29 Old-School Selfies From Long Before iPhones Existed

Carly Tennes Published 08/14/2024 in wow

For as long as we've had cameras, we, as humans, have loved a good selfie. Since the world of photography first took off in the mid-19th century, we've been taking photos of ourselves, positioning polaroids, film cameras, and box cameras towards our faces, and clicking the shutter and hoping for the best, sometimes even using an actual stick to get the job done.

From Elvis fans snapping a photo with The King to a former First Lady getting in on the fun, here are 29 old-school selfies from long before iPhones existed.

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1.
“Jackie O mirror selfie with JFK and Ethel Kennedy (1960s).”
2.
“My mom took a selfie in 1966.”
3.
“Mom Circa 1980, Taking A Selfie Before It Was Cool.”
4.
“Great grandfather selfie 1923.”
5.
“Jackie Kennedy taking a ‘selfie’ with John F. Kennedy. 1960s.”
6.
“A vintage selfie from 1934.”
7.
“My moms selfie before it was cool (1989).”
8.
“My grandparents taking a mirror selfie in the mid 1960s on their Super8 camera.”
9.
“My Italian grandpa’s selfie with his dog in 70s.”
10.
“My dad taking a selfie, using a piece of wood to activate the shutter, circa 1957.”
11.
“The first selfie ever taken in space. Buzz Aldrin — Nov. 12, 1966.”
12.
“Former US Sect’y of State Gen. Colin Powell taking a selfie before selfies were cool. 1954.”
13.
“Young girl taking a mirror selfie with a box camera, 1901.”
14.
“Taking a selfie before selfie was a thing ‘1920’”
15.
“My wife’s grandpa taking a selfie (date unknown, most likely 60’s or 70’s).”
16.
“My grandpa's selfie in the 1950s. This now hangs on my wall.”
17.
“Selfie in the 80’s.”
18.
“My grandpa taking a selfie, around 1965.”
19.
“A 17 year old Frank Sinatra taking a selfie (1938).”
20.
“A mirror selfie, ~1900.”
21.
“My grandparents selfie in the 60s at a military base in Puerto Rico.”
22.
“Young Paul McCartney taking a mirror selfie, 1963.”
23.
“The first selfie in 1949?…maybe.”
24.
“A selfie from 1966, George Harrison in India.”
25.
“Fan takes selfie with Elvis Presley. 1960s.”
26.
“My momma taking a selfie before selfies were really a thing. 1979.”
27.
“A 1940’s mirror selfie.”
28.
“1969 Vietnam: My father’s version of a selfie before selfies were a thing.”
29.
“One of the many selfies that Emperor Nicholas II took throughout his life, (1868-1918).”

1.
“Jackie O mirror selfie with JFK and Ethel Kennedy (1960s).”
2.
“My mom took a selfie in 1966.”
3.
“Mom Circa 1980, Taking A Selfie Before It Was Cool.”
4.
“Great grandfather selfie 1923.”
5.
“Jackie Kennedy taking a ‘selfie’ with John F. Kennedy. 1960s.”
6.
“A vintage selfie from 1934.”
7.
“My moms selfie before it was cool (1989).”
8.
“My grandparents taking a mirror selfie in the mid 1960s on their Super8 camera.”
9.
“My Italian grandpa’s selfie with his dog in 70s.”
10.
“My dad taking a selfie, using a piece of wood to activate the shutter, circa 1957.”
11.
“The first selfie ever taken in space. Buzz Aldrin — Nov. 12, 1966.”
12.
“Former US Sect’y of State Gen. Colin Powell taking a selfie before selfies were cool. 1954.”
13.
“Young girl taking a mirror selfie with a box camera, 1901.”
14.
“Taking a selfie before selfie was a thing ‘1920’”
15.
“My wife’s grandpa taking a selfie (date unknown, most likely 60’s or 70’s).”
16.
“My grandpa's selfie in the 1950s. This now hangs on my wall.”
17.
“Selfie in the 80’s.”
18.
“My grandpa taking a selfie, around 1965.”
19.
“A 17 year old Frank Sinatra taking a selfie (1938).”
20.
“A mirror selfie, ~1900.”
21.
“My grandparents selfie in the 60s at a military base in Puerto Rico.”
22.
“Young Paul McCartney taking a mirror selfie, 1963.”
23.
“The first selfie in 1949?…maybe.”
24.
“A selfie from 1966, George Harrison in India.”
25.
“Fan takes selfie with Elvis Presley. 1960s.”
26.
“My momma taking a selfie before selfies were really a thing. 1979.”
27.
“A 1940’s mirror selfie.”
28.
“1969 Vietnam: My father’s version of a selfie before selfies were a thing.”
29.
“One of the many selfies that Emperor Nicholas II took throughout his life, (1868-1918).”