On a Cloud

I love taking photos. Not of myself, but of the things and people around me. In this image-centered social media age, photos carry a lot of weight for many. I remember people saying, “Show a picture or it didn’t happen.” Without a photo, there is no proof of any experience you may have had that you want to share with others.   

I have a love-hate experience with photography. I love taking photos, but I hate taking posed pictures. The staged feeling I get from those photos can feel like a disconnect from the moment. This is why I love taking candid photos. They feel more natural and real. Candid photos are more representative of the moment than staged or posed ones.   

Once on a trip out of town, someone asked why I kept taking photos but that I hardly took any that had me in them. I remember saying that I was not comfortable posing for photos. I would rather take pictures of places and other people rather than insert myself in the frame. To me, the photos I take will help me remember things in the way that I saw them during that moment. It would be a better reminder of the experience from my point of view.  

One thing that I am conflicted about when taking photos is trying to figure out how much is too much. I used to be the type of person who loved taking photos every single minute to document their experience. But I realized that having too many saved photos of a particular event or trip can be a little overwhelming. Looking at too many photos makes it feel a little less special for some reason. Not only that, but I also felt that having too many photos diluted the experience. Taking too many photos took away from enjoying the moment itself and being present in it.  

I agree that we should make more memories rather than take more pictures. But there is something about having photos too. After time has passed, we may have many other experiences after the moments we have captured. These photos may be the only way to spark the memory of those moments. It may be the only way to bring those places, emotions, and people back.   

These days I still love taking photos, but I am now more aware of how much of them I take. I am now more conscious of finding a balance between enjoying the moment and documenting it. I realized that I have become more discerning about why I take photos. I have been more conscious about whether I am taking photos for others than for myself. I’ve discovered that often, I love photos I took for the latter reason than the former. I would like to take more photos like that.  

One of my favorite moments taking photos was going on a photo walk along a beach during sunrise. It was one of the best moments I remember having. I walked the whole stretch of the beach. I remember enjoying the sight of people hoping to catch a glimpse of the sunrise from the shore. I took the time to enjoy and savor the moment, especially when the sun came up.  

I took a couple of photos to remind me of that time then I allowed myself to stop and take it all in. It was such a quiet and peaceful morning, and I am happy that one of my photos was able to capture that. I hope that I can do something similar again one day.   

Do I see photography as a form of art? If we define art as self-expression, then yes. How we take photos can express how we see or feel about a particular experience. If another person can feel what you felt when you took the photo, then that's even better. Because art and the self-expression of it are even better when they can move others.   

In as much as I can see photography as an art form, that is not something I am conscious of when I take photos. As I’ve said earlier, at this point I prefer taking pictures for me. Everyone else is secondary. If others see it as a form of art, or if it moves other people, and if people like them, that would be a bonus. The most important thing for me is satisfying my personal goals for taking them. It’s about locking in a memory that I want to keep for the rest of my life.   

I miss taking photos. I have not been out that much lately so there has not been any chance to do anything that warrants taking photos. I hope I get the chance to do this again soon. Fingers crossed.