Are you taking photos, or do you just prefer to keep pictures in your mind?
Apr 20th, 2008, 04:02 PM
#1
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Are you taking photos, or do you just prefer to keep pictures in your mind?
I like travelling as much as you do...
Recently though I was contemplating on how many "pictures" of all these places I have kept just in my mind.. "Mind Photos" that I could never "save" and bring back.
Other people have different views: A friend wrote in my website's guestbook (http://www.larios.gr/guestbook.html) that he prefers keeping the vivid pictures in mind and not taking photos at all. He thinks this is more suitable.
Me however, in the last couple of years, took up photography as a passionate hobby. I still regret however for the pictures of the past, that I may some time forget.
Well during this philosophical quest... I made a brief photo slideshow (with music) with the few glimpses that I have managed to save... But this, I made it as an "ode" to the missed ones!
Download it here: http://www.larios.gr/section116382.html
and then tell me which side do you usually take....
(or leave comments and critique at my guestbook: http://www.larios.gr/guestbook.html)
As fellow travelers, I am sure you will have experienced this awkward feeling. Have you? And what do you prefer?
Regards,
_________
Yannis
Recently though I was contemplating on how many "pictures" of all these places I have kept just in my mind.. "Mind Photos" that I could never "save" and bring back.
Other people have different views: A friend wrote in my website's guestbook (http://www.larios.gr/guestbook.html) that he prefers keeping the vivid pictures in mind and not taking photos at all. He thinks this is more suitable.
Me however, in the last couple of years, took up photography as a passionate hobby. I still regret however for the pictures of the past, that I may some time forget.
Well during this philosophical quest... I made a brief photo slideshow (with music) with the few glimpses that I have managed to save... But this, I made it as an "ode" to the missed ones!
Download it here: http://www.larios.gr/section116382.html
and then tell me which side do you usually take....
(or leave comments and critique at my guestbook: http://www.larios.gr/guestbook.html)
As fellow travelers, I am sure you will have experienced this awkward feeling. Have you? And what do you prefer?
Regards,
_________
Yannis
Apr 20th, 2008, 04:30 PM
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I love taking photos when I can, however, so often the photos don't do the moment justice and even more often, I don't have a camera when I need it. At those times, I say out loud, "my heart just took a picture". I adore reflecting on my photo album there. Advantage? Immediate image retrieval. Disadvantage? I can't share the picture with anyone (other than through my own less than adequate description). I also find that a picture doesn't adequately capture the feelings I get from the image, so when I take pictures, I write about them which is more meaningful as I go back through albums. Photo books on services like shutterfly.com have made this easy for me.
Apr 20th, 2008, 04:37 PM
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larios,
Beautiful pictures! My husband and I are starting photography lessons next week. Can't wait!
I have been in places where I stop and mentally store the moment in front of me to remember the smells, the setting and how I felt while standing there. But I could never imagine not taking photos while on a trip somewhere special with my family to look through as we age.
Beautiful pictures! My husband and I are starting photography lessons next week. Can't wait!
I have been in places where I stop and mentally store the moment in front of me to remember the smells, the setting and how I felt while standing there. But I could never imagine not taking photos while on a trip somewhere special with my family to look through as we age.
Apr 20th, 2008, 04:43 PM
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My best friend feels the same way as your friend. He's been to a lot of places, but never takes pictures. He just journals and draws a lot. But, then, he's always been a purist when it comes to his art. If he wants to have a more visible reminder of what he's seen, he's more apt to draw or sketch it, than take a photo.
I, on the other hand, love taking photos. I wish I had more time to look back on the pictures I've taken over the years, but nevertheless, I'm glad they're there within my reach.
I, on the other hand, love taking photos. I wish I had more time to look back on the pictures I've taken over the years, but nevertheless, I'm glad they're there within my reach.
Apr 20th, 2008, 05:15 PM
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Larios, your slide show of fleeting moments was lovely and inspiring. The music really added to the pictures.
In answer to the question about whether one prefers to keep pictures in the mind or to take photos: I think, as my middle school student would say, "Whatever floats your boat." No one way is better.
I enjoy photography as a hobby and love having a tangible reminder of my travels, family events, the changing face of my town, etc. However, there are pictures that I missed, but will forever have in my mind and are mine alone.
