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Five reasons to leave your camera at home
When packing for that dream trip, a camera is usually high on the list of essential items. Actually, it's not as important as some people think. Here are five reasons to leave your camera at home.One less thing to worry about
It puts a barrier between you and the people
Nothing makes you stand out more than pointing a camera at a complete stranger. An unsuspecting market stall owner or farmer or palace guard is busy trying to do his or her job, and suddenly some tourist comes along and sticks a big lens in their face. Not a good way to get the locals to warm up to you. In some places, posing for photos has become a business and you'll be promptly asked for cash after you take a shot, or be badgered by flocks of children asking for their photo to be taken. Some countries have strict rules about what you can photograph. I once got told off by a cop in Tehran because I took a photo of a statue. The statue was fine, but including the post office behind it was forbidden because it was a government building. With no camera in sight, you'll get a lot less harassment.
Really, does anyone care?
There's nothing quite as boring as looking at someone else's holiday snaps. Oh sure, your family and friends will make admiring noises and ask to see more, but that's because they like you. They'd like you more if you closed the photo album or computer and took them out for a drink.
It can interfere with the moment
When my wife and I attended an archaeology conference in Oxford, we and the other participants got invited to walk among the stones of Stonehenge at dawn. As the sun rose between two of the standing stones it cast an eerie glow through the mist. Everyone hurried to take a picture while I stood there in awe. The conditions were such that nobody got a perfect shot. I ended up with the best memory of the event, still vivid after seven years, because I was actually looking at the sunrise instead of trying to capture it. (Full disclosure: this was mostly due to the fact that my wife was holding our camera at that moment, otherwise it would be her bragging right now.)
Over at Postsecret, where people send in heartfelt messages and confessions on anonymous postcards, someone who says he plays Mickey Mouse at Disneyland tells parents not to rush over and take a picture of their kid cuddling him because the best part of his job is seeing the kid's face light up at meeting him. Taking a shot distracts both him and the kid from a magical moment. Who are we to disagree with Mickey Mouse?
You can get better pictures elsewhere
Chances are you're not a professional photographer. Even if you are, when you're on vacation you probably don't have the time or inclination to take professional quality photos anyway. The pros work under ideal conditions with expensive equipment, and often wait hours, days, or even weeks for the perfect shot. Benefit from and reward their labor by buying postcards and coffee table books full of amazing images of the places you've been. Or check out our Photo of the Day section.
So when you're packing for your next vacation, rethink what you're putting in your bags. Your trip might just be the better for it.
There's nothing quite as boring as looking at someone else's holiday snaps. Oh sure, your family and friends will make admiring noises and ask to see more, but that's because they like you. They'd like you more if you closed the photo album or computer and took them out for a drink.
It can interfere with the moment
When my wife and I attended an archaeology conference in Oxford, we and the other participants got invited to walk among the stones of Stonehenge at dawn. As the sun rose between two of the standing stones it cast an eerie glow through the mist. Everyone hurried to take a picture while I stood there in awe. The conditions were such that nobody got a perfect shot. I ended up with the best memory of the event, still vivid after seven years, because I was actually looking at the sunrise instead of trying to capture it. (Full disclosure: this was mostly due to the fact that my wife was holding our camera at that moment, otherwise it would be her bragging right now.)
Over at Postsecret, where people send in heartfelt messages and confessions on anonymous postcards, someone who says he plays Mickey Mouse at Disneyland tells parents not to rush over and take a picture of their kid cuddling him because the best part of his job is seeing the kid's face light up at meeting him. Taking a shot distracts both him and the kid from a magical moment. Who are we to disagree with Mickey Mouse?
You can get better pictures elsewhere
Chances are you're not a professional photographer. Even if you are, when you're on vacation you probably don't have the time or inclination to take professional quality photos anyway. The pros work under ideal conditions with expensive equipment, and often wait hours, days, or even weeks for the perfect shot. Benefit from and reward their labor by buying postcards and coffee table books full of amazing images of the places you've been. Or check out our Photo of the Day section.
So when you're packing for your next vacation, rethink what you're putting in your bags. Your trip might just be the better for it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Lynn Feb 2nd 2010 1:33PM
Oh, I so totally disagree - but then, loving photography, I see my travels as non-stop photo ops, so I WOULD. On our recent month in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, my camera (I took a 30 year old Mamiya TLR with me) started conversations several times a day and led to delightful, memorable encounters. And my penchant for photographing detail and colour opened my eyes to circumstances and singularities I might otherwise have missed. It was heavy, and carrying the film could be seen as a hassle, but I never for a moment regretted my decision to lug it along.
