So I’ve finally done it! I have overcome the fear of failure and replaced it with the fear of ‘whatever’. Bearing your soul on the internet can be terrifying, but once you the hit the ‘publish’ button there is no turning back.

Who am I and what is Selfie Esteem CIC? My name is Ian Tumilty and I am a part time lecturer from Liverpool, UK and whatever appears in this blog are my personal thoughts and views and not those of my employer.  I was full time, however after having a tussle with stage 4 throat cancer, I decided to go part time and devote more time to my family and things that made me smile. My son makes me smile lots, as does my beautiful wife. They complete me in every way and I love them both dearly.

I hail from the TV and film industry and teach my students photography using a mobile phone, as they are accessible to every teenage in the western world.  Over the years I have watched the growth of mobile phones with fascination and excitement, I too like every bloke fancy myself as a bit of a geek and lover of shiny new tech. However as an adult I know when put my phone down and pick up my life again, unlike the teenagers that I teach who are struggling to find the ‘put it away’ button when it comes to their mobile phones.  They are obsessed with selfies and collecting likes as this in their view, qualifies their existence.  This disturbed lots.  Hence ‘selfie esteem’.  An idea to help tackle this social media dependance and promote self esteem away from the virtual world into the real word.  The idea has spawned into community film making, working with veterans (I too am a veteran) and who knows where this journey will take me.

A footnote to my first post. All images, videos and short films that will be posted on my blog will be exclusively be shot on a mobile phone…mine!