I am also lucky to have an outlet for my travel pictures. I have put together several 30-40 minute slide shows which I share with local groups looking for a speaker (garden clubs, church groups, grange meetings, senior centers, and such like). They seem to be well received and give me a chance to relive my trips and share the wonders of our country and parts of the world I have visited.
I admire those who have the ability and talent to capture the essence of a place in their sketches. One of my uncles traveled a lot and wrote letters to our family with wonderful sketches in the margins or sometimes a whole page worth. I recently found some of those in the attic at home and what a treasure to reread. Ah, letter writing! Is it becoming a lost art?
Sorry for my ramblings.
In answer to the question about whether one prefers to keep pictures in the mind or to take photos: I think, as my middle school student would say, "Whatever floats your boat." No one way is better.
I enjoy photography as a hobby and love having a tangible reminder of my travels, family events, the changing face of my town, etc. However, there are pictures that I missed, but will forever have in my mind and are mine alone.
I am also lucky to have an outlet for my travel pictures. I have put together several 30-40 minute slide shows which I share with local groups looking for a speaker (garden clubs, church groups, grange meetings, senior centers, and such like). They seem to be well received and give me a chance to relive my trips and share the wonders of our country and parts of the world I have visited.
I admire those who have the ability and talent to capture the essence of a place in their sketches. One of my uncles traveled a lot and wrote letters to our family with wonderful sketches in the margins or sometimes a whole page worth. I recently found some of those in the attic at home and what a treasure to reread. Ah, letter writing! Is it becoming a lost art?
Sorry for my ramblings.
Apr 20th, 2008, 06:24 PM
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Great photos, larios!
mindibz, "my heart just took a picture", fantastic quote! I'll have to use it sometime. By the way, I concur with all you've said.
My mother wouldn't go inside Westminster Abbey because she wasn't allowed to take pictures
Mention Westminister Abbey, and my mind alone can see EVERYTHING inside. No camera needed. Sometimes photos do things justice, sometimes not.
Often, just looking at or experiencing something will bring a certain memory of a trip vividly back to me that a photo cannot do. It's probably those feelings still inside that stay after you've taken the trip. There are also times that I look back on my photos and it all comes back to me.
So, I'll have to say that I operate on both, but I lean towards the photo taking. With the Internet, it's been great to keep my photos up on a gallery for easy access. There's nothing like being taken back to your adventures when you need a refresher.
mindibz, "my heart just took a picture", fantastic quote! I'll have to use it sometime. By the way, I concur with all you've said.
My mother wouldn't go inside Westminster Abbey because she wasn't allowed to take pictures
Mention Westminister Abbey, and my mind alone can see EVERYTHING inside. No camera needed. Sometimes photos do things justice, sometimes not. Often, just looking at or experiencing something will bring a certain memory of a trip vividly back to me that a photo cannot do. It's probably those feelings still inside that stay after you've taken the trip. There are also times that I look back on my photos and it all comes back to me.
So, I'll have to say that I operate on both, but I lean towards the photo taking. With the Internet, it's been great to keep my photos up on a gallery for easy access. There's nothing like being taken back to your adventures when you need a refresher.
Apr 20th, 2008, 06:38 PM
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I don't have the best memory, and you can't share pictures in your heart with other people! I like taking pictures, lots of pictures. It can help you recall things, and also you can share them with friends... or with people who are interested in traveling to wherever you went.
Now, if there was a place that wouldn't allow pictures, that's ok. There probably are postcards nearby to buy!
Though I've been worried that i don't have enough space for the camera(s) i need for all the pictures i'd take! Would be too worried about losing the digi-cam to bring it.
Now, if there was a place that wouldn't allow pictures, that's ok. There probably are postcards nearby to buy!
Though I've been worried that i don't have enough space for the camera(s) i need for all the pictures i'd take! Would be too worried about losing the digi-cam to bring it.
Apr 21st, 2008, 06:39 AM
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Caladrius---I like the postcard idea when you can't take a picture inside somewhere. I also like to buy the "summary book" with pictures and descriptions of cities I visit and galleries I visit. There's usually a "Rome" book, "New York City", etc., and each gallery/museum usually sells a book that has the major attractions and descriptions.
