Nowadays practically everyone takes ‘selfies’ – celebrities, politicians, musicians … The word is so widely used, The Oxford English Dictionary is monitoring it for inclusion in it’s online version. In 2012 Time magazine considered it to be one of their top 10 buzz words.
A ‘selfie’ can be defined as a self portrait taken at arm’s length with a hand held device, such as a digital camera or phone. Usually it’s also distributed widely on social networks like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Taking selfies became popular in the early 2000’s with the “MySpace pic” – an amateur photo taken in front of a mirror. Flickr started using the term in 2009 to describe the endless stream of photos teenage girls posted of themselves on the Flickr network.
But are selfies really such a recent occurrence we led ourselves to believe?
[Photo: Twitter / @TheRealBuzz]
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin claims he took the first selfie in 1966 during a training mission where he spent 5.5 hours wandering around outside the space craft.
Unfortunately for Mr Aldrin someone beat him to it – a whole 127 years earlier. In 1839 Robert Cornelius, an American pioneer in photography, photographed himself, in what might also be one of the first photographs of a person. Other historical self portraits include Joseph Byron (1909) and the Russian duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna (1914).
Some say this phenomenon is an indication of the self centered society we live in, while others believe it just shows the increasing influence of technology on our lives. Whatever the case, and our opinions might be, ‘selfies’ are here to stay. Until the next technological craze anyway.
[SOURCE: www.wikipedia.org]
Deesdae neem al wat leef en beef ‘selfies’ – bekendes, politici, musikante … Die woord word so algemeen gebruik, die Oxford English Dictionary monitor dit reeds vir moontlike insluiting by sy aanlyn weergawe. In 2012 is dit deur Time magazine as een van die jaar se Top 10 gonswoorde beskou.
`n ‘Selfie’ word gedefinieer as `n selfportret, geneem met `n handtoestel (`n digitale kamera of selfoon) `n armlengte weg. Dit word gewoonlik op sosiale netwerke soos Twitter, Instagram of Facebook versprei.
Die neem van selfportrette het reeds in die vroeë 2000’s populêre geraak met die “MySpace pic” – `n onprofessionele foto wat normaalweg voor `n spieël geneem is. Ook Flickr het in 2009 die woord begin gebruik om die eindelose fotos wat tienermeisies van hulleself op dié netwerk geplaas het, te beskryf.
Maar is ‘selfies’ regtig so `n nuwe verskynsel soos ons dink?
[Foto: Twitter / @TheRealBuzz]
Ruimtevaarder Buzz Aldrin beweer hy het die eerste ‘selfie’ geneem in 1966 toe hy, as deel van `n opleidingsessie in 1966, homself afgeneem het.
Ongelukkig vir Mnr Aldrin was daar iemand wat hom voorgespring het 127 jaar tevore. In 1839 het Robert Cornelius, `n Amerikaanse baanbreker in fotografie, homself afgeneem. Ander historiese selfportrette sluit Joseph Byron (1909) en die Russiese hertogin Anastasia Nikolaevna (1914) in.
Sommige sê die fenomeen is `n aanduiding van die self-gesentreerde samelewing waarin ons leef – ander beweer dit dui op ons toenemende tegnologiese ingesteldheid. Hoe dit ookal sy en wat jou opinie daaroor is, ‘selfies’ is, vir nou, hier om te bly. Tot die volgende tegnologiese gril in elk geval.
[
BRON: www.wikipedia.org]
Tags: selfie