I love taking photos.
Ever since I was in 6th grade and received my first camera as a gift for Christmas, photography has been a huge passion of mine. I posted photos frequently on my blog (now very embarrassing to look at) and hung up prints all over my bedroom. On an Ocean Shores spring break trip as a freshman in high school I decided to go past my usual photography and I made a video of the week. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuprG6ze76Q&t=3s )
Looking back at the first video I made, I now see several editing mistakes and shots I would have done differently, and I always ask myself, why did I stop the video right in the middle of the chorus? I’m not sure. But watching it brings back all the memories and feelings of the week, which is why I so passionately dove into making videos after that. Nothing beats the feeling of chills you get after laboring and editing over a video and finally finishing it.
Documenting events has always been one of my main passions, and I still love creating videos and taking photos today. After the creation of iPhones, (Oh no, I sound like one of the adults who writes articles about “kids these days” with their “smart phones and snapagram”) taking photos of pretty much anything and everything became only too easy.
I made an Instagram account in 8th grade, which allowed my friends and me to post photos of all the cool and exciting things we did together, and let everyone see more deeply into each other’s lives. You already know I was out there using the Instagram filters and posting pictures of my cereal. But with the invention of Snapchat stories, (And even more recently, Instagram stories, because Instagram can’t just be posting photos, it has to be 5 other apps at once) there has become an even greater ability to post and update all your friends on what you’re doing. 24/7. All. The. Time.
Don’t get me wrong. I am a huge advocate for using creative abilities and talents to create content, especially on Instagram. I truly enjoy posting photos and having an aesthetically pleasing feed. I am probably one of the most guilty of spending time on my Instagram photos as a hobby, because I love to see all the colors and thoughtful captions and documentation of memories. I am all here for it.
But.
In the past year especially, there has become a prevalent need to constantly constantly constantly take photos of every event, and when a group of friends go out or Thanksgiving dinner is served, all I see on people’s snapchat stories are the same photo, because of the fear of missing out. People want others to know that they “have a life” and “even though my 5 friends all posted this on their stories I also have to because everyone has to know I’m not a loser at home” and “yes, I’m having turkey on Thanksgiving too, just like the rest of the nation”. People will post a story just because everyone else is, and they will post a story of every big event to demonstrate their social life.
I’m not saying this is the case all the time, because it definitely isn’t. I’m sure many subconsciously do this, and there are many valid and excellent stories. One of my best friends consistently has quality Snapchat stories that I always look forward to, and I make a point to have original and funny stories.
But there is always a line, a line between the quality and creatively stimulating content as opposed to the redundant photos that make me sad, because I know someone is trying to be accepted. Because there shouldn’t be a need for that. It should be okay to be at home, it should be okay to not post a story of every. single. event. I know someone who has a snapchat but doesn’t post stories, and I’m sure they feel so free, free from the burden of displaying their life’s activities to the world.
It is hard to non-hypocritically post about this, because I am of course guilty of all these things, who isn’t? My goal is to continuously push further and further away from any need to do these things. In the past months especially, I’ve been making it a goal to do it less and less, to be less present in the social media world and more present in my actual life. One achievement though, I’ve never posted a snapchat of my food at a restaurant 😉
Snapchat’s slogan is “Life’s more fun when you live in the moment”, but it should actually be, “If you download this app, you will miss out on all the fun moments because you’re busy videotaping them”, I know you’ve all been to concerts where everyone just has their phone out the whole time. But IMAGINE how much more fun life would be if Snapchat didn’t exist and we seized every opportunity to actually live in the moment. How insane. How cool.
For St. Nicholas day, my mom got me a backpacking magazine (to prepare for the World Race, lets gooo!), and there was an incredible article about an avid hiker and backpacker who found himself in a similar situation as me. He loves taking photos and using photography as a creative passion, but he hates the pressure Instagram puts on us to have the perfect photo and to take hundreds of photos of every event. Ted Alvarez says, “the constant focus on snapping the perfect wilderness photo can actually rob us of the memories we’re trying to preserve” (Backpacker, Jan 2018). He shared how while he can’t totally give up taking photos on hikes, he is trying a different method: every other hike, he doesn’t use his camera, and simply takes in all the memories in his mind.
I went on a hike this morning, and I decided I would try a simplified version of this method. I made the resolution not to take a photo until I reached the top of the mountain, and when I did, I could only take one photo. Kind of like having a disposable camera with one photo left. Chillin.
I didn’t find it hard, and I actually loved it. At the top of the 5 mile hike, I sat on the edge of a rock and looked out past the overhang to the Cascade mountain range, just thinking and existing in silence, surrounded by my friends posting their stories. It was so stress free not having to take the photos, and getting to drink my La Croix in peace and in nature. I got my one photo of the La Croix (And, I’ll admit, one selfie) and that was it. So so so nice. Now I have the memories of watching my friends, sitting on the edge of the rocks, being out of breath scaling the final climb to the summit, doing some hard core parkour scrambling down the mountain, while my friends took the social glory. I can see their photos and smile at the memories they captured, and I can remember the smell of the frigid air as it whipped against my face, and the glare of the sun through the fog, taking in God’s greatness in gratitude for his crazy awesome imagination, like wow, if you’ve seen the Cascade mountains, you’ve seen God.
I think that is why I love camp so much. We are unplugged the whole time (not 100% of the time as counselors, but as campers), and it is so incredible. It is such an uncommon feeling these days, with the constant nag to post and update and send those streaks, guys! But not having to do that at camp, having zero immediate responsibility except sit out on the lake, climb Mt. Stohr to take in the sunrise, watch sunset at Seattle lookout, and be in the presence of my favorite people, favorite place, and God, that’s an incredible gift.
To bring this full circle to the World Race, I think this is why I am so excited. Yes, I know my Instagram feed is going to be POPPIN, I’m going to have the ability to capture so many insane memories and people, and I’m gonna create some crazy amazing videos. That aspect I am SO excited for. But at the same time, I’m even more excited for the days and weeks we go without wifi, and the moments I’ll have with my team, unplugged and reconnected to the real world and its people. That’s when the real memories happen. That’s when we have those big belly laughs, looking at the night sky, not worried about having the perfect pose or having to re-enact something for a friend to capture on film. It’s going to be incredible.
On my next hike, I’ll probably bring my camera and take some video, and next week, you better believe I’ll have that Christmas party on my story. But I’m going to be constantly looking to post quality content, give out life giving material, and save some of those memories for me, taken by the lens in my mind.
Peace
MG
