5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD QUIT TAKING PHOTOS

For years, I've been thinking about the immense number of photos that I take.  It all stemmed from some article I read a couple years ago about living in the moment, without taking a photo of it.  Up until I was in college, I probably only took a couple hundred photos total.  When I was using an old camera with film, there were only so many shots I could take before I had to go pay to get them developed.  So, as you can guess, I didn't take near as many photos.  However, most of the ones that I took were really meaningful and I still love to look back on.  Enter the age of the digital camera.  Now, I don't have to get film developed after 24 shots.  So, it's tempting to take tons of photos of the exact same thing to make sure at least one of them "turns out good".  I'm not saying digital camera's are bad.  I love how easy my iPhone makes capturing memories.  But, what I am saying is that we should quit taking so many photos.  Here's why.

1.  YOU CAN GOOGLE IT.  Want to remember what the Washington Monument looks like?  Google it?  Or Niagara Falls?  Google it.  What you can't google is a photo of you in front of those special places.  So, if you are going to take a photo to remember the special occasion or memory, then make sure you're in it.  If not, skip the photo and just enjoy the view.  I took too many photos of the Redwood National Park and have all these photos of trees that I never look at or print off.  But you know the photo that's my favorite?  The one of me hugging one of the trees!  Are you worried you won't have the photos to show your friends and family?  Well, they can google those places too!

Redwoods

2.  YOU FEEL STRESSED.  When I'm worried about getting "the perfect photo", I can't even enjoy the moment.  I'm anxious to find just the right spot.  So, I find it and take a photo there.  But, I walk 50 feet to the right and realize that actually, this was the optimal view, so I need to take another photo here.  I feel the pressure to shoot the perfect photo, but I also feel Ironman's attitude shifting and I don't want him to think I'm annoying.  It's not fun and it really ruins the moment we could have had.  So, if I know I'm going to want a photo of a certain spot, I usually will tell Ironman ahead of time so he can be prepared.  Also, I try to walk around, enjoy the view and see it from all angles before deciding where to take the one perfect photo.  This keeps me from having to take one at every spot, just in case that spot was the best shot.

3.  YOU IRRITATE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.  Talking about Ironman getting irritated, I don't like to be around someone trying to get the perfect photo either.  When I'm not prepared and don't like the way I look, the last thing I want to do is be in someone's photo.  Especially when they are taking tons of photos to try to get that perfect shot.  So, I try to remember this when I'm around other people.  If they don't want to be in a photo, I don't force or beg.  Also, if they agree, I try to already have a spot picked out and just take the one photo.  Most people are happy to take one photo to remember a group outing or trip.  Don't ruin that one fun moment by continuing to make them pose over and over for more photos.  You don't need a hundred photos to remember something fun that you did with your friends and family that one time.

Grand Canyon

4.  YOU MISS THE MOMENT.  It's true.  While you're trying to capture that perfect shot, you'll miss the moment.  I still remember when we visited the Grand Canyon.  We stepped off the bus and people immediately went wild taking photos and pushing their way to the front.  Ironman and I walked off to the side, found a good rock to sit on and just took it all in for about 15 minutes.  It was breathtaking.  Right before we left, I did take a few photos.  But, I didn't miss the moment and it's always been one of my favorite memories.  I remember feeling so calm, sitting there looking at the canyon and was very happy I had already decided to hold back on the obsessive photo taking before that trip.

5.  YOU WASTE TOO MUCH TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA.  Don't get me wrong, I love social media.  It's how I've kept in touch with friends from all over the world.  It's also how I've successfully grown my small business.  So, I really appreciate it!  But, everything has a limit and we must create healthy boundaries.  I find more and more that people are glued to their phones.  They check their notifications obsessively, even while "spending time" with someone.  Sure, they may be there, but they aren't really there.  We've lost quality time.  Check out my blog post on 7 WAYS TO CONTROL CELL PHONE USE.  It's not wrong to snap a quick photo and share.  Your family and friends probably love to keep up with you!  Just be sure that you aren't missing out on your real life, while you are checking and scrolling through social media.

Niagara Falls

The crazy thing is that as I was thinking about writing this post, something happened just two nights ago.  I wanted to try a new recipe for dinner called a "Buddha Bowl".  I cooked everything and took the time to make it look pretty.  As I was finishing up, Ironman handed me my phone.  I took it and said "why'd you give me my phone".  He said, "I thought you wanted to take a photo".  Immediately I felt crushed.  My own husband thought that I was only making his dinner look good so that I could post about it on social media.  I hadn't planned on taking that photo, but it still upset me that he thought that would be my next move.  I told him, "No, I was making it pretty for your dinner", put the phone down and went to eat with him.  But, I kept thinking how bad it is that everything "pretty" or "impressive" has to be documented on social media.  It's not good enough for just you and your family to enjoy anymore.  So, I knew that I wanted to post about it today.

I'm not saying you should stop taking photos at all.  I actually really enjoy taking photos and have taken some good ones over the years of traveling.  But, make sure you're taking them at the right time and for the right reason.  Another thing to consider is that when you are with someone, you should be without your phone.  If you do need to get on your phone for a moment, explain to the person you're with, do your business and get off as soon as your done.  Also, if you want to take a photo, ask their permission.  Our relationships should always come first.  Just go out in public and you can see that relationships are becoming 2nd to cell phones.  I don't want that to happen to mine!