Speak softly and carry a selfie-stick

After years of making fun of it, I finally purchased a selfie-stick. Yes, I got one… and yes, my cat made me do it.

The two and a half musketeers

She is so photogenic that I cannot stop snapping pictures of her. My computer is full of her lounging, sleeping, stretching, yawning, even posing in the raw…
There are now exactly 23,439 pictures in my photo library… with probably half of them showcasing the diva. But I cannot help it… I am mesmerized by her beauty.

So, I have plenty of Kate’s snapshots, but since I am the photographer, I am seldom part of any picture. And when I am, I am rarely pleased with what I see. Modesty aside, I daresay that I take better pictures than most of my friends.
My fans (read my vanity) demanded to see better pictures of me and I decided to do something about it. I resolved to buy a selfie-stick.

When I need something, I usually turn to the Internet. By the way, I also subscribe to Consumer Reports and before committing to anything, I want to check their ratings . As it often turns out, they never bothered to investigate that product. So instead, I went knocking at the door of Amazon, my favorite merchant.

Come in, they said… we have plenty of sticks… wipe your feet and don’t forget to wear a mask.
-I am a friend of Jeff, I started to say…
-If you are a friend of the boss, don’t bother with the mask. What is good for the White House people is good enough for us. Step right in.

Yes, Amazon had a wide variety of selfie-sticks, but the problem as usual is an embarrassment of riches. Too many choices. Which one should I get? When I shop for anything, my primary concern is quality, because I am too poor to buy cheap stuff. But no matter what, picking the right item is challenging.

I finally settled for the Mpow Selfie Stick All in 1, a compact multifunctional gadget. Until I got the gizmo, I didn’t realize how handy a selfie-stick is. Especially for taking (including yourself) of a small gathering,. What is also extremely handy with this particular device, is the detachable trigger switch. It allows you to hold the stick with one hand and the trigger with the other hand.

The rarest thing in the world is a photographer (or a woman) who is pleased with a picture of himself.

It is true. When somebody snaps a picture of you, it is a one-time deal. Satisfied or not, you have to live with the outcome.

The advantage of the do-yourself job is that you can take as many pictures as you want, and I usually fire at least three times when taking a single snapshot
As you become a little more experienced with photography, you become extremely picky with the details.

You might not realize it, but pictures are extremely important. They are a living account of your life. Long after you are gone, you will be remembered (or not) through the snapshots that you left behind.

I don’t know how you feel, but personally I would turn in my grave if somebody made derogatory remarks about the way I looked. I might even come back to haunt that nogoodnik. To avoid this embarrassment, try to memorialize decent pictures, instead of leaving blurry, sloppy snapshots behind.

The photo whisperer…

Alain

WTF: Where’s The Food?