J. Flynn Newtons CameraSelfies

Trying to preserve the sensation of historical, bizarre and beautiful cameras J. F. Novotny (also known under his alias J. Flynn Newton) takes very intimate "self portraits" of those unique "personalities".

CameraSelfies® received growing attention in the media. After submitting them to LensCulture, one of the most authoritative resources for contemporary photography, CameraSelfies® became editors pick; from then the photo series got featured in diverse media (please find some to the right). CameraSelfies® is a continued project; in 2023 (most probably) a book will be published. CameraSelfies will be exhibited during the photokina 2016 in Cologne, Germany.

J. F. Novotny's CameraSelfies® are available as originals (limited, numbered and signed) as well as high quality prints from

 Werkladen,  aristoprint,  Saatchi Art and  Artsy.

  • CameraSelfies at Werkladen
  • CameraSelfies at Saatchi Art
  • CameraSelfies on Artsy
CameraSelfies by J. F. Novotny in British GQ June 2017

[British GQ 06/2017]
CameraSelfies @ Inside Out

"CameraSelfies" by Flynn Newton alias German photographer J. F. Novotny are intimate "self portraits" giving personality to the devices behind the selfie phenomenon...[ more]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on CNN Photos

[CNN 12/29/2014]
Camera selfies: Turning the lens on themselves

You won't see any pouty lips or peace signs in these selfies. The criticized and laughable trend has spread to the devices used to capture them.
Prepping for their ultimate self-portrait, vintage cameras docked on old tripods pucker up for their own selfie against backdrops that bring out their best qualities. No filters necessary.
These unusual photos offer a view of the oft forgotten film cameras that brought us to the digital age and ushered in the selfie....
[ Read more on CNN.com]

Q+A with German Photographer Jürgen Novotny

[AESTHETICA Magazine 8/26/2016]
Q+A with German Photographer Jürgen Novotny

"His work has received attention from CNN, LUI, LensCulture, Saatchi Art and many others. We catch up with Jürgen Novotny about the ideas behind his works and the relevance of analog vs digital..." [ Read more on aestheticamagazine.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on designboom April 2019

[designboom 04/2019]
these exotic cameras take sexier selfies than we do

j.f. novotny finds exotic, rare cameras and arranges them in front of a mirror to take selfies of themselves. and so, a narcissistic instagram phenomenon has become a gorgeous technique for archiving the personality and beauty of revolutionary cameras ...
[ read more]

In Camera Selfies, unique and historical film cameras finally get their turn to bask in the spotlight with a little help from German photographer and visual artist J. F. Novotny...

[PLAIN Magazine 04/10/2019]
Camera Selfies by german photographer J. F. Novotny

"In Camera Selfies, unique and historical film cameras finally get their turn to bask in the spotlight with a little help from German photographer and visual artist J. F. Novotny..." [ Read more on plainmagazine.com]

CameraSelfie by Jürgen Novotny in Playboy Korea

[Playboy Korea 04/30/2019]
"Exotic style cameras are more than sexy POV to someone"

[ Read more on playboykorea.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on LensCulture

[LensCulture 12/2014]
CameraSelfies: Photographs by Jürgen Novotny (Editors Pick)

According to one widely cited estimate, close to one trillion photos will be taken in 2014. Given that 2013 was already the "Year of the Selfie" (thank you, Oxford English Dictionary), one can safely imagine that our rapidly closing year has been filled with a more-than-modest number of selfies in its own right.
But what if our cameras grew tired of pointing only at us? After all, these poor lenses can only take in so many pouty lips, sideways smiles, theatrical winks and staged kisses. What would it look like if the photo cameras decided to take their own selfies for a change? ...
[ Read more on LensCulture.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on LM Art & Culture France

[LM Art & Culture 09/2019]
Selfie Defense

Ce polaroid ne serait-il pas un peu narcissique ? Il a en tout cas pris un joli cliché de lui-même. J. F. Novotny, à l’origine de cet effet miroir, s’est posé une drôle de question : « Que se passerait-t-il si des appareils photo faisaient des selfies ? ». En signant ces “autoportraits”, l’Allemand rend hommage à la “personnalité” de ces vieilles machines, à l’heure du smartphone tout-puissant, où les images sont partout mais vite oubliées ... [ Read more]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on MY MODERN MET

[MY MODERN MET 04/2019]

What If Rare Vintage Cameras Loved Taking Selfies as Much as People on Instagram

Many of us are prone to taking selfies, but what if inanimate objects also had narcissistic tendencies? Photographer Jürgen Novotny (aka J. F. Novotny) explores this concept in his playful series, CameraSelfies. The ongoing series documents his collection of rare vintage cameras by setting them up to take photos of themselves in the mirror.... [ Read more on MyModernMet.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on HK01

