Ethical use of selfies and selfie sticks

You make the justification in the Italy section. No better here. Why would anyone want to defend selfie sticks? Mostly personal opinion BUT I still think the self sticks are a pain in the butt. You may like seeing your face in every picture but others might not. And just because your face is in the picture doesn't make it a great picture. It is just your picture. Just because you like using a self stick doesn't mean I have to like your using it in my face. You can spin it anyway you like but I still find self sticks rude and many of the users rude.

Most of the people taking selfies are young people that are often rude when spending lots of everyone's time so they can be in the photo.

I have never take a selfie and don't see the need for myself being in the photo. If I want that, my Wife can take one or we can ask a friend.

If people want to take pictures of themselves, I have no issue with that. What I object to is being hit with them, having them in my way and being shoved out of the way so someone can take their "selfie". At Versailles last year, I was physically shoved ( and as a result fell) by a tourist using... you guessed it - a selfie stick. Lately most of the rudeness I've encountered while traveling has been from people using "selfie sticks." Which makes complete sense to me - selfie sticks just perpetuate the narcissistic trend in our society. As for those using regular cameras I've experienced far less rudeness - perhaps because they are focused on what's around them and not on themselves.

I honestly could care less if people want their Europe trip memories to be filled with selfies showing them in front of landmarks. However, selfie sticks are the root of all evil. Something about holding one immediately lowers one's IQ by 100 points and makes them completely clueless. I work near the Sears Tower in Chicago, and every summer it's almost impossible to cross the street because of people using selfie sticks.

I don't take selfies unless forced into someone else's picture. Recently I told my daughter that a phone should have a "mirror" app so you could check your teeth for spinach. She told me to use the selfie mode. Duh.

As an occasionally used tool, I'm ok with others using one. If they have to. I also have no problem using a loud "excuse me!" to remind the rude users that they might want to consider others. I do realize that makes me rather rude, but so be it.

Ethics is the discipline of handling a moral duty or obligation.

What does a polite or rude manner in which someone uses selfie stick have anything to do with ethics?

Continental, I found this definition of the word, which is what I was aiming at.

Ethics: A set of principles of right and wrong behavior guiding, or representative of, a specific culture, society, group, or individual.

One can use a selfie stick ethically, without being rude. One can be rude without a selfie stick.

Happy travels!

The "selfie" phenominon may be partly a generational divide and partly an economic nouveau riche tourist hapenning.

Generational in that tourist have evolved from large film cameras to using cell phones for image capture making "selfies" practical, (Even a basic 35mm SLR is large compared to an iPhone). Selfie sticks are just an innovation for those with short arms.

The "nouveau riche" tourist, or more the new economics (deregulation) of air travel for the masses making travel accessible for the less than filthy rich, is flooding tourist destinations with those not educted in "polite" travel. And these trips to exotic lands may be a once in a decade experience financed on credit. If you travel to exotic locations once in a decade wouldn't you want to preserve those memories?

And then their is the "sharing" on social media. It use to be we sent postcards to friends with a "look at us, don't you wish you were here" messsage. Now it's instant posting of the same "look at us...."

Unless we have somekind of econommic collapse or global warfare stopping international travel, we're going to have to share tourist distinations with the masses.

Selfie sticks are like dogs and children - they are great but their owners/parents sometimes aren't.

My wife (62yo) sometimes uses one, because like the OP, she loves to have photos of us both in famous/beautiful locations. I have to confess that, despite me being an avid photographer and carrying an expensive DSLR, I never include myself in photos, so if she didn't, it might seem that I don't exist!

I still have a 'famous' photo of us both taken in the Whitsundays - or rather, it's of my wife plus my legs. It was one of very few times I tried to use the self timer. I sent Marian to sit on a lounger, across the other side of a small pool. I then hit the button and dashed around the pool to join her. Needless to say, my old timer legs failed me so, when the shutter fired, I can be seen 'sprinting' (in the fashion of an arthritic Gibbon) towards her, with just my legs visible behind a clump of palm fronds.

Nevertheless, I dislike selfie sticks, but mainly because I see them used most often by the aforementioned young narcissists. Whenever I see young people using them, I think about the Facebook pages of my young nieces and nephews, which comprise almost 100% of photos of themselves. No matter what the occasion or subject, you can bet they are in the photo: "Happy birthday to my best friend!" (and here's a picture of me with her). "My dog just did the silliest thing!" (and here's a picture of me and the dog). "At last, some sunshine today!" (cue photo of me in the sun) and even, "One year ago today, I lost my dear Grandfather." (here's me again, with him). There seems to be no event or news item that doesn't seem to require a photo of themselves.

