Photo

The year in awkward, inappropriate and plain odd selfies

It doesn’t seem to matter what the situation, people just can’t stop snapping selfies.

A man takes a selfie in front of a 12 meters whale that was found dead at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 15, 2017. (Leo Correa/AFP/Getty Images)

A man takes a selfie in front of a 12 meters whale that was found dead at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Leo Correa/AFP/Getty Images). Read about why so many right whales have died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.


A Garuda Indonesia's pilot takes a selfie on the cockpit of the Boeing 747-400 with registration number PK-GSH during a ceremony on the tarmac of GMF AeroAsia at Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Indonesia, 09 October 2017. According to media reports, the GMF AeroAsia released 10 percent of its shares during its initial public offering (IPO), to improve its financial performance. (Mast Irham/EPA)

A Garuda Indonesia’s pilot takes a selfie on the cockpit of the Boeing 747-400 during a ceremony on the tarmac of GMF AeroAsia at Soekarno-Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Indonesia. (Mast Irham/EPA). From the archives, read about the cockpit crisis that has led to so many loss-of-control accidents in recent years.


Participants dressed in science-fiction costumes pose for a selfie during the 18th Falcon Fantasy Festival in Lublin, Poland, 05 November 2017. The Falcon is an interdisciplinary event dedicated to the culture inspired by science-fiction. (Wojciech Pacewicz/EPA)

Participants dressed in science-fiction costumes pose for a selfie during the 18th Falcon Fantasy Festival in Lublin, Poland. The Falcon is an interdisciplinary event dedicated to the culture inspired by science-fiction. (Wojciech Pacewicz/EPA)

MORE: The strangest selfies of 2016


In Wednesday, April 19, 2017, photo, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, center right at bottom, takes a selfie with U.S. servicemen on the flight deck of U.S. navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, at the U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pencetakes a selfie with U.S. servicemen on the flight deck of U.S. navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, at the U.S. Navy’s Yokosuka base, south of Tokyo. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Read how Mike Pence out-presidented Donald Trump after Hurricane Harvey.


Western Australian Minister for tourism, Paul Papalia, tries to get a selfie with a quokka during a visit to the holiday island, Rottnest off the West Australian Coast. Minister for Tourism Paul Papalia is touring the island to announce a range of measures to attract tourists. (Tony McDonough/EPA/CP)


 

Cadets, trainers, and members of the military council takes a selfie with an empty exploded bus used by the government to transfer fighters to Idlib during a training drill, in Jaysh al-Islam Military Academy, in an undisclosed location, rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, outskirts of Damascus, Syria, 16 January 2017. In February 2016, Jaysh al-Islam announced the establishing of a Military Academy, after efforts from its former leader Zahran Alloush who died in December 2015. The academy is conducted in cooperation with the Military Council for Damascus and its Suburbs. The goals of the academy is to graduate fighters with thorough background in fighting tactics, and to enlist its graduates in the newly formed Unified Syrian National Army called for by various rebel groups. (Mohammed Badra/EPA/CP)

Cadets, trainers, and members of the military council takes a selfie with an empty exploded bus used by the government to transfer fighters to Idlib during a training drill, in Jaysh al-Islam Military Academy, in an undisclosed location, rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, outskirts of Damascus, Syria. (Mohammed Badra/EPA/CP). From April, read why our day of reckoning is coming for Syria.


A man takes a selfie-picture of a Zimbabwean Defence Force soldier standing on a tank during a march in the streets of Harare, on November 18, 2017 to demand to the 93 year-old Zimbabwe's president to step down. Zimbabwe's president clings to office, the military is in power and the much-feared ZANU-PF party still rules -- but Zimbabweans put such issues aside on November 18, 2017 to happily embrace what they hope is a new era for the country. (AFP/Getty Images)

A man takes a selfie-picture of a Zimbabwean Defence Force soldier standing on a tank during a march in the streets of Harareto demand to the 93 year-old Zimbabwe’s president to step down. (AFP/Getty Images). The first post-Mugabe elections are set for 2018. Read about other big events to watch for in the year ahead.


This photograph taken on November 10, 2017 shows an Indonesian woman take a selfie with a life-size wax sculpture of Adolf Hitler at a museum in Yogyakarta. An Indonesian museum that allowed visitors to take selfies with a life-size wax sculpture of Hitler against a backdrop of Auschwitz concentration camp has removed the exhibit following international outrage, the manager said on November 11. (Henryanto/AFP/Getty Images)

An Indonesian woman takes a selfie with a life-size wax sculpture of Adolf Hitler at a museum in Yogyakarta, an Indonesian museum that allowed visitors to take selfies with a life-size wax sculpture of Hitler against a backdrop of Auschwitz concentration camp has removed the exhibit following international outrage. (Henryanto/AFP/Getty Images) Read: Why do tourists treat Nazi death camps like Disneyland?


Oliver Mintz-Lowe (L) takes a 'selfie' while protesting with members of Code Pink for Peace before the start of a hearing where U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill October 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. Committee members questioned Sessions about conversations he had with President Donald Trump about the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, the Defered Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, the ongoing investigation about Russian intereference in the 2016 presidential election by Robert Muller and other subjects. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Oliver Mintz-Lowe (L) takes a ‘selfie’ while protesting with members of Code Pink for Peace before the start of a hearing where U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images). See this photo essay from the Women’s March in Washington: Why they marched.


Samantha Brill, representing state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, takes a selfie with her frog "Sir Frogs-a-lot" before participating in the 43rd annual Capitol Frog Jump, Wednesday, May 10, 2017, in Sacramento, Calif. "Sir Frogs-a-lot" finished with a three-leap total of 9 feet, 6.5 inches. The contest is held in advance of the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee which runs May 18 to the 21st in Angels Camp. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

Samantha Brill, representing state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-Alpine, takes a selfie with her frog “Sir Frogs-a-lot” before participating in the 43rd annual Capitol Frog Jump in Sacramento, Calif. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP)


A female Israeli soldier uses her cell phone to take a selfie photograph with ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators in the background who are impeding traffic by blocking a bus as they protest against Israeli army conscription in the centre of Jerusalem, on October 19, 2017. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

A female Israeli soldier takes a selfie photograph with ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators in the background who are impeding traffic by blocking a bus as they protest against Israeli army conscription in the centre of Jerusalem. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)


Colombian faithful take selfies as Pope Francis leaves San Pedro Claver church in Cartagena, Colombia on September 10, 2017. (Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images)

Rather than watch the scene with their own eyes, Colombian faithful take selfies as Pope Francis leaves San Pedro Claver church in Cartagena, Colombia. (Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images) Read: Why 2018 will be the year of the polarized church


Grevin Montreal museum Managing Director Kathleen Payette poses for a selfie next to a wax sculpture of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a ceremony at the museum in Montreal, Tuesday, November 21, 2017. (Graham Hughes/CP)

Grevin Montreal museum Managing Director Kathleen Payette poses for a selfie next to a wax sculpture of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a ceremony at the museum in Montreal. (Graham Hughes/CP) Read about the mid-life crisis faced by Justin Trudeau’s government.


A man takes a selfie photo near the upturned coaches of the Kalinga-Utkal Express after an accident near Khatauli, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. Several coaches of a passenger train derailed, causing fatalities and injuries in northern India on Saturday, officials said. (Altaf Qadri/AP)

A man takes a selfie near the upturned coaches of the Kalinga-Utkal Express after a fatal crash near Khatauli, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India.. (Altaf Qadri/AP)


 

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: