Userpic
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A userpic is a digital image which a user of a virtual community uses to represent themself. Users typically choose a self-portrait as their userpic to further develop their online identity. Since userpics may depict anything, they can also include personal artwork, photography, or symbols from pop culture.
Along with unique usernames and questionnaire profiles, userpics are one of the most effective ways to personalize one's presence within an online social network.
The term "avatar" is a more popular synonym for userpic among online role-playing communities, and in many internet forums. "Userpic" or "user pic," however, is common usage among social networks such as MySpace, Friendster, or LiveJournal.
Self-portraits
Many users, for style or for lack of a tripod, take a picture of their reflection in a mirror. Others simply hold the camera at a distance from themselves to take the picture (the latter technique is often evidenced by the presence of an arm in the foreground).
Popular expressions in self-portrait userpics range from bombastic, to deadpan, to seductive, to challenging, to cool. Many userpics feature a close-up of the user looking above the camera, giving the impression that they are looking far off into the distance.
Also, self-portrait userpics sometimes feature the user with a candid expression, with the eyes or head turned away from the lens, giving the impression that the subject is unaware or unconcerned with the camera's presence.
Self-portraits may also take the form of photo booth pictures, pictures from childhood, pictures of tattoo artwork or illustrations of oneself.
Another recurrent theme of self-portrait userpics depict the user in minimal clothing and either in a provocative stance or situation. For instance, a userpic can feature a close-up of the user making out with another person, appearing in their underwear, or even sitting on a toilet.
Post production
Many users manipulate their userpics before they publish them using a bitmap graphics editor such as Photoshop. Sometimes this process involves light balancing or gamma correction; however, users also tend to add captions, borders, or apply stylistic filters to their bitmaps in post production.
See also
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