A flipbook presentation for my FILM 260 course on the phenomenon of 'selfies', the digital self-portrait.

1. A Flipbook
presentation by
Damon Flatman -
10065908
mirror
expression
validation
self-portrait
self-esteem
status
statement
gen-y
life-style
Understanding
the digital
self-portrait
Selfies

2. Selfies, as described on urban dictionary (urbandictionary.com) are:
“A picture taken of yourself that is planned to be uploaded to Facebook, Myspace...”
“A strange phenomenon in which the photographer is also the subject of the
photograph, in a subversive twist on the traditional understanding of the photograph.”
Photo by: trentroche (Flickr)

3. …but the
purpose of a
‘selfie’ is
Portraits
are not
new…
Photo by: Michael Gwyther-Jones (Flickr)

4. Like a portrait, selfies are a
statement for some
external audience…
…People use selfies to
communicate their
lifestyles, fashion, sexuality,
interests and identity
Photo by: I_am_Allan (Flickr)

5. they are not just a statement for the
outside world, they are a call for
attention as well.
The
Difference:
Photo by: Stuart Herbert (Flickr)

6. Some believe:
“It's much more a kind of
statement about 'Where
I've been and what I'm
doing', like holiday snaps.” –
from ‘'Selfies' just as much for the insecure as show-offs’ by Jillian McHugh
Photo (Above) by: Sam Teigen (Flickr)
Photo (Above) by: Garry Knight (Flickr)
Photo (Right) Sourced
from Wikimedia
Commons for reuse

7. However, “experts
from Curtin
University say it's
more about seeking
reassurance and
making statements
about ourselves.” –
from “ 'Selfies' just as much for the insecure as show-
offs” by Jillian McHugh
Photo by: Rasmus Andersson (Flickr)

8. "It's people
looking for their
friends to confirm
they look good.
You want that
reassurance…
Photo by: Lotus Carroll (Flickr)
Photo by: bearlikemouse (Flickr)
…we all want
people to say
positive things
about us.” –
Jon Stratton

9. Celebrities also take selfies
and share them on social media…
Miley Cyrus on Twitter Kim Kardashian on Instagram

10. … and their target audience is easily influenced
Photo by: Dimitris Papazimouris (Flickr)

11. Selfies are part of some teen’s daily life
“For teenagers, it’s
like they have their
own personal reality
show.” – Chartered
Psychologist Ros Taylor
Photo by: Damon Flatman

12. “But if you are anxious all
the time to record
everything, it’s life as a
performance. And how
authentic does that make
you as a person?”
– from Julie Hannah’s article in the Daily
Record
Photo by: Elian Chrebor (Flickr)

13. ¼ would upload
selfies themselves
⅔ of women
regard selfies
positively
Photo by: Spirit-Fire (Flickr)

14. Because of digital ease, widespread
mobile access, powerful celebrity and
peer influence, high self-interest,
focus on having a desirable physical
appearance and hip lifestyle, and a
growing need for assurance from others…
Photo by: Dirk Dallas (Flickr)

15. … Selfies have become normalized
on digital social mediums
Photo by: Dirk Dallas (Flickr)

16. But is it healthy if our social
identity is the reflection of other
people’s perceptions, judgments and
appraisals?
Photo by: Trey Ratcliff (Flickr)

17. Will sharing a selfie, even
if given positive feedback,
really make someone feel
assured of themselves?
Photo by: tom_focus (Flickr)

18. Or do selfies hurt
self-esteem as
they support a
growing need for
appraisal from
others?
Photo by: Steven Bratman (Flickr)

19. Is gaining
assurance at
the expense of
independence
and individuality
worth it?
Photo by: Mikko Karvonen (Flickr)

20. If sharing a selfie is often not just a
statement for the external world,
but actually sometimes a search for
positive attention for the internal …
Photo by: Dyniss Rainer (Flickr)

21. … it is important that we are
conscious of what we are
trying to accomplish: some type
of communication or some type
of reaction from others
Photo by: 55laney69 (Flickr)

22. Thank You
Photo by: Kaptain Kobold(Flickr)

23. All images are either:
- licensed under Creative Commons and
sourced from Flickr
- sourced from Wikimedia Commons,
- taken by presenter

24. References
• The Social Psychology of the Selfie – By Christine Erickson –
http://mashable.com/2013/02/15/social-media-and-the-selfie/
• 'Selfies' just as much for the insecure as show-offs – By Jillian McHugh –
http://www.watoday.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/selfies-just-
as-much-for-the-insecure-as-showoffs-20130403-2h6ow.html
• Is posting 'selfies' a way of portraying how we're seen on social media sites
or is it a way to boost confidence? – By Julie Hannah –
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/posting-selfies-
way-portraying-how-1797312
• The rise and rise of the 'selfie‘ – By Bim Adewunmi –
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/apr/02/rise-and-rise-of-
the-selfie
• #Me: Instagram Narcissism And The Scourge Of The Selfie – By John Paul
Titlow – http://readwrite.com/2013/01/31/instagram-selfies-narcissism
• What Your Selfie Says About You – By Owen Thomas –
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-it-means-when-we-take-selfie-
photos-2013-2?op=1
• Me, myself, and my selfie – By Caroline Leal –
http://www.worldmag.com/2013/04/me_myself_and_my_selfie

25. Image URLs
• 2nd slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trentroche/6321322858/
• 3rd slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12587661@N06/8625096284/
• 4th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/misteral/6595349165/
• 5th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartherbert/3456255833/
• 6th slide: – http://www.flickr.com/photos/917press/2202298294/
– http://www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/6790721653/
– http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Self-portrait_photograph_mirror.jpg
• 7th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rsms/2437514924/
• 8th slide: – http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelotuscarroll/8069105909/
– http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearlikemouse/8402021829/
• 9th slide: – http://https://twitter.com/MileyCyrus
– http://instagram.com/p/ZTRC61uS7l/
• 10th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/papazimouris/3006104217/
• 11th slide: Taken by presenter, URL n/a
• 12th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/elianc/8209755162/
• 13th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spirit-fire/6426757753/
• 14th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkdallas/8389009726/
• 15th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirkdallas/8285608555/in/photostream/
• 16th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/8133648509/
• 17th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tom_focus/5718548661/
• 18th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkdenver/5689101068/
• 19th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiljainenmies/3247141183/
• 20th slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dyniss/8117589452/
• 21st slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansel5569/8343077492/
• 22nd slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/6074794558/