I often question the real reason why we take so many photos when we go away. I mean, the obvious one is because it is different and you want to remember it... You come all this way to experience something up close and personal and then end up seeing it though something tinier than your hand. How crazy is that? You'd get a better picture from the comfort of your couch or sitting at your computer... This really hit home for me last year when I was on Phi Phi Island, Thailand. The boat pulled into the beautiful Maya Bay. And, like all of my fellow travellers I was waiting with my camera ready to capture the 'paradise moment' - anyone who has been to Phi Phi will know exactly what I am talking about. We pulled in and I had a pretty good shot. Total postcard, albeit soulless. Someone moved in front of my camera so I attempted to readjust my framing but couldn't get it right. Frustrated I gave up and looked up. I was absolutely blown away by the expansive beauty of the place. A beauty so huge and so all sensory that there was no possible way you could even attempt to capture on film. I put my camera down and for one of the first moments, completely and absolutely enjoyed the moment, the breeze, the sun, the limestone cliffs, the turquoise water, the salty smell. An all sensory experience, otherwise lost by snapping away. I vowed to try to experience first and take pics second. It's harder said than done, especially on this trip, where my job is to document! Trying to find a balance in between.
So why do we feel the need to look through a lens? Is it to remember the moment? Or is it to show other people what we have done. If it is the latter, why should it really matter?
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