How do you feel about the pics on social media?
I saw that yesterday (June 21) was National Selfie Day. Yes, you read that correctly...there actually is a day that celebrates people taking pics of themselves (and posting them for the world to see).
Although I play the (shameless) selfie game, pretty much daily, I do have mixed feelings about it. Most of what we see on social media is "filtered" (literally and figuratively) to reflect what the person posting wants us to see about them or the lifestyle they lead.
As much as I enjoy playing with filters, there is the temptation to become co-dependent on them. I am an art geek, after all, and I love color.
Thus, I'm sharing five recent pics (selfies, none the less) that I especially like, for various reasons:
First off, how about we get real? Summer has been pretty hot and humid already. That's not a complaint (because I was only too happy to see winter finally come to an end...in late April). Summer is my favorite season, but with the heat and humidity comes perspiration. LOTS of perspiration. This pic was taken after an early morning walk, and you can see my back was a sweaty mess. Although the filter(s) I used to enhance the colors of the trees ALSO enhanced the dampness of my back...I like that this picture shows the reality of the day.
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| It was a hot summer day, and I took full advantage of being outside |
How about some crazy, bright color? Another recent morning walk had me outside before there was full daylight. I took a post-walk selfie, doing one of my favorite stretches, while still holding my Knuckle Lights. A little filter to highlight the glow from the Knuckle Lights...and YOWZA! My pink tank top took on a life of its own!
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| The bright lights aren't the only things aglow |
Who doesn't love a beautiful sunrise? Often times, I'm craving something different from the typical "action shot" of me running or posing on my front porch after a run or a workout. A spontaneous Royal Dancer pose in the middle of a quiet street (while the rest of the town was still asleep) depicted the tranquility of the moment.
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| All was quiet... |
I'm not just a runner. Granted, running is my exercise of choice, but it's not all I do to keep myself healthy and fit. The thing is, I don't always have perfectly coiffed hair or even a smudge of the previous day's eyeliner. And, sometimes, there's household clutter in the background. Adding a funky filter can not only blur the overall image (camouflaging the less desirable details), but it can also enhance other elements (like one's muscle tone LOL).
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| not just a runner |
And, lastly, I love a good candid shot. Once in awhile, the camera snaps at the perfect moment as the glow from the sunrise peeks over your shoulder. Being caught in a deep stretch, with a look of concentration and calmness on your face...well, that's nearly impossible to duplicate. I don't always thoroughly stretch my muscles following a run, but I did on this particular morning.
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| stretching the angry hammie |
So, there's a few recent favorite pics. Maybe I should do a future post on previously not-posted pics, hmmm? Bloopers? Selfie fails, if you will? The jury is still out on that ...stay tuned.
How do you feel about selfies? Too many on social media? Do you use filters on your pictures, selfies or otherwise? Do you see using filters as "cheating" or as "artfully enhancing" a potentially dull picture?
i love all these pics, Kim. I just went through your IG actually to see what I had missed (I'm not a stalker, promise!)
ReplyDeleteI really haven't figured the timer thing out on my camera. I feel like the shots are always the same. I am always curious how people get such shots of running while they are high up in the air, etc. I kind of have a love-hate relationship with selfies and social media. I have a ton of bloopers. Yesterday I dropped my phone on my face trying to get a shot. Lesson learned: not always worth it to " get the shot" . I don't get tons of attraction on social media anyway - why am I breaking my face over it? haha!
i use filters but usually on scenic photos and sometimes selfies just to clear them up or pop the color a bit.
A lot of my photo "skills" are from lots of trial and error. Once I figured out the timer, my world got so much brighter LOL A lot of my pics are taken "live" so there's 10 shots taken within a couple seconds or so...and I can "edit" the shot and pic which of the 10 cells are the best. It's similar to shooting a video, and screen-shotting the individual cells.
DeleteI use filters. Why not?
ReplyDeleteI don’t do selfies but I do use my timer a lot.
Love your pics.
I guess I consider any pic of myself that I manipulate the camera a selfie, not just the ones taken of my face with an extended arm. I definitely use filters, but I try to not use them for every pic....I like the untouched ones some of the time.
DeleteThese are great photos! I love playing with my phone but it can be such a time suck! You seem to have it down.
ReplyDeleteOh, it definitely can be a time suck! I try to only take a few shots and then play with the filters to see if I can make any of the shots worthwhile.
DeleteYou have inspired me to try to take better pictures. I am a terrible picture-taker! I've gotta work on my game. Also, I can't believe how flexible you are. Most runners (me included) are stiff as a board! I do yoga, and my instructor (who is also a friend) laughs at my inflexibility!
