ANVJ89

or maybe we embrace that we are AMATEUR cellphone photographers. Letting that be the excuse we need for blur, glare, blemish and imperfections. We add the hashtags. The #NormalSunday, #wokeuplikethis, #smilebright, #love, #selfie, #selfielove … the list goes on. All so someone will stumble a crossed us. So in a digital world we won’t feel so alone. We care who sees us prior to the filters and cropping, but we don’t care who sees us after. A complicated process, all so someone will notice us, and often times we don’t care who.

But still we check for likes over and over, look for the little hearts on Instagram, we rush see the comments only moments after the notification arrives but wait till later to reply. We share on twitter, Facebook and Instagram in an instant, forgetting the followers on each platform are mostly the same. I’m not saying we should stop taking selfies. In fact want to encourage you to take more. #Takeaselfiewithit is a personal project designed to encourage memory of the moment for the subject and dual focus for the viewer. To change how you look at things around you and in turn interact with them.

 The background object is often far more interesting than the individual taking the photo. So why not just take a photograph of the object and post the perfect selfie separately? Because photographs of either the selfie or the object become stereotypical and common, they lack reason and inspiration, they lose context and purpose.  This project is about changing how you look at things around you and in turn interact with them. Be it by participation or just looking. I better remember the visit, the creatures, and events then those where I didn’t #Takeaselfiewithit.