I’d love your thoughts on selfies (or self portraits if that sounds more agreeable). The other day, I wondered if I was taking enough of them. Then immediately was embarrassed for thinking such a thought. I’ve been instagramming since 2013 — the year the selfie was recorded as a global phenomenon. As I write this, I’ve shared 2424 posts, and if I scroll my feed, my face doesn’t show up very often. Interestingly, I end up showing my face on Instagram Stories quite a bit more — not as selfies, but in footage of me talking about the Tall House.
It’s got me thinking: am I not showing up enough in the record my own life? Will my kids have pictures of me with them? Pictures of me participating? Or am I spending too much time behind the camera? Does it matter?
Then my thoughts travel here: Why are some people so comfortable with selfies while others avoid them? Do people who think they are beautiful share more selfies? Do people who feel unattractive share less selfies? To me, it feels more complicated than that, because I’m confident, and I like the way I look, but I rarely think to take a selfie, and I hesitate hitting publish every time I’m about to share an image of myself. I think I worry that it will seem like I’m vain or begging for compliments. Then again, it feels great when you share a picture of yourself and people comment saying nice things — which seems like a reason not to hesitate, right?
What’s the story? It makes me wonder if there are patterns we’ll see as people look back and research the selfie phenomenon. Are there certain months or seasons where people are more likely to take selfies? Are there personality traits that determine how many selfies someone takes? Do certain Enneagram Numbers or Zodiac Signs take more selfies than others? Are there patterns regarding access to types of cameras or equipment or education? Is it an introvert/extrovert thing?
Related: how many selfies is too many? If you took and shared a selfie daily for a year, would you find that to be an interesting record? Or would it feel narcissistic? Would it be more palatable if it was done as an art project? (We don’t seem to have any issues with artists making self-portraits.) And what if you take selfies regularly but don’t share them? What’s the motivation there? Simply a record for your personal use?
I also think about people who were hesitant about selfies a decade ago, but have learned to embrace them. It’s a whole skill! There are dozens of tutorials on how to take take a “good” selfie with advice on camera angles, lighting, filters, etc.. Have you ever tried to improve your selfie skills?
What’s your take on selfies? Do you take them often? Do you take them at all? Do you share them or keep them to yourself? Have you gotten more comfortable taking selfies after a decade or so of Instagram and camera phones? Or less comfortable? If you like taking selfies, do you use filters or do you like to keep them as is? If you don’t like taking selfies, what keeps you from doing so? Like me, are you aware of how often you’re taking (or not taking) them? Would love your thoughts.