written and posted by members of Lancashire Dead Good Poets' Society

Tuesday 7 March 2017

Selfie - Get the Picture?

09:29:00 Posted by Pam Winning , , , , , No comments

I’m still trying to navigate my way round my new mobile phone. When I’d successfully installed Tetris, I stopped messing with it, because I was busy playing, and I’ve already forgotten what some of the icons are for. After a couple of months I’ve found everything I need, more or less, but it doesn’t always behave the way I expect. For instance, I can’t seem to take a decent photograph because I keep forgetting that the camera lens is in the top left-hand corner instead of being in the middle, as it was on my previous handset. At least I think that’s the reason. The photograph is never quite the same as the image on the screen. I’m not a photographer though I manage well enough with my compact digital camera. I can’t take selfies with that, though. Well, to be honest, I can’t take a selfie with anything and I’ve given up trying. I can’t get the hang of it. In my best efforts, my eyes are always focussed on something on the ceiling and much of my face is missing. At one of our family gatherings, we got everyone to sit on the stairs – a great place for a group photo in my house – and the person at the bottom would take the selfie, making sure everyone was included. I was at the bottom, being useless and passed the task on to one of the younger generation who proved to be ‘one shot perfect’. There must be a knack and I haven’t got it.

I’ve watched the young ladies, a sideways pose with head back, hand lifting hair upwards and a perfected pout. Or the big eyes half hidden by the fringe and hair falling forward, almost touching the shiny, puckered, lipsticked lips. I laugh, knowing I’d be exactly the same, if we’d had it in my day.

Selfie hunters are taking over from autograph hunters with regard to the famous. It’s quick and easy (for those doing it) and less hassle.

There’s a trend to feature in the picture. It’s not enough to take a photo of the view. The subject has become the background to the selfie, which was astonishing when I recently flicked through someone’s holiday snaps they had shared on Facebook. I already knew that they were somewhere hot and exotic. I didn’t need the constant reminder. It gave me ideas though, and if I can be bothered to practice and get the selfie bit right, I might try it on my next trip to Scotland.

It’s more likely that I’ll work towards beating my own best score on Tetris and rely on taking photos with my ordinary camera.

 

Selfie.

I wish I could take a good selfie

And capture my portrait just right

Instead of a squinty eyed effort

That looks like I’ve had a bad fright.

It’s all about angle and posture

And keeping my body quite still

My thumb on the virtual button,

Oh smile and try to look chilled…

Go again.

 PMW
 
 
Thanks for reading, Pam x

 

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