How photographing my life on a daily basis helps me
Photography is undeniably the most popular form of visual art in today's world of saturated media. People have moved on from the mindset that one needs to have a high-end, expensive camera and that without such expensive devices, "post-worthy" pictures elude them. Instead, people now opt to shoot anything that seems photogenic on their phones – let it be a random moment or object.
However, many people these days aren't on the same page. Some of them are under the impression that taking pictures on a daily basis is a waste of time or a fickle hobby. I've seen many people on the internet criticising the demographic of people who turn to photography as a medium to document their daily lives, claiming that such a practice makes them miss out on real life.
I wouldn't claim to be a particularly good photographer but I do enjoy taking pictures out of love and enthusiasm. Naturally, I couldn't help but disagree with these thoughts.
Ever since Instagram and Snapchat stories became a feature, people have been taking more photos and videos of their lives. It may be portraits of themselves as well as their friends or videos of a memorable concert they've been to, and so on. In order to do that, they are subconsciously in search of moments that seem documentable.
It would be wrong to claim that those who indulge in this activity are missing out on real experiences. The key lies in striking a healthy balance. If one finds themselves being on their phone a little too often or consistently taking pictures, then that might be a problem that needs to be addressed. More often than not, people are really spending a few seconds documenting moments of their lives.
By documenting such fleeting seconds, they can relive those memories through the photographs. And just like any other hobby, this pursuit brings a great deal of personal joy and gratification. Photography also works as an outlet to channel and be present in happy moments. It goes without saying that not everyone takes pictures to share them as stories or posts, and not everyone takes pictures of exclusively happy moments.
If I draw from my personal experience, I have found photography to be an efficient method of keeping track of my life. It's not like I always feel compelled to take pictures, it's just that whenever I see or do things that seem slightly out of the ordinary than a regular, boring day, I pick up my phone and click photos. And when I look back at these pictures, it instantly takes me back to the day I took said memory. This helps me not forget things.
As I'm a photography enthusiast, I have been trying to upskill my photography abilities, When I look at older images, it helps me study and figure out mistakes such as whether my composition is off and the exposure needs more work.
It might seem strange but even when I'm having a bad day, I take a photo of something significant from the day. When that bad phase passes, looking back at the pictures helps me reflect on the fact that I've been able to hang on. It inspires me to overcome the bad things that later show up in my life.
So, if you love taking photos regularly like me in a healthy way, there is no need to feel ashamed about it. Instead, try to realistically track your growth and preserve the memories you want to cherish forever.