Reading #1: On Selfies and Self-Portraits

When examining the relation between selfies and self-portraits, the seemingly marked differences between the two gradually shift and fade away. While selfies, on one hand, are easy to reproduce and require little to no technical skill, paintings and self-portraits require a great amount of time, dedication, materials, and skill. This difference in time allows nearly anybody to create as many selfies as they would like, though even the most skilled of artists could only make a very limited amount of self-portraits in their lifetime.

However, these are largely the extent of their differences. Overall, the purpose of self-portraits and selfies largely remains the same - to freeze and capture an idyllic moment in one's life, and to express oneself on a more personal level. When looking at the images below, the differences between the two compositions are remarkably small; both images depict a man at roughly the same distance from the "camera," with both at a similar angle. Both try to stand out from their backgrounds, and both express a message of emotion.

When looking at these images a similar concept can be portrayed in themes, emotions, angles, distancing, and composition - both images are attempting to portray a very clear emotion, with an attempt to create an angle that allows for the illumination of the face.

This image finally showcases how similar selfies and self-portraits are. Both are stylized in their own sense, whether it be art-style, lighting, composition, or expression. Both are a representation of the same person and convey the same message. Ultimately, while the form may differ, the content remains the same.