The Reigning Queen of “Selfie”

    By: Liezel Joy S. Bastan

“Ay chaka na!”

            Exclaimed by Arlou Deo Cabanalan of Mawab, Compostella Valley Province who regularly took “selfies” with different places and with different people. His High School days inspired him to start taking pictures everyday representing changeable moods of his personality. In his 19 years of existence, various styles and angles had been established. Pictures paint a thousand words.

           

Interchanging Fussy Angles

            As he took his journey, a day without taking a photo is inept, totally disappointment when he missed the chance to capture the vibrancy of the place. At a click of a button, bunch of shots with various angles produced. As I have accessed my Facebook account, his angelic face always appear, his aura changed the entire webpage and how his narcissism in the social networking site garnered a lot of likes and comments from legion of Facebook users. His well-stocked collections of “selfies” seems to get attention not just seeing that he was a good-looking person but the shifting of his angles as his simple but an authentic style. High, wide, low, close up high and close up low, these are the interchanging angles that he frequently used in taking his “selfie”, but take note, these angles depict emotions, where he was, and what he was doing. The first shot, high angle view as he was satisfied with the vibrant of his day, and the majestic art of a certain thing or place; low angle view, depicting his deep emotions such as being happy of what he has achieved or regretful of what he has done; wide angle as a backlash of his emotions; close up low angle as he was trying to fit his whole body but unfortunately just the half of it fitted on the camera screen; and last but not the least, close up high angle, as if he wanted others to see his happiness in the middle of the wonderland. Though his explanations behind his “selfies” are quiet funny but because of that I get to know him more.

Close up High Angle

Wide Angle Portrait

Combination of High, Low, Wide

 and Close  up Angle

Mini – Me!

            In a first look, others would say, he was strict, mischievous and a happy go lucky person, but who is Arlou behind these “selfies”? “what are his reasons in taking his photos?”. As I have a conversation with him, I was surprised that he is a kind-hearted person. His friends who are also “selfie addicts” influenced him to start taking “selfie”, he always took selfie before, during and after most especially if that place grasp his sight, just imagine he could took over 100 photos out of that worth remembering moment, that was awesome! He considered that photos as his most favorite selfies, “I am with the one I love and photos are perfectly captured the most treasured moments of our imperfections” he laughed. And I asked him “if you will take your last shot, to whom it will be and why?” he replied with a smile and a blush on his cheeks “of course! with the person whom I love and accepted who I am.”

 Close Up High Angle

            We neither like taken photos from a camera timer nor let other people hold it for us. This is the most popular way to post and gain the most likes from our followers. It shows visceral photographs that others deemed and critique. When we post our own photos, others might say “I hate it! your ugly”, “you’re so beautiful”, but honestly, “selfie” represents the ostensibility part of ours. There are photos seem to be pernicious and whammy, everyone has a freedom to post because taking selfie is our way of expressing our feelings whether it is good or bad and it gives pleasure when someone give comments and suggestions for we get their attention. Attention is Power!

 So, are you willing to take more than 200 “selfies”? , it’s for you to decide.