The worst example of this, though it didn't involve a selfie stick, was a young lady who was using the self timer on her phone camera to get a shot of the Torii Gate on Miyajima Island. You guessed it, she was actually after a picture of herself, with the gate behind, in the sunset. Fair enough, but my wife and I were first bemused, then appalled at how many she took! They were all pretty much identical, but with each shot she would fuss with her hair a little differently, pout a little more or less, angle her head this way or that ... I kid you not, she kept this up for a full twenty minutes, taking around fifty shots!

So, even if the selfie stick user is being discreet, I confess I automatically imagine the photo being posted to an equally-shameless Facebook page. Unless of course the user is 62yo ;-)

And another thing ... :-)

There is something worse than the dreaded selfie stick, a relatively new but awful phenomenon: the iPad.

We were waiting for the Gion Float Parade in Kyoto and had been there for almost three hours. We were about six or seven rows from the roadside but had a good position and view. I was excited and couldn't wait to see the first, massive float.

Just as it appeared however, a forest of iPads/tablets sprouted from the crowd in front of us, completely blocking our view. To make matters worse, those people were filming the parade, not just taking stills, so they held the darn things up in the air the whole time. I am not exaggerating when I say that we couldn't see a thing. Having waited all that time in stifling heat and humidity, we gave up and went home.

On my last trip to Japan, I was at a major religious shrine. Devout Buddhists from all over the world travel there for a meaningful religious experience. And lots of tourists come, too, in order to see the shrine. I was one of those tourists. I was quietly taking pictures (camera on "silent" mode, so no beeps, no clicks), trying my best to stay out of people's way, move slowly and quietly, show respect and not be an annoyance.

There were signs around the complex which read: "No selfie sticks. No drones. No cell phone usage. No smoking. No amplified music. Please remain quiet and respect this place."

I'd like to say it was mostly quiet, dignified, respectful, and serene. But there was a drone buzzing overhead, there must have been a hundred people waving selfie sticks (wielded mostly - but not entirely - by youths laughing and yakking away loudly on their phones), and a handful of people sitting around smoking. I heard no amplified music, so I guess I should count my blessings.

What idiots.

I'm on Team David when it comes to selfie sticks. Personally, I don't need a picture of myself in front of every place I've ever been.

To each his own - I have taken pictures of people squatting in front of their selfie sticks as they try to get that perfect picture.

I'm not a selfie person. But since art has been invented there have been selfies. Aren't half of van gogh's masterpieces selfies? They aren't going away.

Scott, I think you made some good points. I will no longer assume that someone with a selfie stick is going to be rude. I have had a lot of situations where people have stuck out selfie sticks in front of people or directly in someone else's photo shot. However, I've had situations with people with selfie sticks and those with just a camera block the flow of traffic for pictures. Another example is when someone takes their selfie or photo and then continues to stand in front of the view to check the photo completely oblivious to others waiting. Or the most maddening, when people are all waiting in a line for photos and a group monopolizes the view or item by taking a group picture, then individual pictures, then different combinations of the same people, then differing poses all while a crowd of people glares at them. I will admit that my first reaction when selfie sticks were introduced was, great, just another way that rude photographers can be rude. I guess when I think about it, rude people with their cameras on selfie sticks were probably rude people with cameras before the advent of selfie sticks.
One person commented on behavior at a Buddhist shrine. I have noticed a lot of that. Whether its a shrine, a Jewish Synagogue, a Catholic cathedral, why do people have to make a scene of taking a photo with some religious symbol? That symbol/altar/statue/etc., is something of strong faith to some people. I have seen people walk up to an altar, smile for some dumb pictures and walk away without even taking a good look. In the beautiful St. Stephens Basilica in Budapest a TOUR GROUP, walked into the sanctuary, immediately walked over to the relic of St. Stephen's holy right hand looked at it, snapped photos and left the basilica. I'm not Catholic, but I was disgusted and offended.

Seriously? This is a prank, right?

I think it always dangerous to assume you understand the motivations behind what someone else is doing without even talking to them. I object to labels such as narcissistic when there could be a very good reason for taking a selfie. Kindness and compassion for others is really the aim here whether you like selfie sticks or not.

