And let’s face it, the selfie, whether alone or in a group, is here to stay. According to the folks over at Photutorial, 2.3 billion photos are taken each day, with 92 million of those being selfies.

That’s 92 million selfies taken per day! An awful long way from the first selfie ever taken, huh?

Honestly, with so many selfies being taken every day, you wouldn’t think taking the perfect group selfie would be all that difficult. But…sometimes it certainly seems to be.

As much as I hate to say it, I do think we’ve become a bit of a narcissistic, selfie-obsessed society. But, I also believe there is a time and place to take the perfect selfie, too. In my mind, it’s a balancing act between taking selfies for the sake of seeing yourself on camera to taking selfies to commemorate family, friends and events. You know, to document those memories.

I am in no way a professional photographer, but over the years, I’ve learned a few things that seem to help when it comes to the group selfie.

Light is Your Friend

Let me rephrase that – light is your friend unless it’s directly behind you – then it creates those weird, unflattering shadows that just don’t help anyone. Instead, do your best to keep the light in front of you. And, I hope it goes without saying that natural light is far better than any other kind.

If you do happen to be in a dimly lit area, try to keep the light on your face, if at all possible.

Take Lots and Lots of Snaps

Back when I was young (showing my age here), you loaded film into a camera, took a picture and crossed your fingers that it turned out okay. In all reality, you probably had about a 50-50 chance. But, you DIDN’T have the luxury of taking picture after picture because film and developing just cost WAY too much.

I mean, does anyone remember the Fotomat?

But nowadays, the remarkable digital age makes it easy to take picture after picture after picture. And I’m serious, take far more than you think you’ll ever need, because guess what? Literally half of them will be terrible and hit the trash bin as soon as you start to review them.

Oh, wait! Am I the only one that does that?

Love your Selfie Stickk

Ummm! Does that title sound a little naughty? Just me? OK – I digress!

I’ve said it before, but I totally adore my selfie stick. I love it so much I gifted my girlfriends with their very own selfie stick at a favorite things Christmas party. Although I have a great Canon DSLR camera with multiple lenses that I absolutely adore, I never, ever leave home without that selfie stick.

And why the selfie stick? Well – my hands are simply NOT big enough to hold the phone and click the button to take pictures. My selfie stick, on the other hand, has a tiny little remote that I can click and click and click until I can’t click anymore (wait, that sounds kind of naughty too)! What’s wrong with me today?

Anyways, my selfie stick also has a little tripod function, so I can set it up anywhere and snap candid pics without anyone knowing. How great is that? And no, that doesn’t mean I act like a voyeur (rolls eyes), but candid shots are always pretty special!

Be on the Same Page

You’re diligently trying to get the perfect selfie and, wouldn’t you know it, your bestie is smiling away and you’re sitting there cross-eyed with your tongue hanging out. Before you begin snapping pics, try to get on the same page with your group. Determine what kind of pics you’re taking. Funny. Serious. Tongues out? Tongues in?

I mean, sometimes the differences in faces can be charming, but once in a while you just want a great pic, where you’re all looking your best and doing the same thing. The kind of pic you can print out and frame for your desk

The key to making that happen is communication – just talk for a few seconds before each pic and you’ll stand a better chance of getting a cohesive look.

Vary the Shots

Don’t let only the person in the front, middle take the shot. Instead, pass the phone and selfie stick off to different group members. Doing so, will allow for lots of different angles and offer more variety in your pictures. Sometimes a minor change can mean a world of difference in your photos.

Another good idea is to have the person holding the camera up front and have the remainder of the group stand back just a bit. It gives a completely different perspective than if you were all grouped together tightly.

Play with Filters

OK, I might get some guff for this one, but filters CAN be fun. Don’t go so crazy that you no longer have a nose or are TOTALLY unrecognizable, but a touch up or a bit of brightening is perfectly okay in my opinion.

Sometimes I’ll use filters and other times I’ll go completely au natural – just depends on what I’m going for.

But, I do shake my head at some of the crazy things people do. Like, can someone explain the need to filter an infant? Sorry folks, they are perfect already! Stop filtering babies, please! Serious pet peeve over here Of course, that could just be my age, too. What do you think?

