Creating Healthy Boundaries: 3 Ways to Be Present in the Moment with Photography
Living intentionally while still engaging with tech can sometimes feel like a damned-if-you-do, danmed-if-you-don’t situation. No matter what priorities you have and regardless of what boundaries you put in place, there’s a constant need to assess and reconfigure to keep things working for you. It can be tiring and frustrating.
And when it comes to photos, well, that can really be a challenge.
We live in an image-obsessed society, and we’re not talking about personal image here. We’re talking about how people consume visual content at a startling rate, and the demand for it keeps increasing. Pictures and videos dominate traditional and social media, and it can sometimes feel like if you don’t create visual content, you’re going to be left behind.
You might have seen our founder’s earlier post about her relationship with the selfie, about how it was empowering and fun, especially when she was traveling alone. You might have also seen her post about how she stopped taking photos altogether and found herself happier than ever before. Emma’s situation is pretty common, and it sometimes feels like that inherent conflict is unsolvable.
Setting boundaries around tech use and photography can be really hard. You want to capture special moments and relive them later, but you also want to be present during the moment. It’s tough to balance those two desires, but we think it’s also worth the effort.
So here are three tips for how to take photos while preserving a healthy relationship with your technology:
Decide ahead of time whether you’ll be taking photos.
Think about the kind of event you’ll be attending or outing you’ll be going on. Is it the kind of place where it would be appropriate to take pictures? Is there a professional photographer who will capture the big moments, so you can just relax and enjoy the small ones? Do you think you might need the photos later for some reason? These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself to decide ahead of time whether you plan to take photos. The reason we recommend deciding beforehand is that it gives you an opportunity to think it through without rushing, to commit to your decision, and to practice saying no to yourself when you get the urge to whip out the phone and take just a few snapshots.
Designate days where you take no photos.
Not every single day or event needs to be documented. Brunch with your friends or an afternoon hike are fun and pleasant, but your brain can remember those ordinary events just fine. In fact, taking pictures might sometimes get in the way of your ability to form memories of those things. Having designated picture-free days allows you to get some quality time with your loved ones where you don’t take a million pictures and just enjoy the moment, instead.
Switch to taking photos with a camera, not your phone.
If, like many of us, you struggle with the temptations of social media, email, and the internet, you might want to try switching from taking pictures on your phone to taking pictures with your camera. That way, you can take the picture without immediately feeling tempted to upload it to Instagram or scroll through your Twitter feed. It’ll cut down on taking unnecessary photos just because they’re a good aesthetic fit for your feed and instead let you focus on what you really want to capture. If the idea of hauling around a giant DSLR makes you queasy, look into trying a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC) like this light-weight camera from Canon. They’re much smaller and lighter than a DSLR but still give you a lot of range and flexibility.
No matter what course you choose now, you’ll probably have to revisit that decision over time as your circumstances and needs change. That’s okay. What matters most is setting a course of action and getting started.
We hope these tips help you live a more intentional life that helps you take photos when you truly want to, and only when you truly want to.
How do you manage your tech boundaries when you want or need to take photos? Drop us a comment!
P.S. - You can save and share this post on Pinterest using the image below:
