Do you ever get back from a trip to an enviable tropical destination, go to review all the photos you’ve taken…only to realize that you don’t have any many as you thought?
Have you ever gone to create a digital scrapbook, but can’t tell the stories like you want because you don’t have pictures of every activity?
How many times have you wondered “Should I take more pictures when I travel?”
We take pictures of a way to capture memories, recall special moments, assist in storytelling, and hopefully share our experiences with others.
Some people take pictures as a way to create their own souvenirs, rather than purchasing doo-dads that just take up space in an already-cramed carry-on bag.
Others take pictures on a trip as a way of starting conversations, meeting new people, and having a purpose or direction.
I definitely fall into most of those categories, and I often ask myself if I should take more pictures while I’m out traveling.
And the funny thing is…I always think that I’m getting enough pictures taken to satisfy my desires. Until I get home and kick myself again.
I’ve been working on my photography game lately. My camera bag definitely has a lot more lenses and different machines in it, most of which I am comfortable using for a variety of shots. I have noticed a definite increase in the quality of pictures that I’ve been taking, but I still prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front of it.
So while I have plenty of beautiful pictures of beaches, forests, and landscapes, the amount of shots that I am actually in is astounding.
But not astounding in a good way.
Think about it.
Think back to the last time you talked to a friend about their latest vacation. When they whipped out their camera or scrapbook, which pictures were you most interested in?
The picture of the pristine beach that could be a computer screensaver, or the family shot of them building a sand castle together?
While it might be nice to see a few establishing pictures of where their family was, you can always Google pictures about the location that were taken by a professional.
I wrote a post about finding balance between living in the moment and taking pictures while traveling.
In my post, I discussed the process of finding balance between taking pictures and enjoying the moments. It’s possible, but definitely requires some planning ahead of time.
We live in a society where it’s common to hear something along the lines of “if you didn’t post it on social media, did it even happen?” Or some variation of this. And it really irks me. As if the actual experience is worthless unless we have photographic evidence to prove that it wasn’t just a figment of our imagination.
So going back to my previous question, should I take more pictures when I travel?
I guess there’s no right answer to this question. It’s personal, and everyone is going to have different motivations for taking their own pictures.
But yes, I think I should be taking more intentional pictures. Pictures that tell a story. Showcase where I am and the experiences that I’m having.
And they better have me in the frame.
What do you think? Is there a right answer?
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