Karen Feb 5th 2010 11:49AM
Totally agree...traveled to 22 states this summer and wouldn't give up all my photos for anything...wish I took more and I too 100's.
doug Feb 5th 2010 1:49PM
I travel the world and wound not dream of NOT taking a camera. This guy must be the worst photographer in the world. I live the moment also. bet he can't walk and chew gum at the same time
Shellie Anne Feb 2nd 2010 12:04PM
What a strange article, so far off the mark again. I agree, that people and their cameras can really be intrusive these days, but it is all a part of the memories. Websites like HazelMail allow you to send postcards WHILE you are overseas makes it a lot of fun too.
"You can get better photos elsewhere?" No one can take a photo from my perspective, where I am at this very moment in this very spot. Olympus announced the water proof, drop proof, smash proof etc camera, way to go Olympus! I take them for MYSELF, not to force a travel slideshow on anyone else.
We are having a photography weekend workshop here in these Blue Ridge Mountains in April at The Claiborne House Bed and Breakfast, led by an Appalachian Naturalist Fred First. In the field - I am so looking forward to it!
nick Feb 2nd 2010 1:32PM
this is dumb. There are so many moments taht I remember, but I would like to have something tangible to look at and reflect upon. I take my camera with me just about eveyrwhere and I'm glad I do. Yesterday driving home, I saw some really beautiful mountain and snow scene where it had just snowed in my area. I was able to take some pictuers of it while driving down the road. (an example http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs137.snc3/18446_1357198811674_1282614865_1068511_1556721_n.jpg ) so no, taking your camera with you places is not a bad idea.
Ellen Ska. Feb 2nd 2010 12:48PM
The very idea of going naked into the world without the camera-bodyguard makes "tourist" personalities nervous. One goes forth to "capture" the entertaining, alien "other," holding the world at arm's length with the fantasy of being a dispassionate observer, instead of acknowledging that if you're there, you're a participant.
However, to be fair, my screen saver at home scrolls through the "My Pictures" directory, and every so often I get to see the face of the sweet waiter in London, the monuments of Washington, D.C., my family and departed friends, and that blue bicycle parked by the sidewalk planter in San Francisco.
The happy medium could be taking a little camera but keeping it in your pocket rather than "at the ready."
SteveDC Feb 2nd 2010 1:38PM
I'm amazed. You can file this post as one of the 5 Reasons Gadling Has Jumped the Shark.
When traveling the cheapest, most personalized, and best souvenir you can ever bring home is a photograph you took while on your trip. Sure, they may not be professional quality, but you sure as hell aren't going to get any closer to taking better pictures if you leave the camera at home. The suggestion that one should purchase a post card or view the Gadling photo pool instead of taking their own pictures is absurd and you should be ashamed. Perhaps no one should ever attempt to cook a recipe or paint a picture and they should just dine in five star restaurants and buy paintings because, well, we'll never get it right and should leave it to the professionals.
If you think the point of taking pictures is to force others to endure a slideshow upon your return then maybe you think the point of taking pictures of special family moments is to show the pictures off to friends as well. That is deeply saddening and I pity you a bit. Just recently I was at a family member's home following a funeral and do you know what it was that lightened the mood? Photographs. The vacation photos from when our whole family got together and the "remember that?" moments and memories those photos allowed us to have were instrumental in everyone's ability to cope as well as inspiring us to get together more often.
As far as creating a barrier, I believe you're wrong there too. So many times I've asked someone to take a picture of myself with or without others and it enables me to interact with the locals or others travelers, practice their language, ask a few questions, and possibly strike up a friendship. Many times I've ended up hanging out with people in other countries who I may have forgotten had I not taken pictures of them. Bringing home photos of them allows me to look back and remember their story, which in my eyes builds a bridge to other cultures rather than a barrier.
Sure, a camera may be one more thing to worry about on a trip but there is always insurance to cover any loss or theft and the real treasures are the memory cards or rolls of film which can be easily carried in a much safer place. I believe the biggest loss would be the missed opportunities should you decide to leave your camera at home.
I suppose you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but to suggest that readers should "leave it to the pros" is bordering on offensive. I suppose then, that it's a good thing this post wasn't written a year ago as I might have had second thoughts about picking up a camera, teaching myself the basics of photography, and subsequently having several photos licensed and published. Perhaps, Sean, you should leave writing to the pros.
Joe Feb 2nd 2010 2:23PM
I was going to send my own reply, but I couldn't say it any better than you did. Well done.
Nick Feb 2nd 2010 2:10PM
I TOTALLY agree with everything you've said above!! I don't mean to play the devil's advocate just for the sake of doing so, but I really am a little vary of the obsession mainstream travelers have with photography. Whatever happened to living in the moment?! Maybe I am too much of a 'naturalist' traveler, but I can't help but cringe when I see fellow tourists fumble to get their flashes powered up and subjects posed, and in the process missing out on the serenity that comes from silently experiencing a beautiful sunrise or enjoying the force of life in fellow species in the thick of a forest.