If you’re on the hunt for a great photo app, I recommend Facetune. Although I have lots of other apps, Facetune has been my favorite for sometime now, primarily because it’s so easy to use for those of us that AREN’T graphic designers.

Know Your Angles

I personally have a fetish for pics where everyone is looking up toward the camera. But vary those shots and try different angles – that’s what makes pictures so fun. Look up and take one from above. Look down and take one from below. Take one from the right. Take one from the left. (did I just create a new line dance over here)?

In a group shot, it’s tough to get every individual’s best angles, but if one of your friends is adamant about her right side being her go to, then try to position her that way whenever you’re able. If you’re like me and my gals, we don’t remotely worry about our ‘best’ angle.

At our age, everything is perfectly peachy as long as we still have angles and we’re still here to snap some photos

Burst It

Do you ever use the burst function on your phone? Taking so many pictures in rapid succession can be a lifesaver, especially for any moving subject.

Basically, this continuous shooting function snaps multiple frames per second, capturing every minute difference from one frame to the next.

The burst function is available on both iPhone and Android. Depending on your phone model, the steps to get to the burst function might look just a touch different.

Give it a try and see how it works out for you. I always love to play with the features my phone has to offer!

Background

If you have amazing scenery around you, be sure to try and get some of it in your group shot. Not only does having that perfect scenery or historical building make for a wonderfully unique backdrop, it also helps commemorate a moment in time and document where and what you were doing at a specific time.

While taking the perfect group selfie might be a bit of an undertaking, it’s well worth the time when you look back at those pics and find a hidden gem mixed in with those shots with the bad lighting, crazy angles or weird facial expressions on all your friends.

But remember, at its core, the entire reason for taking all those group selfies is to document the amazing memories you’re making with your loved ones. Take your selfies and have fun with them – and sometime, decades from now, you’ll look back with fondness on all of the amazing adventures you had during your lifetime.

The post Taking the Perfect Group Selfie appeared first on Quite Simply Us.

HISTORY

To listen to, errrr….read Google’s search results, you’d think that Congress recognized National Photography Month in 1987. However, a little further research indicates that simply isn’t the case.

Todd Vorenkamp over at B&H Photo & Video did some pretty extensive research into the National Photography Month assertion and basically found a House and Senate joint resolution from 1984 that proclaimed “National Photo Week” from May 7 – May 13, 1984. Nothing could be found regarding National Photography Month. Urban myth, apparently

More importantly, the true lesson here is in not taking everything you read on the internet as fact! M’kay!

OK, back to the non-existent National Photography Month! I say who cares. Perhaps we call it something different, but I believe it’s a perfect opportunity to think about pictures, photography and why they are all so important to each and every one of us.

THE FIRST PHOTO

Inventor Joseph Nicephore Niepce is credited with the below image, believed to be the first photo ever taken, circa 1825-1827. The image is of the French countryside and was created when a thin coating of bitumen was placed on a pewter plate. The plate was then placed in a camera obscura and set on a windowsill for an 8-hour exposure.

It’s quite amazing to reflect on how far we’ve come, isn’t it?

WHY DO PICTURES MATTER?

Let’s think for a minute about the importance of photography in our society. Not only are photographs essential artistic expressions of the world around us, they are also a vital journalistic record of life, as it’s happening. Singular magnificent moments in time, recorded for reflection. For posterity.

Photographs as Art

Walk into any gallery or look at a magazine cover and you’ll see displays of breathtaking photographs, creative interpretations of whatever subject captured the imagination and interest of the photographer. Just like artists who operate in other mediums like canvas or clay, photographers bring their vision and their subject to life – on film.

Every photograph is meant to make us think and challenge our perceptions about ourselves, others and the world around us. Imagine, all of that from one little picture.

Through the years, there have been some really amazing and notable photographers. Think about true visionaries such as Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe and Anne Geddes. All photographers whose impact on the world of photography is still, to this day, being felt.

From the amazing and well known landscapes of Ansel Adams to the celebrity and fashion photos of Annie Liebovitz and Richard Avedon, their photos always touch an emotion within each of us.

