Heart Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Don't worry, this is anonymous, I won't know what you answered ;) I'm just kinda curious what rough proportion of people use pictures of themselves in their avatars... It'd be interesting to compare this with something like facebook.... *ponders Note: if you have a picture of someone else, that counts as a "no, I'm not in my avatar picture" :P Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My avatar is of me. I love seeing what other people look like, so, I think it's only fair I give them the same in return. ^_^ Link to post Share on other sites
TheBioNerd Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 To me, one of the great things about this site is the anonymity of the people in it. I've shared some deeply personal information that I would not have shared had you guys known who I am. Putting a picture of myself would kind of ruin that a little bit. I'd feel more exposed than I'd be comfortable with. So, essentially, that's why I don't use a picture of myself, though I don't know about everyone else. Plus, the picture I have is so damn cute, I couldn't resist! :3 Link to post Share on other sites
5_♦♣ Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I like to use the annual photo thread to post pics of myself. Also, my pics are faaaaaaaar too big to use as an avatar and I can't be bothered cropping them until they fit the max size for avatars. Link to post Share on other sites
AnomalyEternal Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My avatar is a photo of my favourite animal, so no, it's not me XD I don't look good in photos. Ever. Link to post Share on other sites
NinjaRobot Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Mine's just a photo of me from when I went to a friend's masquerade party. Link to post Share on other sites
Philip027 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Well, no. But I'd like to think it still represents me in some ways anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Heart Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Well, no. But I'd like to think it still represents me in some ways anyway. I think that's the most liberating part about not having to have a picture of yourself. Personally, I can express myself so much better if I have the freedom to make it whatever I want, like a beautiful horse for example ;) I also like the comments about anonymity. That's why I figured the ratio would probably be way off compared to somewhere like Facebook where it's a very person-centric view of the world. People on social networking sites tend to use pictures of themselves instead of something else that expresses themselves but is not actually them, in my experience. But I much prefer to put up pictures that express me instead of an actual picture... So much more freedom and creativity allowed that way :) Link to post Share on other sites
Philip027 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 The whole expression bit wasn't intentional. I just have an issue against throwing a picture of myself for the whole internet to see >_> Link to post Share on other sites
OhThereYouArePerry Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I like Jughead, he's one of the very few aro-aces in fiction, so I have him as my avatar. Also, I don't use any pictures of me as my avatar because I don't want to scare off AVEN users ! :P Link to post Share on other sites
Cereal Tendencies Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I liked the idea of using a QR code to hide a secret message for those who were curious enough to scan it, So i decided to also use it as a profile pic (on twitter and tumblr aswell) Won't tell you what it is :p but it used to be an awesome painting, until the link expired, so now it's just text Link to post Share on other sites
Member54880 Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My avatar is of a character I made, and no, I do not have blue hair in real life. :P Link to post Share on other sites
Notte stellata Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I just have an issue against throwing a picture of myself for the whole internet to see >_>This. I don't use my own photo as my avatar on any forum. I used to have my photo as my FB profile pic, but I changed it to a cartoon version of me as I got more and more involved in FB groups. I think it's more interesting to use an image that shows my personality or interest anyway, maybe because I don't care much about my or other people's looks. My current avatar is a visual art based on pi, which shows the nerdy side of me. :P Link to post Share on other sites
editingatwork Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My avatar is a cropped picture I took of some jellyfish at the Chicago Shedd Aquarium. The exhibit was called Jellies and even though I'm terrified of jellyfish (I got stung really bad once) I think they look beautiful. Link to post Share on other sites
Kulukan Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Nome. I just happen to like Great Teacher Onizuka. Link to post Share on other sites
Kagon Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I just have an issue against throwing a picture of myself for the whole internet to see >_>This. I don't use my own photo as my avatar on any forum. I used to have my photo as my FB profile pic, but I changed it to a cartoon version of me as I got more and more involved in FB groups.I think it's more interesting to use an image that shows my personality or interest anyway, maybe because I don't care much about my or other people's looks. My current avatar is a visual art based on pi, which shows the nerdy side of me. :P Yeah, I avoid posting a photo of myself as an avatar pretty much everywhere. I might do so occasionally, but that's pretty rare and usually for a specific occasion (I had a picture of myself in front of the magnet for the muon for like....a day on facebook). Or - I might have a *part* of me up that isn't my face, but again...that's usually for a specific occasion (ex. I posted my x-ray when I broke my ankle, and a picture of my elastic-wrapped foot when I got out of surgery on that ankle). Usually, my facebook avatar is a rock in a forest. Right now, it's a picture of this week's eclipse. Either way, I have avatar pictures that display a part of my personality as an avatar - but I wouldn't want some random person who's seen me once to be able to identify my profile at a glance by my picture. Here or anywhere. I'd rather have something that confirms to friends who I am but is ambiguous to everyone else. Link to post Share on other sites