Apr 21st, 2008, 07:02 AM
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I'm so thankful for digital photography. I used to drag a bag of spent film around, spend a fortune to develop it and pile the pictures in the garage where they never saw the light of day again.
Now I take a good quality all-in-one camera on a neck strap with a big capacity storage card.
I come home with 500 or 600 keepers which I load into my computer. I set my computer's screensaver on "slideshow of my pictures" and I enjoy a random review of my travel memories all the time.
Now I take a good quality all-in-one camera on a neck strap with a big capacity storage card.
I come home with 500 or 600 keepers which I load into my computer. I set my computer's screensaver on "slideshow of my pictures" and I enjoy a random review of my travel memories all the time.
Apr 21st, 2008, 08:23 AM
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I don't really like to take pictures unless I am by myself on a trip. In fact my boyfriend and I just returned from Paris where he got annoyed that I didn't take a single picture! I told him, I've been to Paris before and I'll go again... and everything will still be there!
Julie Delpy's character in "2 Days in Paris" says something like "when you take pictures, you become an observer"... I prefer to remain a participant.
Julie Delpy's character in "2 Days in Paris" says something like "when you take pictures, you become an observer"... I prefer to remain a participant.
Apr 21st, 2008, 08:28 AM
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I take both. I do not spend all my time looking through a view finder, I have plenty of "Mind Photos"too, but I do really enjoy photography and taking photos.
When we went to Tanzania a couple of years ago both my OH and I took photos. He took about 4 times as many as me, and missed seeing some things because he was looking through the viewfinder, instead of just enjoying the moment.
Some one I know spent almost their entire safari looking at the little screen on their video camera instead of looking with their own eyes.
That is so sad.
Take photos, yes, but enjoy the moment with your own eyes too.
When we went to Tanzania a couple of years ago both my OH and I took photos. He took about 4 times as many as me, and missed seeing some things because he was looking through the viewfinder, instead of just enjoying the moment.
Some one I know spent almost their entire safari looking at the little screen on their video camera instead of looking with their own eyes.
That is so sad.
Take photos, yes, but enjoy the moment with your own eyes too.
Apr 21st, 2008, 08:29 AM
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I love taking pictures and have really gotten into photography. My hubby and I both love it, so it is always a big part of our trips.
I use www.mypublisher.com to make books of all our trips. Love them all!
I use www.mypublisher.com to make books of all our trips. Love them all!
Apr 21st, 2008, 08:57 AM
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I tend to take a lot of phots because my memory leaves a lot to be desired. I get home and look through the photos and then go through a 'mental video' of that time. Photos are more of a memory prompt than the whole memory. If I go somewhere I'm not allowed to take pictures, I'll either find postcards, or write down the name to look up images on the internet at home.
I hope to get a digital frame after my next trip to display photos in. My big albums never get opened, but a digital frame set on random would be a lot of fun.
I hope to get a digital frame after my next trip to display photos in. My big albums never get opened, but a digital frame set on random would be a lot of fun.
Aug 21st, 2008, 02:42 PM
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Aug 21st, 2008, 03:03 PM
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True that the photos cannot possibly capture everything you wish they could, however if I didn't have all the photos I've taken on our European trips and if I had not journaled religiously, there is so much I would not remember. These serve as memory joggers for me. So...I treasure both my "mind photos" AND my "archived" photos!
Aug 21st, 2008, 03:08 PM
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I've loved making pictures practically all my life.
I have photos of every trip except the last one, when I lost my camera our last day in Rome.
I've tried hard to keep my mental pictures, but I'm afraid my album of that trip consists of a few brochures from our hotels.
And I just know the April Italy pictures were the best I've ever made!
Byrd
I have photos of every trip except the last one, when I lost my camera our last day in Rome.
I've tried hard to keep my mental pictures, but I'm afraid my album of that trip consists of a few brochures from our hotels.
And I just know the April Italy pictures were the best I've ever made!
Byrd
Aug 22nd, 2008, 07:29 AM
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My parents were in Hawaii and took a donkey tour up a mountain. The guide stopped the mule train and told everybody to get off and take a picture at one scenic spot. My parents didn't get off their mules, and told the guide they didn't carry a camera (they never did). He called them sh****y tourists!
I don't take pictures either, but DH is an enthusiast, so it works out.