Think about Robert Mapplethorpe, who had a storied career, photographing everything from still life to nudes, but is most remembered for his exceptionally controversial and explicit BDSM photos.

And then, think about Anne Geddes and the whimsical stories she tells. Further, think about newborn photography as it exists today and ask yourself if Anne Geddes didn’t play a part in how all photographers are taking pictures of littles these days.

Photographs as News

Now, think about some of the most iconic photographs you’ve ever seen. Maybe they were, indeed, taken by a working photojournalist – one who happened to get an amazing shot, capturing an extraordinary moment in time. Maybe they weren’t taken by a famous shutterbug at all. Perhaps it was an everyday person like you and I, who happened to be in the right place and the right time, with a camera in tow.

Do you recognize some of these photos? I bet you’re familiar with nearly all of them. Why? Because they’ve been plastered across our collective conscious for years. From seeing them in magazines, in school books or on the TV screen, these iconic images aren’t just a mere memory still of the moment they were taken – they’re a part of our stories now too.

Every photo below, with the exception of one, was taken before I was born! Not only am I familiar with every single picture, I know the story behind them, as well. Each and every one of these photographs is a living legacy, defining a singular moment and sharing it with generations.

It’s funny, because as a writer, I like to think that words are needed, but the fact is, with the right picture, not a single word is needed to tell any of these stories. Some may excite you and bring you joy. Others may make you shake with rage. But that’s what a photo is meant to do – capture a moment in time and tell the story.

The First Cell Phone Picture

Thinking about it now, it’s hard to believe that there was life before cell phones. Right? How many of you remember back that far?

In 1997, some 25 years ago, Philippe Kahn is credited with the first cell phone picture of his baby daughter. Although Kahn was a software guru, his initial invention was very rudimentary – he connected a digital camera to his flip phone, wrote some code to tie them together and was able to snap a photo and send it to around 2,000 people.

He continued to improve his technology and it was eventually used by Sharp in the first cell phone with camera ever released commercially.

Along with his little girl, the cell phone selfie was unwittingly born

Life in Pictures

Every one of us uses photos to document the story of our lives, capturing important and life-altering moments as well as normal, mundane ones. And, throughout our lives, we look back on those moments to remember our stories. To share our stories.

With every blog post I write and share, I’m telling you the story of my friendship with the gals. I’m sharing the adventures of our girls days like derby day or Friendsgiving or the wine trail. I’m writing the story and sharing it in pictures, too.

And what’s even better, is that those of us with no discernable artistic talent whatsoever can pick up a camera and manage to snap some amazing shots now and then. I certainly can’t pick up a paintbrush and create a work of art, but I can pick up a camera and get some pretty good shots now and then.

And so can you!

LET’S CELEBRATE

So, in honor of it’s not National Photography Month after all, I’m leaving you with a few ideas to kick your inner shutterbug into gear

• Picture Challenge – Download my 30-day picture challenge, perfect for the upcoming summer.
• Photography Exhibit – Go get your culture on and visit a photography exhibit. Nothing nearby? Museums often have roaming exhibits or specific areas devoted specifically to the artistry of photography.
• Take a Class – Anxious to learn more about shutter speed, exposure or ISO, find yourself a nearby class. If you can’t find an in-person one, tons of classes are offered online these days.
• Create a Photo Book – Gone are the days of printing all those pics and cramming them into a sticky album. Instead, download your favorite photo app, select your pics and create a photo book of a fun event, trip or story in your life.
• Buy a New Camera – Treat yourself to a new camera or lens. My son gifted me with an amazing new Canon and a few lenses a couple of years back! Of course, I’m still figuring things out about how to use all of the features, but it’s so amazing to learn and be able to take pictures with something besides the cell phone.

Photography has no doubt changed over the years, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is that from the oldest of us to the youngest, using old school cameras, brand new digital ones, tablets or phones, taking a photo is something we can all enjoy.

A photo is something that can bring us together decades later, looking, laughing and asking, “Do you remember when?”

Maybe your memory is as fresh as every. Maybe it’s starting to fade. But, isn’t that what those pictures are for, after all?

Keeping those memories alive!

The post National Photography Month appeared first on Quite Simply Us.