It was supposed to be about capturing memories. About giggling and everyone coming together for the "kodak moment".
Photosharing and digital cameras have changed the way we look at photographs. We can manipulate our photographs. We take pictures after pictures till we get a perfect shot. The first concern we have after clicking a picture is whether it can be uploaded on a social networking site and whether people can be tagged. Earlier photographs had to be developed. And we just hoped that they came out alright. We took out photo albums on special occasions.They had a place of pride in the topmost shelves of our almirahs.
Today, we forget why we are taking the shot in the first place. We merely concentrate on the quality of the shot. We all seem to be amateur photographers; who know their shots and angles. Even the person being photographed constantly gives directions to the hapless photographer.
"Take a long shot of me"
"click me from this angle"
"My side profile looks better"
"Eww, I look horrid! Take another"
I have hundreds of pictures on my laptop but very few that preserve my memories. All my favourite photographs are tucked away between plastic sheets of albums. Infact, my favourite memories have not been clicked.
I wish we clicked our photos with no pretensions, without posing. I wish every occasion was not an excuse to take out our cameras. I have gotten over the craze of uploading pictures on facebook. I am also over clicking "profile pictures." I used to do that a lot in college. Everyone used to. But now, I have grown out of it. I am glad about that.
There's this song by the group Simon and Garfunkel; which I love.
Photosharing and digital cameras have changed the way we look at photographs. We can manipulate our photographs. We take pictures after pictures till we get a perfect shot. The first concern we have after clicking a picture is whether it can be uploaded on a social networking site and whether people can be tagged. Earlier photographs had to be developed. And we just hoped that they came out alright. We took out photo albums on special occasions.They had a place of pride in the topmost shelves of our almirahs.
Today, we forget why we are taking the shot in the first place. We merely concentrate on the quality of the shot. We all seem to be amateur photographers; who know their shots and angles. Even the person being photographed constantly gives directions to the hapless photographer.
"Take a long shot of me"
"click me from this angle"
"My side profile looks better"
"Eww, I look horrid! Take another"
I have hundreds of pictures on my laptop but very few that preserve my memories. All my favourite photographs are tucked away between plastic sheets of albums. Infact, my favourite memories have not been clicked.
I wish we clicked our photos with no pretensions, without posing. I wish every occasion was not an excuse to take out our cameras. I have gotten over the craze of uploading pictures on facebook. I am also over clicking "profile pictures." I used to do that a lot in college. Everyone used to. But now, I have grown out of it. I am glad about that.
There's this song by the group Simon and Garfunkel; which I love.
"Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you"
P. Simon, 1968
Featured on Bookends
That's what I want to do. Preserve my memories. Without the hula-hoop surrounding it.
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you"
P. Simon, 1968
Featured on Bookends
That's what I want to do. Preserve my memories. Without the hula-hoop surrounding it.
Wonderful post and so it happens, I too had the same feeling. I can't second you on this one, because I want to first you... Its ironical, how memories are lost even between photographs...
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