Take Your Selfie Game To The Next Level At The Selfie Symposium

DURHAM, NC – The selfie phenomenon, which has transformed our social culture, is commonly understood to be a photograph that has been taken by oneself, usually with a smartphone or webcam, and shared on social media. Today,  people post millions of selfies each day to social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. But those self-portraits no longer have to be taken in the mirror with the shower curtain as the background, thanks to Selfie Symposium.

Selfie Symposium is Durham’s premier selfie studio boasting over 13 creative booths and backgrounds. Black-owned, veteran-owned, and woman-owned, the business functions as both an entertainment space and a small venue rental space serving individuals, families, businesses, photographers, and local content creators. Selfie Symposium, located across from Southpoint Mall at 6905 Fayetteville Road, is owned by Faith Jones and Lester Canidy.

Faith is a serial entrepreneur with a degree in photography from George Mason University. She also owns an apparel line and a portrait photography company. An advocate for small businesses, Faith holds a bi-annual handmade festival in her hometown. Lester is a Military Veteran turned entrepreneur, traveler, and thrill seeker (always ready for adventure). He is a proud father, master fitness trainer, and chef.

Selfie Symposium is an emersion of all of the things Faith is passionate about…photography, art, creativity, and most importantly, her community. One of the booths features half of the space painted in Carolina blue with a UNC logo while the other is painted in Duke blue with their Blue Devil logo. Popular backgrounds include a king or queen throne, an upside-down bicycle, and sequined dreams. The facility has even partnered with local apparel store, The Bull City Store, to promote Durham, North Carolina pride.

Opening in April 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, presented its own set of challenges. “The most difficult part was finding a space but after that everything kind of fell into place,” says Faith. “Now it’s making sure to follow and keep up with the ever-changing COVID protocols and provide a safe experience for all of our guests. We look forward to seeing the continued progression of this location.” 

Please visit selfiesymposium.com for more details and scheduling a visit.

All photos by Gillian Shaw unless otherwise indicated.