voss Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Anonymity & drawing a boundary between my professional and personal life. It's not like I am ashamed of anything that I post here and that its content is inappropriate. I don't want a piece of my personal life to be investigated once I apply for positions. It is so easy to google search or identify someone from there. With the new developments, it is even easier to match someone's face to the photos that aren't even easily found on Google with a basic name search. Edit: My avatar is shot by the amazing photographer Nick Knight https://showstudio.com/project/venus/editorial_gallery Link to post Share on other sites
alpacaterpillar Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 :P On a note similar to others, I also share personal details here that I'd rather not get out to people I know in real life. If in some way my AVEN account was directly traced to the real me and I was aware of it, I'd probably go about editing quite a few old posts I've made. In any case, I don't really have any photos of me (that I like, anyway), and I can't upload them because I don't have an account on any photosharing websites (or however you do it). Link to post Share on other sites
Guy Switzy Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Mine's of Switzerland/Basch Zwingli from Hetalia. I'm not comfortable with sharing a picture of me over the internet that's open for everybody to see. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Nope, I'd never use a picture of myself as my avatar. The whole advantage of the internet is NOT having people judge you for what you look like (which IRL people always do to some extent, whether we like it or not), so I always make sure that my picture is clearly not what I look like physically. :P Besides, I have gender-related qualms with it. Link to post Share on other sites
LaMaestra Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I will never post pictures of myself for 2 reasons: 1) The obvious reason of privacy. I am an extremely private individual. 2) I'm one of society's less physically attractive people. A 'Plain Jane' I believe the expression is (apologies to all Janes on here!). My avatar is of the awesome Swedish rock musician Tomas Ledin. He was 28 at the time. He is now 62 and still gorgeous. Link to post Share on other sites
StandardToaster Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I hate seeing my self I have a pitiful amount of confidence and self worth. Link to post Share on other sites
Spotastic Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I think because I need to put myself out there for my business, I'm also more likely to not care about putting myself out there in my free time. It generally takes a lot to get to know me, so I don't see much harm in showing my face. What little someone might glean from my picture is what I'd be pretty open about anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Tja Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 But, this is a photo of me! Taken right after sword-play class. Right before lunch and 3rd period learning Elvish. :P Here's my school I.D.: Link to post Share on other sites
LaMaestra Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Isn't that your calling card from my Magical Arts Academy, Tja? Link to post Share on other sites
abacct Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I rarely use pictures of myself even on websites like Facebook. For starters, I'm terribly un-photogenic, so the only way you'll ever see a picture of me is if I am taking a purposely silly one and you're on my blog or FB account. I also look like a 12 year old (I'm not exaggerating either, I get handed kid's menus all the time at restaurants without the waiters ever bothering to ask if I really am under 13), so seeing my face next to posts about sex and masturbation would be rather uncomfortable. Plus my avatars are always whatever I really love at the moment, so it's a good way to see what I like. Link to post Share on other sites
Cherellice Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Ever since signing up I've only ever used pictures of Sherlock (and the one of Erza Scarlet) as my avatar. I don't think I'd ever use a picture of me but I might one day post a picture of my eccentric mug in the picture thread. Link to post Share on other sites
Elnae Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Well according to some people, I bear a resemblance to my avatar. But I swear that it isn't me. I have posted a lot of real pics of me on the photo thread but somehow I wouldn't feel right having my own photo as my avatar. Plus I will never change my avatar because I personally get really confused when others change their avs and user names, so I'm keeping mine and anyway I love Liv Tyler as Arwen. Link to post Share on other sites
Heart Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Well according to some people, I bear a resemblance to my avatar. But I swear that it isn't me. I have posted a lot of real pics of me on the photo thread but somehow I wouldn't feel right having my own photo as my avatar. Plus I will never change my avatar because I personally get really confused when others change their avs and user names, so I'm keeping mine and anyway I love Liv Tyler as Arwen. I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets terribly confused when people change display names and pictures if there's no theme :P Something like "always sherlock" is fine, but then when it seems random, I get lost... I also try to keep it constant, no matter which site I'm on. Link to post Share on other sites
Janus the Fox Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I don't use a personal photograph anywhere as a profile picture, but almost everywhere it is represented by Gwydion and Rhoslyn in some form. They are essentially imaginary friends, Tulpas and distinctive individual voices like a separation of ones own personality. In a way... Because they are a part of me, it is like putting a picture up of myself... Often... They are the ones telling me they want to be represented in motion, in pictures to give them a platform for interacting with communities as separate individuals, often noted by different coloured text of their choosing. It's their way of seeking attention that's perhaps commonplace in Tulpa communities. Link to post Share on other sites
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