"Detroit's Largest Selfie" Snapped Outside The DIA

DETROIT (WWJ) - "It's a great way to give expression of what Detroit is by bringing everybody together," says Professional photographer Shawn Lee.

A crowd of 60 people gathered on the steps of the Detroit Institute of Arts on Wednesday to be part of "Detroit's Largest Selfie."

The event is part of activities for Detroit Week, celebrating entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the city.

Professional photographer Shawn Lee, who took the group shot of everybody taking selfies, told WWJ's Laura Bonnell that this helps give Detroit a different view to outsiders looking in.

"It's a way for us to kind of build the spirit of Detroit, build the brand and build this momentum," she said.

"It's a great way to give expression of what Detroit is by bringing everybody together," Lee said. "It's a way for us to kind of build the spirit of Detroit, build the brand and build this momentum."

"Once we take that photograph, that photograph is going to circulate to every social media platform."

According to Lee, this chance at local history could also serve as a networking opportunity not just for up and coming businesses, but those into the arts as well.

"We just thought that this would be a great idea to be able to gather start-ups and entrepreneurs, and those that are artists and creative," Lee said.

Metro Detroit small business owner Monica Martin says that this could serve as a social media promotion for her business and the city. "Personally, we just started a cookie company," Martin said. "So we wanted to put it on our Facebook just to promote the city,"

The group selfie also gave local resident Veronica Verhelic a chance to bond with her daughter.

"This is just a really cool mom moment for me," Verhelic said. "To bring my daughter down here and do something she already loves to do and be part of history — it's pretty cool."

Detroit Week continues through February 23.

(credit: Laura Bonnell)