Social interactions on the Internet really exploded about a decade or more ago when sites like MySpace made it possible to share images of yourself and your daily happenings with people across the globe. During its prime, the most popular MySpace pictures were self portraits of one’s reflection in a mirror. These famous ‘mirror pics’ quickly became a part of our culture. But just as social media sites like Facebook took over because of its benefits – so too has the ‘selfie’ evolved over time.
Selfie Sticks are the name for fairly new gadgets that allow a person to take a photo of themselves, a group of people, or a background with ease.
Last year on a vacation to Niagara Falls a few tourists were using the devices I had just recently started to hear about. They got sideward glances as they used it – but fast forward a year later and every event I attend I see someone holding out a stick, snapping photos happily.
The increasingly growing trend of these “selfie sticks” could be attributed to no longer having to tap other tourists on the shoulder and ask them to snap a photo for you with hopes they won’t run off with your unlocked, expensive smart devices that also hold most of your life within them. Or, it could be attributed to the fact that these sticks are low cost and just about everyone is using them now.
I had a chance to try out my first selfie stick recently thanks to a well known company in the market ‘SelfieOnAStick.’ The company offers options for Wired, Bluetooth and even glow in the dark models.
I brought the device to a recent wedding and it received a lot of comments and tons of people wondering where they could get one too. My experience had its pros and a few cons.
Pros:
First, I really like the light weight feel of the device and the fact that it can easily be folded up into a flat position and tucked into small purses or larger pockets for carrying. Also, the easily adjustable arm for holding the device is a great feature for ensuring that different phones could be used and I didn’t have to remove my protective cover from my phone and risk it dropping or being damaged in an accident.
When I reached out to the company for comments on what makes their gadget different from the rest in this quickly crowed market, the company said its primary focus for SelfieOnAStick.com is quality.
“We have spent a tremendous amount of time ensuring that the product we sell is high quality and a product we would be happy to purchase ourselves. Our partnership with brands like QVC, Nordstrom, Opening Ceremony, The Ritz Carlton, and many other brands for which quality is essential is a testament to the quality of our product.”
The stick also has a rubber grip to help prevent slipping and could be extended more than I had seen of other sticks – which mean the ability to capture more of the background for a photo or squeeze more people into a shot.
I received the wired version to test out – and it was literally plug-and-play. No downloading apps or pairing the device was needed. As soon as the wire was plugged in to the headphone jack, the selfie stick was ready to be used.
Another interesting point the company discussed with me was the use of their selfie stick for more than just personal photo taking. SelfieOnAStick, the company said, is also a great way for corporations to spread the word about their campaigns.
The company offers wholesale pricing and private label customization options for corporate gifts, events and activations, weddings, parties, and more.
Founders Jacqueline Verdier and Dominic Suszanski started www.SelfieOnAStick.com last July and the gadgets were picked up by Nordstrom, QVC other retailers as well as featured on numerous media outlets. Now, there is also a SelfieOnAStick Store and Photo Booth in Times Square where people can have fun trying out the SelfieOnAStick.
The company will also be hosting a SelfieOnAStick Photo Booth at the New Jersey State Fair at the Meadowlands and at Wired Magazine's Cafe Wired at Comic-Con in San Diego.
One of its recent collaborations with Macy's for the "#AmericanSelfie" campaign helped to spread the word for the campaign and for every photo tagged, $1 was donated to support America's veterans. Many of the photos will be highlighted as part of the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks show on NBC.
Cons:
A few things I wish were different about my experience include the need to learn how to properly take selfies with the stick. Numerous shots came out with the stick itself in the photo. Also, even though the arm extended to great lengths, there were some shots I couldn’t take because I needed a little more arm length, or a little more stick, to get it all in the photo.
Also, I learned the hard way that a wired selfie stick cannot double as an extended aerial camera for video capture. After using the selfie to reach above a crowd at the wedding to film some of the ceremonial events, I came home later to watch them only to find that there was no volume or voices on the recording – obviously because the wire was plugged into the headphone jack, something that can probably be avoided by using a Bluetooth selfie stick, or pulling the plug out and using the stick only for its ability to reach.
Final thought:
Overall, I am sold on the Selfie Stick. And many people who have watched me test it out are now headed to get one as well. A trip to a few shopping stores this past weekend revealed quite a number of these devices from various vendors and at multiple price points are already flying off the shelves. My guess is this isn’t a trend that’s likely to fade anytime soon. And no summer vacation this year should take place without a selfie stick.
Edited by
Dominick Sorrentino
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