ReplyDeleteWell, don't be fooled...I definitely feel stiff as a board on many occasions. My hamstrings are really tight, so my forward folds are more back flexibility than anything LOL
DeleteFilters are fun! I love playing around with my pics and yes, I like to make them look better (lighting especially!). I use my timer more than I take selfies, but I do like trying to get a good selfie too. I've always been a picture person, so I love sharing on Instagram <3
ReplyDeleteThe art geek in me has a blast with the filters...but I often feel like I'm creating "art" out of a bad pic if I get too crazy with filters. Sometimes it's hard to know when to stop LOL
DeleteEveryday is selfie day for us running and fitness bloggers right?! Love all of your fun filters
ReplyDeleteHa ha!!! My family teases me about the "required" post run pics that I have to take. Hey, a blogger has got to have pics to blog about...right?
DeleteI don't mind filters at all. I also don't mind running and fitness selfies when people are showing that they are doing something or completing something or at least showing something in the picture, but just the random close up
ReplyDeleteSelfie just to say "good morning" or "hey there", I find a little odd. Its almost like those people are fishing (or is it phishing ?)for compliments. Know what I mean?
Have a great Friday. Hopefully I'll remember #fashionfriday...where i may have to take a selfie...haha
UGH...I agree...the random "look at me" selfie with no purpose (or story?) drive me nuts. I agree, I think those selfies are bait for compliments ;-)
DeleteI take terrible selfies so I don't do that many. lol Unless I'm running. But, even then....I'm so picky! LOL I don't use filters but I do use software to edit the picture which can be really nice to "fix" the lights and the darks. The selfies I'm not normally fond of are the ones that make me feel like I'm less than. You know, the ones from the people with the perfectly chiseled bodies posing suggestively without any message other than "look at me." No thanks.
ReplyDeleteTotal agreement on the "look at me" selfies. What's the point, anyways?
DeleteI use filters. I don't see anything wrong with it. I like to make my pictures attractive.
ReplyDeleteI definitely use filters, too. My art geek self is in a constant battle of messing with what was already created (the original pic) vs. creating art out of a not-so-good pic and making it great (the filtered pic). First world probs, right? ;-)
DeleteI'm awful at selfies, and never look good in them. The angle's weird, I cut off some part of me, the background isn't right. I love photography, and it's so easy to take pictures of other things.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever done the "front camera" option, where you can see yourself on the screen as the photo is being snapped? I think the hardest aspect is finding a decent place to prop my phone...sometimes the ground itself gives an awkward angle.
DeleteYou really did catch the perfect moment in your last picture. I don't really do selfies. If I ever post a photo of myself, it's probably when someone else managed to catch my rare photogenic moment :P
ReplyDeleteha ha ha! As mentioned, I've only posted the "good" pics, I have lots of bloopers where my face is cut off or my legs are bent at a weird angle. That's why the candid pics (like that last pic of mine) are usually successful because they're not really "posed" with a forced smile
DeleteI couldn't believe that yesterday was national selfie day. I like all your pictures - especially the bright colors one! If it's not neon, it can't be on ;p
ReplyDeleteI agree! One of my favorite hashtags is #gobrightorgohome LOL
DeleteI love it when I can look at an instagram account and see a lot of different pictures. I don't love it when I see one that the pictures are almost all exactly the same. I don't use filters on mine but I do edit the lighting on several of them.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree...I get bored seeing the same pics of runners all the time. Yes, we run, but there's a lot of different ways of capturing our livelihood than the same "pose" all the time.
DeleteYou do get some pretty amazing shots! I feel like all mine are fairly boring. I should step up my game!
ReplyDeleteI think your pics are fun, and they are real. ;-)
DeleteOh a bloopers post would be a fun topic. I'll admit, I have way more bloopers than good shots that usually all wind up being deleted. Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to delete all of them.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of bloopers...not sure why I keep so many of them (?) LOL
DeleteYou always have such great pictures! I need to get inspiration from you! I don't take many selfies, but will only post those that I like.
ReplyDeleteI try to take a few different shots (from different angles, etc.) and then play around with filters (if they need some color enhancement) or I try cropping them to eliminate excess "garbage" from the background. There are lots of ways to make "boring" pics more interesting ;-)
DeleteYour pics always make me smile! SO artsy and full of fun colors!
ReplyDeleteI am terrible at taking selfies and never seem to get them right!
My selfies sometimes make me wince LOL I'm glad I can rely on the color(s) to give them life if the pose is awkward or the angle is weird.
DeleteBeautiful and creative shots! I am really lazy about having creative picture content on my blog. Usually it's just a sweaty post run selfie in front of my house!
ReplyDelete