Wednesday, October 8, 2014

What did we take pictures of.....before Selfies?

Snapchat!
I had dinner tonight with my 17 year old daughter Madison, and her boyfriend Robert.  Wait, he didn't actually join us but I felt like he was there because Madi was busy "snapchatting" him while we waited for our meal.  Okay, and during our meal until I told her I didn't want to spend the entire evening in the restaurant.

I shouldn't assume that everyone knows what "Snapchatting" is.  This is an app on smart phones and tablets that allows you to take pictures of yourself and send them IMMEDIATELY to whoever you are "Snapchatting" with.  This can be one person or many.   You do this instead of talking or texting because we all know a picture is worth a thousand words.  Even pictures received at the rate of 3 per minute.  It's like a tennis match with pictures being volleyed back and forth until someone's face falls off from fatigue. 

The benefit of pictures versus words - words, if not chosen wisely, can leave an ugly mark and these are sight unseen.  Con - you can write words on the Snapchat so caution should be exercised at all times when combining the two.

Notice the countdown
Another benefit of Snapchat , the picture only lasts for a matter of seconds and then it disappears forever.   Downside:  A wily recipient can screensnap the photo if done really quickly (sorry Marissa, I needed an example),  Don't quote me on this, but screensnaps are frowned upon in several states.  

Snapchatting is not to be confused with "selfies".  Selfies are when you take pictures of yourself in various poses, pouts or places and share them with proclamations of praise, prose, or prattle generally to invite solidarity, commentary, or both.  (I feel fairly certain that some people are unaware that the camera lens would exist for any other purpose).  Selfies need no special app - you just point the phone at yourself and presto - you have taken a picture of yourself.

If you are really savvy, you will then check out what apps you can download to take that unfiltered shot and enhance the naked photo with the best lighting possible, perhaps eliminate any unfortunate red-eye and crop out any unnecessary clutter in the background.  You can create your own backgrounds to create a theme for the portrait (picture seems so tame now) that you are creating.

Just for fun you can download many other apps - though these are the ones you use when you save pictures of other people.  They have apps for what a person would like like when he/she is  xxx amount of years older,  or were xxx amount of pounds heavier.  Those are always fun for a few laughs.

And so many venues to post whatever you want to call the photos these days.  I never get it right and Madi corrects me all the time,  If I say snapshot, it's supposed to be screenshot (I think) or if I say picture of you - I really meant selfie.  I think you catch my drift.  But back to venues -obviously you can email or text pictures (old school and so limiting).  There is Facebook (where all your friends and friends of friends) can see, depending on settings.  Don't forget Instagram and Twitter.  I am sure there are more that I don't know about, because it's hard enough to try and keep up with those.

Don't get me wrong, I do love all the pictures and technology is amazing.  And now if you want  a picture of just about anyone - there is no short supply.  I chuckle when I think of our family pictures we have posed for in the past, but I also remember how much joy and planning went into those photographs, especially when we were doing the pictures as a Christmas surprise for someone.  

This is what I do know - I want every picture of my grandkids...and I don't care who is taking them.

Until next time,
#snapatyalater

your pal,
Kari 






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