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On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

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Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#251

Post by JKCalhoun »

brabel wrote: post #197
JKCalhoun wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not just “making it your own”. I took the girls all around the US, around the world even as they were growing up. I had grown up in a “camera family” so always had one on trips as a parent too. Now, with two decades behind me, the photos of my young daughters, wife are the vacation photos I return to. Oldest daughter is wearing a kimono sipping tea at some place in the mountains of Japan… Two youngest are chasin…

I suspect those photos would have been as precious to you if they were taken in your backyard.

You’re right. And I have those too. I was responding to the camera + vacation specifically though.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#252

Post by righthand »

vasco wrote: post #117
righthand wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are the people taking excessive photos letting others live (in the moment)?

Too much of anything is a bad thing, that's besides the point as that argument can be made about anything.

Which is the exactly the point. Both photo-takers and non-photo-takers need to live and let live.

Just because people have agency doesn’t mean it’s good because technology.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#253

Post by hellcow »

strogonoff wrote: post #225

That by using and/or carrying a camera you stop being present in the moment, and that it is somehow mutually exclusive with making memories, is somewhat of a mischaracterisation. If you are serious about photography with existing light, the act of using the camera and even merely carrying it forces you to, for the lack of better description, see things as they are. It opens your eyes, quiets your chattering brain, st…

Absolutely. To add to this, the fact the author doesn’t take photos in their home town is a surprise as well.

You understand where you live better than visitors. As a photographer you know what’s interesting about a place. You see things that everyone else walks past and doesn’t notice. While everyone else walks away with generic tourist shots of Chapel Hill, you can capture snapshots of daily life over years that really showcase your friends and neighbors and town, and in so doing create a body of work that’s entirely unique to you and your perspective.

It’s an odd thing to be proud of—a photographer not capturing the place they know best.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#254

Post by j45 »

_glass wrote: post #213
andrehacker wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was young and easily swayed, I took life advice from a well-known Dutch comedian (Youp van 't Hek) who loved to mock tourists taking those cringe “holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” photos. The message was clear: tourist photos were tacky, and besides, you could always find a better photo in the gift shop anyway. So for years, I smugly avoided taking photos—too cool for clichés. It only hit me much later th…

I missed out so much. When I was a college student, I rejected photos, as digital cameras where everywhere, and I was a snob, in my high school times taking analog camera photo. I read a lot of books about Zen, living in the moment, but now I regret this. The view photos I have I cherish as very dear memories.

Taking photos and videos for yourself or family is very different than for public posting.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#255

Post by vanviegen »

diggan wrote: post #226
riffraff wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is old advice, I remember it being framed as "if I wanted a picture of a monument I'd buy a postcard", and postcards basically no longer exist. It made some sense to take pictures of panoramas or art when you could show something to people that could not see it otherwise, but in this era it makes no sense (unless you enjoy photography as a hobby). A goofy picture of you kissing some old bronze statue? Dumb, but…

> and postcards basically no longer exist You mean in the sense that no one sends/receives them? Because that might be true for the younger generation, but postcards are still available literally anywhere I've been in the world, and are still very easy to send, for those who enjoy that.

I just came back from two weeks touring Thailand. No postcards to be found anywhere. None. Lots of Buddha and elephant souvenirs though... Not sure what to make of that, but I guess they just weren't selling anymore?

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#256

Post by solids »

__MatrixMan__ wrote: post #99
andrehacker wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was young and easily swayed, I took life advice from a well-known Dutch comedian (Youp van 't Hek) who loved to mock tourists taking those cringe “holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” photos. The message was clear: tourist photos were tacky, and besides, you could always find a better photo in the gift shop anyway. So for years, I smugly avoided taking photos—too cool for clichés. It only hit me much later th…

I have a friend who refuses to take pictures without people in them. It seemed dumb at first but after several years of pictures piling up I can see he had a pretty good point.

I understand this feeling. When I was younger I took a lot of time preparing and taking meaningless random pictures.

Years later I started taking pictures only with the people I was with.

Nowadays that smartphones got much better, I just start recording a video of the moments I think will be worth remembering, but without paying much attention to the frame, I just record and that’s it.

Years later when you watch them it feels much more vivid than watching a still dead photo.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#257

Post by theoreticalmal »

__MatrixMan__ wrote: post #99
andrehacker wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was young and easily swayed, I took life advice from a well-known Dutch comedian (Youp van 't Hek) who loved to mock tourists taking those cringe “holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” photos. The message was clear: tourist photos were tacky, and besides, you could always find a better photo in the gift shop anyway. So for years, I smugly avoided taking photos—too cool for clichés. It only hit me much later th…

I have a friend who refuses to take pictures without people in them. It seemed dumb at first but after several years of pictures piling up I can see he had a pretty good point.

While I certainly enjoy pictures of my friends and loved ones, I also deeply enjoy a few of the landscape photos I’ve taken. For me, I have a really really difficult time remembering a place or memory or situation unless I can recall the physical space I was in. A picture of a pretty vista and a few photos of the nearby surround area immediately helps me recall my feelings, who I was with, and the overall memory of the place, usually to great enjoyment

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#258

Post by kccqzy »

_glass wrote: post #213
andrehacker wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was young and easily swayed, I took life advice from a well-known Dutch comedian (Youp van 't Hek) who loved to mock tourists taking those cringe “holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa” photos. The message was clear: tourist photos were tacky, and besides, you could always find a better photo in the gift shop anyway. So for years, I smugly avoided taking photos—too cool for clichés. It only hit me much later th…

I missed out so much. When I was a college student, I rejected photos, as digital cameras where everywhere, and I was a snob, in my high school times taking analog camera photo. I read a lot of books about Zen, living in the moment, but now I regret this. The view photos I have I cherish as very dear memories.

When modern smartphones first came out, I rejected them as a snob too. I continued to believe a dumb phone plus a dedicated camera was a better choice. But of course I often forget to bring the better camera out and I missed out on so much too. There's a reason people say the best camera is the camera you have with you.

Re: On Not Carrying a Camera – Cultivating memories instead of snapshots

#260

Post by elif »

Missing a moment because you were "fiddling with your camera" is relatable. So inspiring is also the view looking out over the LCD ocean at a concert. It's easy to think that this tool is disconnecting us from the moment.

But I'm here to offer a different perspective as I get to go to the zoo every day. For the first couple months in went no camera, only rarely taking a phone picture. Then I decided to get back into photography, something I hadn't been into since 35mm.

The whole experience changed, and I became more connected with the animals. While everyone around me is thinking "oh boring, the animal is not doing anything" I'm thinking "oh look at that twitch.. if I just am a little more patient I can get the shot" I'm the only one looking at the animals as they wake up. I've even made a 30 second rule, where I keep video rolling for 30 seconds after I've personally lost interest.

Not only has photography brought me closer to the animals, it has been a philosophical exercise in patience, grace, and remaining in a moment with fixed attention.

The exact opposite of this blog post.

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