Selfies became a “thing” in the early 2010s and the concept was first included in the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.
Selfies were initially taken by holding your camera as far away as your arm length allowed (Hello! Very short person here. I take crappy selfies). But then selfie sticks were invented. A simple item where your cell phone can be attached to a stick allows the camera to be further away and gives you more background in the photo, along with the ability to have more of you in the shot.
LEFT: Regular selfie (PC: Steven Depolo/Flickr)
RIGHT: Selfie with a selfie stick
Selfie sticks are a great way to show you and background and, best of all, you can be alone when you take the shot – you don’t need someone else with you to get that perfect snap. They’re perfect for solo travelers.
Of course, solo travel has also become more and more of a “thing” in the past decade or so. In fact, multiple tours, cruises, apps and message groups, all specific to solo travelers, have popped up over the years.
While some have embraced visiting places by themselves, some would-be solo travelers remain hesitant about taking that big step of “going at it alone.” Some, especially women, may have safety concerns, but others are simply uncomfortable with being viewed as a “lonely only” (some would scoff at the latter but to be honest, feelings are feelings; there’s no right or wrong. Everyone’s different).
Enter the selfie arm.
The Selfie Arm is a combination selfie stick and dummy arm built of fiberglass and super light.
PC: Eric Snee
When you hold the “hand” of the selfie arm, it looks like you’re holding someone’s hand and therefore not alone.
PC: Eric Snee
Brilliant!
You’d think that something like a Selfie Arm was an attempt at an April Fool’s joke (you know, like Selfie Shoes). But the selfie arm WAS an item about 7 years ago. Several companies were interested in mass production, but in the end, only 10 were made, and they cost about $6,000 each.
Frankly, for $6,000, I think I’d rather do some self-study classes on not being uncomfortable appearing alone in photos. But maybe that’s just me. As the good blog says, Your Mileage May Vary.
Happy April Fool’s Day, y’all!
Feature photo: Max Pixel
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
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