Ethical is surely not a word I would use when it comes to selfies and selfie sticks. Being ethical has to do with morals and principals, not rude behavior. How do you classify people bumping into you and not saying excuse me or letting a door close in your face? Rude or bad ethics? For me, it is just rude.

They just don't bother me that much in less they are in my way and that doesn't happen any more than people bumping into me on sidewalks, hitting me in the head with their backpacks while sitting on a train. Smokers lighting up next to me at a fest, flea market or cafe bother me WAY more that someone taking their photos in the way that they find best.

The enjoyment that I see with groups of people taking selfies is contagious. I always smile as they are laughing, goofing around and just having a good time.

Ms Jo, remember this day! We agreed on something. Really, this issue isn't real is it? I'm still thinking this must be a prank. What about tourists that are always reading maps? Now that's a real problem!

Yes! Especially new paper maps that they spread out, then you walk by and get a paper cut. The cut gets infected, you get blood poisoning, trip ruined.

Karen you naughty girl. You made me spit out my Turkish pizza.

You may like seeing your face in every picture but others might not.

I don't even like seeing my face in my travel pictures. When my wife is using the camera and is getting ready to take a picture with me in it, I usually walk away.

I've noticed many museums aren't letting people bring in selfie sticks anymore. I couldn't bring a full size umbrella into Versailles and probably for the same reason, you may hit something or someone with it.

Mostly I find selfies especially done in a crowded area more of a nuisance. Their being unethical or an example of thoughtless behaviour doesn't occur to me. When I come across selfies, especially with selfie sticks, I just go around or wait them out. I would never do selfies,... wouldn't know how anyway.

OMG I am DYING, Karen!

Best post today. You win. 🥇

Taking pictures using a stick or not, whether of yourself or not, does not bother me in the least. Not politely handling a stick around others, is a problem and I react accordingly if a stick is about to whack me. Also, my delay threshhold to enter scenes to allow another a perfect shot has diminished when photographers have given little or no forethought.

Earlier today, I performed a shutter count check on one of my DSLRs, to see if it was time for a service. It has taken >43,000 photos.

Not a single one of them was of me :-)

Robert in Portland - you sound just like my mom...lol. When she came to Italy with us in 2014, I did manage to get 15-20 photos of her (I was in some of them) - some taken with permission, some on the sly. I think because we were on holiday, she allowed it. :)

She did say her fav photo was when I did a 'shadow selfie' - our shadows in the early morning as we walked by the Colosseum in Rome. (Of course she'd say that...ugh).

I was just in Budapest and now in Munich and must say I haven’t seen many selfie-sticks. Plenty of tedious people though, taking 3 or 4 pics of themselves while others wait for a clear shot—or a chance to do the same. Loved the idiots today at Dachau, happy smiles in front of the krematorium and other memorials.

Has anybody, a bit childish like me, pulled this trick?

If I'm among tourists and struggling to get 'the shot' because some people are hogging the best spot, I will sometimes ostentatiously pretend to photograph a wall or something similarly uninteresting. After a few clicks, you will almost always find that you have been joined by a few people who will either start photographing the same dumb thing, or studying the view to figure out what it is you're photographing.

If I'm in a super-petty mood (it can happen), I will turn around with a flourish and a big smile, then pretend to give somebody a big, "I got it!" thumbs-up, whereupon a frenzy of slightly bewildered snapping commences behind me.

Well, I can understand a person, or couple, or family, or friends wanting to capture a selfie of themselves in front of the Eiffel Tower, or the Taj Mahal. What I don’t comprehend are the people, and I see many, taking multiple selfies in front of a non-descript wall or some such nothing. They could have gotten that selfie without ever leaving home. I myself am a non-selfie person. “I break cameras” is my watchword, when asked if I wan5 a photo.

@ Steven...I have done that a few times, very rare, using the digital camera as a tactic to wait out those engrossed in the selfies. Shooting some non-descript thing can always be deleted on a digital.

I don’t see the problem with selfie sticks , I don’t own one and hubby and I have never brought one , but my daughter brought one on one of our trips and I TREASURE the photos of her and I in front of stuff I have seen dozens of times .

One reason selfies are used as many folks do not feel good about handing over their 900 dollar phones to random strangers , and sometimes there is no one to ask .

