Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
It’s sad but true that nowadays it’s hard to imagine our social media feeds without selfies. And what’s even sadder is that people get killed while trying to capture the most like-worthy snapshot of themselves.
The selfie as a phenomenon has already been a topic of studies, and a recently published one explores the issue of fatal selfies. A team of researchers has published the results, exploring the numbers of selfie-related deaths, as well as the main reasons behind these tragedies.
Plenty of selfie-related accidents and deaths happen each year, and the majority of them occur in India. In an attempt to increase safety at popular tourist spots, the country is about to introduce “no-selfie zones,” where visitors, as you can guess, won’t be allowed to take selfies.
We have heard of many accidents that occurred because of a selfie. Sadly, another one happened on Wednesday when an Israeli hiker was found dead in Yosemite National Park. Reportedly, the young man fell to his death while trying to take a photo of himself.
I thought the wave of stupid selfie deaths had ended, although it seems you’re still more likely to die from a selfie than a shark attack. The latest in the long line of no-longer-with-us selfie shooters is Prabhu Bhatara. The Independent report that after stopping to go to the toilet on his way home from a wedding, Bhataru spotted an injured bear in the Nabarangpur district of Odisha in India.
They say that fellow passengers suggested it might not be the best idea for him to take a photo with the animal. But it seems that he knew better and tried anyway. After getting close to the bear, it struck out, which was followed by a struggle between the two. They also report that a stray dog came to the man’s defence and bit the bear, while onlookers, umm… looked on, but it failed to deter the bear.
They say that two things are certain in life; Death and taxes. Taxes we can’t do anything about, but I don’t think anybody until now realised just how many of those entirely preventable deaths could be attributed to shooting selfies.
You just can’t seem to go very long these days without hearing about another one. Some countries seem to be attempting to do something about this, and it would probably be wise for other countries to follow their lead.
While India’s population accounts for roughly 17% of the world’s population, about half of the 27 or so selfie-related deaths that occurred in 2015 were in India.
Trying to stop the tragic phenomenon, Mumbai police announced they’ve identified 15 where “selfies can be dangerous” and have announced them as being “no-selfie zones”.
To do so, the city’s municipality will be requested to deploy lifeguards and put up warning signs, and police will be giving warnings.
Just a few weeks ago a man in San Diego was bitten while trying to take a selfie with a rattlesnake, and a couple of weeks ago another Californian suffered a similar injury.
While the first guy’s story drew attention worldwide due to the ridiculously high medical bill he received, Alex Gomez’ accident is making headlines following the harsh criticism of his actions – by his own mother, on TV no less.
Having “no mercy for him”, the disappointed mother decided to share her son’s story, along with the selfie and hospital photos, in order to teach him a lesson.
Some days, the Internet makes being nice a challenging prospect, but we’ll give it a try here. Selfies, many of which will be burned into our memories for a very long time, are a permanent part of modern culture. I was rather humored (and simultaneously disturbed) to see selfie sticks being sold in the toy section of Walmart yesterday. Targeting consumers when they’re young, I guess, is a way to ensure long-term profitability.
However, not every great destination permits devices such as selfie sticks to be used while visiting. If you’re a self stick-toter, a new website may be your best friend. The site canibringmyselfiestick.com takes inventory of numerous landmarks around the world and gives you a simple answer as to whether or not you are allowed to bring the accessory.
It is my belief that people are forever destined to be stupid, and the quest for dangerous selfies is a prime example.
Earlier this month, Todd Fassler of San Diego, CA thought it would be great to get a selfie with a rattlesnake. Claiming to have previously housed a pet rattlesnake of his own, he must have figured it was perfectly normal. However, the rattlesnake wasn’t really feeling it that particular day and struck Fassler, landing him in the hospital. But, it wasn’t until after he was discharged that the real surprise happened – a hospital bill of over $150,000 for his five-day visit.
We recently wrote about multiple fatal selfie incidents and it seems that the problem has reached large enough proportions to warrant government action.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a new campaign yesterday intended to keep its citizens out of harm’s way, and by that I mean getting themselves killed or injured while snapping a selfie.
Pointing out that health and life are worth more than a “million likes on social networks”, the ministry created a brochure that will be shared and handed out to citizens – especially students and young people.
Sadly, many of the warnings are based on actual incidents.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
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