[HK01 Hongkong 05/2019]

"I hope they will not become abandoned toys like in Toy Story"

German photographer J. F. Novotny has always loved old things, especially old film cameras. After years of collecting his film cameras, he realized that these outdated mechanical equipment is facing an abandoned fate..... [ Read more on HK01 via jfnovotny.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on Courrier International

[COURRIER INTERNATIONAL 05/2019]

"Rôles inversés"

Beaucoup d’humains s’adonnent au selfie, alors pourquoi pas les objets inanimés ? C’est sur ce concept qu’est pensée la série de photos de Jürgen Novotny intitulée "CameraSelfies", qui met en scène de vieux appareils photo se capturant “eux-mêmes” dans le miroir.... [Read more]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny @ fubiz

[fubiz 07/2019]

"Old Cameras Capture Self Portraits"

Avec le projet Camera Selfies, le photographe allemand J. Flynn Newton s’est servi de la tendance du Selfie pour rappeler les origines de la photographie....  [Read more]

CameraSelfies are the face of the new Pentax645Z campaign

[RICOH Imaging]
Campaign: "Qualität ist auch eine Frage der Ehre"

My CameraSelfies are the face of the new RICOH campaign for the Pentax 645Z medium format camera in Germany, Austria & Switzerland

CameraSelfies are the face of the new Pentax645Z campaign
CameraSelfies von Juergen Novotny in ProfiFoto 06/2015

[PROFIFOTO 06/2015]
Jürgen Novotny: CameraSelfies

Vor dem Hintergrund der immer noch aktuellen "Selfiemania" ist der Fotograf Jürgen Novotny (alias J. Flynn Newton) der Frage nachgegangen, wie Kameras sich eigentlich selbst fotografieren würden...

CameraSelfies von Jürgen Novotny in PROFIFOTO 06/2015
CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny in LUI France

[LUI Magazine 01/05/2015]
En 2015, adoptez un argentique

Cela fait quarante ans que Jürgen Novotny pratique la photographie, et voir le monde délaisser les appareils argentiques au profit des numériques lui fend le cœur..... [ Read more on LUI.fr]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on Le Matin

[Le Matin 11/12/2017]
QUAND LES APPAREILS PHOTOS SE PRENNENT EN SELFIES

Fan d'appareils photos anciens, Jürgen Novotny est a l'origine du projet «CameraSelfies», un joli catalogue historique.... [ Read more on LeMatin.ch]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on Collater.al

[Collater.al 07/2019]

Camera Selfies, le macchine fotografiche si fanno un selfie

Ma a cosa servono i selfies, se non a documentare la storia della fotografia? Probabilmente il fotografo tedesco J. Flynn Newton deve aver pensato proprio questo, quando ha deciso di realizzare il progetto Camera Selfies. ... [ Read more on Collater.al]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on Bored Panda

[Bored Panda Art Community 11/07/2017]
Tired Of Participating In Human Selfies I Decided To Capture Vintage Cameras Taking Photos Of Themselves

What would happen if photo cameras came up with the idea to take selfies? Historical, bizarre and beautiful cameras capturing photos of themselves... Sounds fun... [ Read more on BoredPanda.com]

...as well as...

[Bored Panda 08/2019]
27 New Vintage Camera Photos From My CameraSelfies Photo Project


It's been a while since some of my CameraSelfies(R) showed up on Bored Panda... what happened since then?
[ Read more on BoredPanda.com]

CameraSelfies von Juergen Novotny im fotoMAGAZIN

[fotoMAGAZIN 05/2015]
Meisterwerke: Kamera-Selfies

Was wäre, wenn Kameras einfach einmal beschließen würden, dass wir auf die ewig doofen Selfie-Posen der Menschen verzichten können und sich nur noch selbst ablichteten?...

CameraSelfies von Jürgen Novotny im fotoMAGAZIN 5/2015
CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on 500px ISO

[500px ISO 1/03/2015]
CameraSelfies: Vintage Cameras Join the Selfie Craze in Quirky 'Self-Portrait' Project

If you’re not an absurdly famous person, it takes some serious creativity to catch the Internet’s eye with a ‘selfie’ project. The term itself has been used to wipe the Web’s metaphorical floor, so much so that it’s likely a project with ‘selfie’ in the name will guarantee at least a few people will pass over it without even looking.
These are the odds photographer, engineer, and 500px user Juergen Novotny was up against with his CameraSelfies project. These are also the odds he smashed to pieces when he got his project featured on CNN, PetaPixel, LensCulture and, now, 500px ISO....
[ Read more on iso.500px]

Jürgen Novotny macht Kamera-Selfies und kritisiert damit den Trend zur Selbstdarstellung, Artikel im General-Anzeiger Bonn

[General-Anzeiger Bonn 9/14/2016]
Ein Selbstportrait der Kamera

Jürgen Novotny macht Kamera-Selfies und kritisiert damit den Trend zur Selbstdarstellung... [PDF-Download]

Striking “Selfies” of Vintage Cameras: In his series "CameraSelfies," photographer J.F. Novotny turns selfie culture on its head.

