ve taken all kinds of pictures of myself specifically to be used at those places. Some of those photos have received double duty, getting used as profile pics on Facebook as well. The first few times I did that, I felt a bit self-conscious about it, and there were instances where I received vaguely snarky comments from people who presumably thought the photos were an exercise in vanity. But that is completely missing the point.

The simple fact of the matter is that I need profile pictures, and if I’m going to create them, I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know how to take a photograph just because somebody else who has gained 100lbs since high school feels the need to use a snapshot of their cat or their boat as their profile picture.

I don’t think many photographers are going to raise their eyebrows at people who do “selfies”, because they understand that there are reasons other than vanity to take those pictures.

Besides, I think the whole concept of one person being both the subject and creator of a photo has the potential to be very interesting, because it provides a glimpse of how that person sees him- or herself, or, at least, how they would like other people to see him/her.

runnah · Aug 14, 2013

Do shots of my junk for dating sites count as a selfie?

PixelRabbit · Aug 14, 2013

I have exactly 2 self portraits and am currently procrastinating on shooting a 3rd specifically for my website (don't tell Squirrels, if she asks I'm working diligently on it ok??)
So I may not be the best measure lol but I would say a couple is cool but a gallery of them available for public viewing with your other work may be not the best choice.

DGMPhotography · Aug 14, 2013

cynicaster said:
Having been on and off internet dating sites for a few years, I’ve taken all kinds of pictures of myself specifically to be used at those places. Some of those photos have received double duty, getting used as profile pics on Facebook as well. The first few times I did that, I felt a bit self-conscious about it, and there were instances where I received vaguely snarky comments from people who presumably thought the photos were an exercise in vanity. But that is completely missing the point.

The simple fact of the matter is that I need profile pictures, and if I’m going to create them, I’m not going to pretend that I don’t know how to take a photograph just because somebody else who has gained 100lbs since high school feels the need to use a snapshot of their cat or their boat as their profile picture.

I don’t think many photographers are going to raise their eyebrows at people who do “selfies”, because they understand that there are reasons other than vanity to take those pictures.

Besides, I think the whole concept of one person being both the subject and creator of a photo has the potential to be very interesting, because it provides a glimpse of how that person sees him- or herself, or, at least, how they would like other people to see him/her.

Very well said, and I like that last bit... I feel inspired to take more self portraits now!

DGMPhotography · Aug 14, 2013

PixelRabbit said:
I have exactly 2 self portraits and am currently procrastinating on shooting a 3rd specifically for my website (don't tell Squirrels, if she asks I'm working diligently on it ok??)
So I may not be the best measure lol but I would say a couple is cool but a gallery of them available for public viewing with your other work may be not the best choice.

Hahaha, a whole gallery of self portraits. That would be interesting.