OtherPress.

Room 1020-700 Royal Ave.
Douglas College

New Westminster, BC

V3L 5B2

TELEPHONE: 604.525.3542
WEBSITE: theotherpress.ca

STAFF LIST

Natalie Serafini
Editor-in-Chief
Meditor@theotherpress.ca

Eric Wilkins
Assistant Editor
Massistant@theotherpress.ca

Angela Ho
Business Manager

Chris Paik
Distribution Manager

Cody Klyne
Layout Manager

Joel McCarthy
Graphics Manager

Mike LeMieux
Production Assistant

Ed Appleby
IHustrator

Jony Roy
Social Media Coordinator

Angela Espinoza
News Editor
Minews@theotherpress.ca

Michael Sopow
Sports Reporter

Cheryl Minns
Arts Editor
Marts@theotherpress.ca

Chitwan Khosla
Features Editor
Mfeatures@theotherpress.ca

Sophie Isbister
Life & Style Editor

Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca

Elliot Chan
Opinions Editor
Mopinions@theotherpress.ca

Sharon Miki
Humour Editor
Mhumour@theotherpress.ca

Staff Writers
Brittney MacDonald
Cazzy Lewchuk
Mercedes Deutscher

Senior Columnists
Adam Tatelman
Steven Cayer
Patrick Vaillancourt

Columnist
Allie Davison
Chandler Walter

Contributors
Megan West
Kirsten Scott-Wuori

take too many selfies.
I know I’m not supposed
to admit to such narcissism,

depths of my self-reflection
mirror those of Narcissus. Yet,
as I’ve persisted in document-
ing my self-ie, I’ve come to see
value in this pat-on-the-back
photography (bear with me).

Consistently the image of
traditional beauty that we're
presented with in media is one
of a white, thin and supposedly
healthy, able-bodied, and often
photoshopped-to-oblivion
person. The variation between
these conventional images
is low, and when we see faces
or bodies that do challenge
the traditional beauty image,
they will generally conform in
other ways or will be the butt
of ajoke. These beauty images
are unreal, and they function
to present impossible ideals,
unrealistic expectations.

The faces which actually
make up the populace have one
thing in common: they’e all
different. Yet the quirks which
give our faces and bodies char-
acter, which make them ours,
are glossed over in the world
of lights and cameras. The
occasional “oddity” which does
get accepted in this world is

Love thy selfie

: generally fetishized, or treated
: asan exception to therule.

: Oftentimes, they become more
acknowledging that the shallow :

a part of the person’s “brand”

What does it say about

: our physical characteristics

: when they’re either fetishized
: in media or capitalized on?

: When those physical char-

: acteristics are made into a

: joke, or only accepted under

: certain circumstances?

It devalues those char-

: acteristics; it sets them up as

: other, different, and unat-

: tractive. We mere mortals don't
: have the resources to snip,

: suck, tighten, lift, increase,

: decrease, and plumpen all of

: our imperfections, and we

: don’t fit within the frames

: of hegemonic beauty.

Selfies emerge as a chal-

lenge to this dominant narra-

: tive of exclusive beauty. Ok, yes,
: they’re still largely narcissistic

: or whatever, but selfies give

: us the opportunity to display

: those features we like, or which
: make us different. Someone

: with big pearly whites can show
: off their 1000-lumen smile.

: Someone with a prominent

: nose can present a striking pro-

® Get to know us!

© The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have
been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. Weare a registered society
under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors
appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus.

© The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during
the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every
semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a
member ofthe Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes

papers from all across Canada.

© The OtherPressreservestheright to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material
that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited
for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.

| Sz

: file. We can mask or magnify
: whatever characteristics we

: choose to, rather than shying
: away from cameras because

: than their appearance: just take :
: Cindy’s mole, Lara’s gap, Cara’s_ :
: eyebrows, and Kim’s butt.

we aren't Gisele Bundchen.
More than that though,

: we can show through selfies

: that we are more than the sum
: or our parts. Selfies are for

: showing personalities, events,
: and emotions. Selfies aren't just :
: about slapping body parts intoa :
: frame and hitting hefe. They're :
: about making faces, shooting

: from different angles and in

: interesting places. Ifyou reduce :
: selfies to a simple solo photo

: shoot, then of course they're

: uni-faceted. There’s artistry to
: aselfie though, in perfecting a
: shot or documenting your day,
: your life, your personality.

The camera isn’t just for

: traditionally beautiful faces
: and bodies; the selfie is for

: everyone. So pick up your

: phone and snap some pics,

: because you love thy selfie.

Selfie tips!

: I’m not very good at taking

: selfies, but I can give a few tips
: from my time spent smiling

: awkwardly in front of a cam-

: era. (For more expert advice,

: search up Sophie Isbister’s

: guide to selfies on our website,

   

: titled “Express your selfie”):

- Brush your hair, make

: sure nothing’s in your teeth,
: do whatever you've got to
: doto make yourself look
: reasonably put-together.

- Find good lighting.

The pros all say that nat-
: ural, outdoor lighting is
: the best, because it gives

you a soft glow—no harsh,
artificial lighting for you!
- Choose a good back-

: ground. I’m nota fan of pictures
: feat. messy bedroom, ora toilet

lurking in the background

: ofan otherwise cute selfie.

: [like to opt for a plain wall,

: but you canalso selfie in front
: of flowers, paintings and

: pictures, a mirror, or whatever
: else strikes your fancy.

- Use a front-facing

: camera, for god’s sake.

- Take lots of selfies, from

different angles and with

: different facial expressions.
: You'll eventually become

: familiar with the poses and
: expressions that best suit

: you, but for the time being

: experimentation is key.

Hello gorgeous,

Natalee ect

Editor-in-Chief

@ theotherpress.ca

 

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