I really think anyone who claims selfies are the Bane of their day on holiday needs to back away form the hyperbole .

Earlier today, I performed a shutter count check on one of my DSLRs,
to see if it was time for a service. It has taken >43,000 photos. Not
a single one of them was of me :-)

Haha, just like me. But sometimes I take pics of tourists with selfie sticks, because it looks so silly and perfectly captures the Zeitgeist. They often traveled thousands of miles to see the Colosseum or the Eiffel tower, paid a significant amount of money, waited for hours, and when they can finally marvel at the wonders of mankind they turn around and take pics of themselves instead. Me, me, me.

I love you Emma. I just want to provide a different slant...

[Sorry I know this sounds rude Please keep taking your photos just be aware of the other people around you who really don't care about your 20th art shot of Big Ben......][1]

I get annoyed with people who are stopping and waiting for me to take a picture. I'm just figuring my shot, taking my shot, waiting for my shot, doing whatever. I am not standing in a walkway or in their way. Please don't stop and wait for me to wave you through. I get annoyed with this happening over and over again. Go about your business and I will go about mine. A lot of taking a picture is waiting for the right moment...or the right person to walk by. Not to just take a snapshot.

OK, so my gripe, similar to the selfie gripe above, is everyone that holds up an iPad and takes numerous photographs that they can't even see when they are taking them so they have to keep taking them or they take a video. iPads really block the view for the people behind you.

And I will apologize ahead of time. I've just started drinking my morning coffee...

I think some people might be a little cranky. If visitors are enjoying their vacations and aren't imposing themselves on me with their selfie sticks, who am I to criticize? If people take quick photos of a work of art/a fountain/a sacred church altar/the leaning tower of Pisa and then go about their way, so what?? None of this impacts my enjoyment unless I'm being elbowed by someone to move so that person can take a photo. That has happened on a few occasions and I don't let that stand. Otherwise, who cares?

:-)

Make Grandma and the baby climb up the scaffolding and the problem is solved!

What's more amusing than a person who is irritated about something as unimportant as a selfie stick?

A person who is irritated by people who are irritated about something as unimportant as a selfie stick.

;-)

I used to post non-selfies of my travels and my mom and grandma complained. "This is boring, I can't see you!" And when I'm looking at my friends posts on social media, unless they're a truly great photographer (which is like 2 people) the pictures of "stuff" are boring, the pictures of my friends smiling faces is what I like to see.

So yeah, I'm in 100% agreement with Scott. I wouldn't personally use a selfie stick because I'm a bit ashamed of what kind of person that would "class" me as but as long as someone is being conscientious about how they use it, I don't care. Also selfie stick useage has gone down significantly from their peak usage a few years ago. I don't see them that often anymore.

Frankly, selfie takers are usually much more considerate than people who want posed shots, taken by strangers, in front of things. That takes way longer to arrange and walk around than the quick selfie.

I don't see holiday photos as boring if we're not in them. OK, bringing home the exact same photo as the other 5000 people who were at that spot is boring, and why I always 'look sideways', not just at the thing we came to see. I try to think of my camera as a device to capture emotions, not just images and so I reach for it whenever my wife and I do that 'holiday sigh' thing. You should always be alert to those moments - without ruining every one with shutter clicks.

Thankfully for me, my wife enjoys going through our holiday photos as much as I do, so she has no problem with me taking a good camera, and using it. Our albums however, are full of, "Wow, I remember that now!" moments - priceless - but (mostly) lack the same-old same-old pics of the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum that literally everybody has. I try to follow the rule, "If I can download that exact photo from a million websites, I don't need my own."

Consequently, our holiday photos include little gems such as the tiny Japanese boy in Samurai costume, waiting in the rain with his father for a taxi ... the real lizard sat on top of a fake dragon's head in China ... the rather amused and very tall policemen who agreed to have their photo taken while explaining to my tiny wife that we were in the wrong place to catch the tram in San Francisco ... the Taiwanese street vendor squeezing juice out of sugar cane with his feet while cuddling his baby ... my wife sat on a bench in Bellagio wearing a faraway look and another where she's wearing a different look entirely, because she's being strapped into a scarily-high flying fox over a canyon in China ... a simple but very atmospheric shot of a bunch of balloons in a sunny Provencal park (you had to be there) and the most incredible plate of cheeses we were served in Rome (seriously).