By Brittany Bergin
Campus News
Next time you go to the Grand Canyon, instead of taking a picture of it, take one of the people you are with. Take a selfie there! Many things in life come and go, continuously decomposing as the days pass by. Unfortunately, we tend to ignore the fact that one of those is human life. We are all mortal but does it mean we cannot live on in another form? Of course not! The aesthetic of photography, making a moment last forever, is a gift we must not take for granted.
Taking a picture of the Eiffel Tower can be beautiful artwork, but something that has been done countless times, which seems rather silly considering that it’s relatively a timeless structure. What isn’t timeless however, is the face behind the camera. Every time a face is captured it is original photography at its finest. I can guarantee that you will never see that photo anywhere else; it is completely unique to you. Human life is a lovely, delicate gift that is fleeting with every moment. We have the ability to make ourselves immortal through the art of photography, yet some still feel silly about taking pictures of themselves. What you appear today will not be as you appear tomorrow, or how you appeared yesterday, each photo has potential to be beautiful. We all realize that we are capable of painting a picture, writing a story, or of creation in general, but do we realize that we can become the art ourselves simply by sharing photographs?
Why do we feel so awkward about putting ourselves out there? Growing up, social media had a huge impact on my self-esteem and generally how I viewed my self-worth as a person. Anybody active on Twitter for the past five years may be able to resonate with my words when I recall there being almost a phenomenon of self-depreciation, as if it were cool or hip to hate on yourself. Of course, some of it was for comedic purposes, which wasn’t a problem, but overall it was just a very negative and emo state of being. Over the past two or so years, it seems this has taken a turn for the better. The engagement of posting selfies actually seems to be what triggered this movement. The thought of someone being confident enough to say, “Hey! Look at me! Can we appreciate this together?” by a simple photo of themselves promotes self-love and a better tomorrow. Many people claim that social media can negatively influence a child’s self-esteem, but I’m willing to say it’s all a matter of perception and who you surround your posts with, just like in real life. There will always be two sides of that glass of water, but life is ultimately what you make it.
There is nothing wrong with self-appreciation once in awhile! If you’re still not comfortable sharing pictures of yourself, then take pictures of your loved ones; make the good times last so you can look back on them when it feels as if there’s no more to come. Consider a family photo in front of the Grand Canyon instead of just a nature shot is all I ask of you. All it takes is one person with confidence to start a movement that could positively change the way we think, offering a welcoming future for those who feel they’re not good enough. Be bold! Make the first move, act courageous, and stay humble. You could inspire a countless number of people without even realizing it, I promise.
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