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Selfies--Narcissim Lives!
Mar. 5th, 2014 06:59 pmYou've done it. I have done it. That is, taken a picture of myself using a cell phone.You may think that Selfies just came about last year when Oxford Dictionary recognized the "new" word "Selfie." I have news for you and them. Selfies have been around since forever. Ever since Leonardo da Vinci painted a picture of himself and put long hair and a smile on it and called it Mona Lisa, the selfie has been alive and well for approximately forever. Come to think of it, there's even those cave people who painted selfies of themselves hunting prehistoric bison. Now THAT'S a long time ago.
It crosses my mind that the original selfie was a very fleeting event, when humankind first spotted their images in a puddle of water. Think Narcissus. Later, glass windows and mirrors were invented and people could admire themselves more conveniently that way.
Of course there's the old-fashioned selfie, the kind my father used to (and still does) take--with a long cord attached to the camera. Or the photographer clicks a button on the camera and then, while the timer clicks away, RUNS to join the group being photographed, be it the family reunion or just the fam at a holiday dinner.
But a true selfie-- not including any long cords-- originally made clever use of mirrors. See the young Scottish lad somewhere in the Highlands:
Paul McCartney recently claimed that he took the first selfie.
My, doesn't he look clean cut in this photo?! He's even wearing a tie and wearing what we now consider well-groomed hair!
I actually find it amusing when famous people take selfies. Why should they not?
While most people take selfies to memorialize an event spent with friends, this guy sets the gold standard for a selfie, taken perhaps to "keep up with Ellen."
Ordinary guy, ordinary living room, ordinary dogs. Again, why not?
But you gotta hand it to people who have taken selfies themselves, without cords or mirrors.
It is reported that the above photo is considered one of the oldest known selfies. Observe how the two men are both working together to suppot the heavy camera. At least in modern times we have the benefit of much lighter photographic equipment, including our phones!
An even older selfie is this one:
:
According to the Library of Congress, this early daguerrotype was the first photographic portrait. It was taken by Robert Cornelius, around 1839.
As an aside, wouldn't you think that the word which got the nod last year by the Oxford Dictionary as the latest important addition to the English language would no longer get highlighted by the computer as a misspelling? Obviously, judging by all the red under-linings of my frequent use of the word "selfie," my computer hasn't gotten the memo.
When I first wrote this essay, a few weeks ago, I had actually never yet taken a selfie of myself. Fortunately by now, I am no longer a selfie virgin; I've appeared in several. Usually my co-star of the selfie has actually pushed the button. I present for you now the latest, taken this morning at our viewing of the Brasil-Chile World Cup soccer match.
Go Brazil!
PS, This unfortunately doesn't qualify as a selfie; I doubt the Corcovado ever bent His granite arm to aim a camera at Himself!
It crosses my mind that the original selfie was a very fleeting event, when humankind first spotted their images in a puddle of water. Think Narcissus. Later, glass windows and mirrors were invented and people could admire themselves more conveniently that way.
Of course there's the old-fashioned selfie, the kind my father used to (and still does) take--with a long cord attached to the camera. Or the photographer clicks a button on the camera and then, while the timer clicks away, RUNS to join the group being photographed, be it the family reunion or just the fam at a holiday dinner.
But a true selfie-- not including any long cords-- originally made clever use of mirrors. See the young Scottish lad somewhere in the Highlands:
Paul McCartney recently claimed that he took the first selfie.
My, doesn't he look clean cut in this photo?! He's even wearing a tie and wearing what we now consider well-groomed hair!
I actually find it amusing when famous people take selfies. Why should they not?
While most people take selfies to memorialize an event spent with friends, this guy sets the gold standard for a selfie, taken perhaps to "keep up with Ellen."
Ordinary guy, ordinary living room, ordinary dogs. Again, why not?
But you gotta hand it to people who have taken selfies themselves, without cords or mirrors.
It is reported that the above photo is considered one of the oldest known selfies. Observe how the two men are both working together to suppot the heavy camera. At least in modern times we have the benefit of much lighter photographic equipment, including our phones!
An even older selfie is this one:
:
According to the Library of Congress, this early daguerrotype was the first photographic portrait. It was taken by Robert Cornelius, around 1839.
As an aside, wouldn't you think that the word which got the nod last year by the Oxford Dictionary as the latest important addition to the English language would no longer get highlighted by the computer as a misspelling? Obviously, judging by all the red under-linings of my frequent use of the word "selfie," my computer hasn't gotten the memo.
When I first wrote this essay, a few weeks ago, I had actually never yet taken a selfie of myself. Fortunately by now, I am no longer a selfie virgin; I've appeared in several. Usually my co-star of the selfie has actually pushed the button. I present for you now the latest, taken this morning at our viewing of the Brasil-Chile World Cup soccer match.
Go Brazil!
PS, This unfortunately doesn't qualify as a selfie; I doubt the Corcovado ever bent His granite arm to aim a camera at Himself!