[Flavorwire June 2019]
Striking “Selfies” of Vintage Cameras

In his series "CameraSelfies," photographer J.F. Novotny turns selfie culture on its head.... [ Read more on FLAVORWIRE]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny in Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger and Rundschau

[Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger / Rundschau 3/14/2015]
Das schicke Selbstportrait der alten Agfa

Jürgen Novotny setzt mit seiner Fotoserie "CameraSelfies" den analogen Apparaten ein vielbeachtetes Denkmal...
Novotny will damit den Selfietrend karikieren, mehr noch aber den "technischen Persönlichkeiten mit eigenem Charakter" ein Denkmal setzen... [zu den Artikeln: KStA, Rundschau]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny im EXPRESS

[EXPRESS Bonn 3/31/2015]
Selfie-Jürgen weltberühmt: Oldie-Kameras fotografieren sich selbst

Arme, alte Analog-Kameras! Seit die digitale Technik am Start ist, will niemand mehr mit den überholten Schätzchen knipsen. Jürgen Novotny (49) aus Hennef aber ist jeck auf die Dinger, sammelt sie seit Jahren... [zum Artikel:  Online, JPG]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on La Repubblica

[La Repubblica 12/2014]
Autoscatto nostalgico, in posa le macchine fotografiche analogiche

Il fotografo tedesco Juergen Novotny nell'era dei selfie e della fotografia digitale ha deciso di rendere omaggio alle vecchie fotocamere analogiche giocando sul concetto di autoscatto. "Con il progetto CameraSelfie - spiega Juergen - ho voluto ricordare quanto sia forte il carattere di queste macchine analogiche perché con l'avvento del digitale il potere di questi miracoli meccanici sembra scomparire sempre di più" ... [ Read more on LaRepubblica.it]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on PetaPixel

[PetaPixel 12/23/2014]
CameraSelfies: Portraits of Historical Cameras Taking Pictures of Themselves

What if cameras got tired of participating in human selfies and decided one day to start taking pictures of themselves? That’s the quirky idea behind a project called “CameraSelfies” by German photographer Juergen Novotny (who also goes by J. Flynn Newton).
The series features photos of various cameras “looking at themselves” in front of contemporary wallpapers that capture the cameras’ personalities...
[ Read more on PetaPixel.com]

CameraSelfies: Wenn das Herzstück selbst zum Model wird

[ZEITjUNG 12/14/2017]
CameraSelfies: Wenn das Herzstück selbst zum Model wird

Mit seiner Fotoserie „CameraSelfies“ setzt Jürgen Novotny ein Denkmal. Und zwar für all‘ jene technischen Meisterwerke aus vergangener Zeit, die drohen, das Zeitliche zu segnen. Der Fotograf, der auch schon aus Ingenieur beim Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt gearbeitet hat, überlegte sich, wie er das am besten macht. Das Ergebnis sind eine Reihe alter Schätzchen, die vor zeitgenössischen Tapeten, in Szene gesetzt wurden.
Dahinter steckt ein eigentlich ganz simples Ziel: Eine Karikatur auf den Selfie-Wahn zu setzen, der ja schon seit einigen Jahren unseren Alltag durchzieht....
[ Read more on ZEITjUNG.de]

NIUMEr of the week: J. Flynn Newton with his CameraSelfies

[NIUME 06/2016]
Niumer Of The Week: J. Flynn Newton (CameraSelfies)

What would happen if cameras came up with the idea of taking selfies? Photographer J. Flynn Newton hovered over this question, going on to create a unique and ongoing photo project that has seen his work go viral ... [ Read more on NIUME.com]

CameraSelfies by Juergen Novotny on macitynet.it

[macitynet 12/28/2014]
CameraSelfies, quando anche le fotocamere scattano selfie a loro stesse

CameraSelfies è un interessante progetto dedicato alla fotografia analogica, che si confronta con se stessa attraverso il concetto del selfie.
CameraSelfies è un progetto fotografico artistico di J. Flynn Newton (al secolo Juergen Novotny) che nell’era dei selfie ha deciso di sfruttare come soggetto le vecchie fotocamere analogiche. Ha così deciso di piazzare alcune delle fotocamere più popolari, ma anche antiche, davanti ad uno specchio e di scattare immagini di loro stesse, rivitalizzando così la lori immagine sfruttando anche sfondi compositi e texture che potremmo definire di “fine art”....
[ Read more on macitynet.it]