I have nothing against preserving a small token of one's personal memory from wonderful places, but the easy availability of good quality imagery on the internet really does obviate the need to start clicking everywhere you go and at everything you see. As for sharing my experiences visually with others - I'd rather have them see a picture from Flick or Nat Geo that is bound to be far better than whatever I could shoot myself. And for sharing it with those I really care about, I'd rather have them personally visit the places I have been to rather than merely showing them my pictures.
A solid A+ on this one, Sean!
-Nick
Nick Feb 2nd 2010 2:22PM
And no, before someone assumes I'm an old fool who's not comfortable with digital camera and out of touch with technology in general, let me tell you I'm a 26 year old guy fresh out of grad school, and man I DO love my gadgets. It's just that I believe in fully experiencing the incredible places I go to rather than continuously and excessively seeing them second-hand from behind the lens :)
Ted Feb 5th 2010 10:41AM
Nick is correct, as is the article. I spent many years lugging my camera gear on vacations. Besides having to keep up with another piece of luggage, being concerned for the film through x-ray security (as in the early days, we mostly had our film checked outside of the machine for fear of it being exposed), fear of dropping it, and as noted, the time missed from the actual joy of being where ever you are. I finally came to the conclusion that I was spending more time chasing that stupid carmera around, foolling around trying to "frame" the perfect picture (and you know that you might shoot a lot of shots before we get the good one), and all of that was not the reason I was walking down the lane in some exotic place. More than likely I was half burnt out from the daily drudge back home and I have gone on vacation to repair my soul. I realized that I would rather enjoy the moment and relax, I had the perfect picture(s) in my own personal memory-banks to last me forever. If the folks back home would like to see what that place was like, go there themselves and enjoy . . just as I did . . sans camera, and the better for me for leaving it at home. And that's just the tip of that iceberg!!!
Jillian Feb 3rd 2010 1:44AM
I cannot believe you're recommending to anyone to leave their camera at home. It's just shocking.
Note to EVERYONE: NEVER leave your camera at home. You will see things in another country that you will want to remember as they were, not after a few years away from the actual event when the details become fuzzy.
Mary Feb 2nd 2010 4:25PM
Like Aristotle's philosophy that virtue is a mean between extremes, I think there is a mean between the extremes of leaving your camera at home and constantly snapping pictures. If you spend your life behind a camera, you miss out on fully experiencing what a camera doesn't capture, like the aromas and textures of a location. If you leave the camera behind, you miss out on a snapshot that captures your vantage point at a particular moment.
More people should take the approach of capturing memories on film without allowing it to take over a vacation. Travel should be more about experiencing new things and less about filling up camera cards. When you see something beautiful or unique that you want to photograph, go for it! But if you're clicking away every other step, chances are that you're losing the full effect of appreciating your surroundings.
Practice good photography etiquette, include those traveling with you in your images, and don't let the camera come between you and enjoying your location. Mental pictures are important, too!
bao Feb 2nd 2010 4:40PM
amen!
Sean McLachlan Feb 3rd 2010 1:47AM
Good job capturing the purpose of the post. You can't achieve the mean if only one extreme is ever considered. Extra credit for mentioning Aristotle! :-)
Linda Feb 5th 2010 3:30PM
Photography etiquette. PERFECT! I love taking pictures, and viewing pictures, but sometimes the shutterbugs get to me. I live in a tourist town, and attend a church that is a tourist attraction due to its age and historical value. I can hardly think of anything more annoying than being in church - during a Mass, no less - when someone with a camera gets up and into the aisle to photograph the "action." I joke about tourists wanting to see Catholics "in their natural habitat," but it doesn't make their action any less distracting or any less rude.
jkiel Feb 2nd 2010 5:11PM
I too disagree with the premise of leaving your camera behind, but that's because for me, leaving my camera would be like leaving my right arm, literally. That being said, I've seen it happen WAY too many time that tourists do poke their cameras into the face of a local, totally ruining the moment or emotion.
LEARN how to use your equipment blindfolded!
Once you're home, if you do want to show your friends & family a slideshow, EDIT your pics. Don't make them sit through 150 versions of the same thing, pick 1. You always have the rest for your own eyes...
Annie Scott Feb 2nd 2010 8:25PM
Mickey Mouse never lies, people.
Ethan Both Feb 3rd 2010 3:30AM
Wow, I almost never comment, but I had to at this.
Dude, you seriously need to start forming some real relationships. There is nothing better than going over your pics with a loved one reminiscing of the great times you had together.
If I"m interpreting this wrong, I"m sorry. I'm also sorry for leaving a negative comment, but really man, really!
Ethan Both Feb 3rd 2010 4:19AM
Sorry about the troll comment, you can delete my comments. This was a terrible article though, but I'm sorry for the low blow comment. Great site otherwise though!!