The Selfie Stick...

Ah, the selfie stick. We've all seen them, maybe even used them. They're getting banned all over the place. From museums, to tourist attractions, college football stadiums and even Disney World. I get it. They can certainly be a hazard, and even down right annoying at times.

BUT.

They can also be really fun. They have become the new staple at weddings. I can almost guarantee that there will be at least one person with a selfie stick at every wedding I attend (and I can usually guess before the reception which person is going to be the one that breaks it out). And one selfie stick at a wedding, is totally fine. If it becomes a thing where there are 10 of them... well... let's just hope that never happens. Let's just hope we all have that one friend with a selfie stick, not ten of them.

Do they look ridiculous? Absolutely.

Do I make fun of people who break out the selfie stick in public? Absolutely.

Do I own one? Admittedly, yes. Am I ashamed of this fact? Maybe slightly. But I embrace the hate and am fully aware of the ridiculousness that is the selfie stick. I also don't use it that much, so that helps.

I am fully aware that it makes me "one of those people" to a lot of folks, but it is also a lot of fun to play with selfie sticks. I have gotten some really cool photos of little kids while using it. There are a lot of different angles you can get with the selfie stick that you otherwise couldn't have gotten in the spur of the moment. (Of course I would never count these as "professional photos", but they are a fun way to document daily life.)

Apparently they are also good for saving your life if you happen to be drowning near one, too.

At the end of the day, I would say that, just like with everything else, moderation is the key. There is a time and place to use a selfie stick, and there are thousands of times and places NOT to use a selfie stick. 

DON'T use a selfie stick during a wedding ceremony. There are already enough iphones and ipads being held up that get in the way of the professional photography as it is. Don't contribute to that madness.

DO use a selfie stick while you're dancing with friends on the dance floor, but only for one song. (Two songs if you're making your way around the floor and capturing everyone.)

If you are considering buying a selfie stick, I can offer the following advice:

• This is the one I bought. It connects via bluetooth and I've been happy with it so far.
• Selfie sticks are a fad. Just like YOLO, and the "Keep Calm and ____" craze, the selfie stick will eventually pass, as all good fads do.
• I also saw somewhere on the interwebs the statement: "The selfie stick is this generations fanny pack". (Which apparently are making a comeback? Am I the only one who has seen this?)
• The Oatmeal also has a flow chart to assist you if you're on the fence:

Image from http://theoatmeal.com/comics/selfie_stick.

So there we are. Some thoughts on the selfie stick. Everyone has that one friend who has one. Let's just help them remember where and when it's appropriate to use them. :o) And if you're that friend, know that you're getting made fun of by everyone around you. As long as you're able to embrace that, then go for it! I did, and it's been awesome!