What is a camera? By the modern definition of it, a camera is an unforgettable essential equipment to carry when you travel. A decade ago, a camera would be more of a luxury than a necessity. We would be restricted to the number of photographs we could click, and hence, we would utilize the film roll wisely. And if a picture would turn out bad in print, it would be nothing less than a heartache. Can you take yourself back to those times when you would be so careful with a thing that used to be so invaluable, but is quite valueless now? No, you might not, ever!
The significance of a camera does not lie in the gadget itself, but in the little memory that it produces. The machine could not have been more essential than it is in the present times, but the excessive use of it snatches away the actual experience of the moment. You might visit an art gallery, for instance, and your first reaction may be that you feel dazzled by the sheer number of exhibits. However, after a few minutes, you would find yourself busy in clicking photographs, rather than appreciating the art and cherishing the moment that you were spending at that place. When you return home, you might not even remember a single painting or a sculpture from the art gallery. On the other hand, had you paid more attention to the art pieces, you might have remembered more things than you do now. The memories that would have been imprinted in your mind would be permanent, unlike those stored on the camera hard disc.
The purpose of carrying a camera should not defeat that of traveling
Even the professional photographers realize that the reason why you should bring a camera to your outings. It is meant to record your memories so that you can relive the moments whenever you want. However, there is a fine line between using a camera and overusing it. While your photos are a great source of information to trigger memories of your travel to countless destinations, you may never want to look at that particular folder of pictures in your computer that contains more than a thousand files from just one trip.
How often have you realized that once you return home from a journey, the first thing in your mind is to transfer photos from the memory card of the DSLR or the Smartphone to your computer? As soon as you move the photos from one place to another, you cannot keep more than a few photos in your phone because of memory restrains and out of sheer boredom to see them again and again. Isn’t it an irony that the pictures that you clicked with so much excitement may not bore you? The reason is again the excessive use of the camera. The moment your computer has the hold of your photos, you might not even look at them again! Ever!
Sounds exaggerated? It does happen with a lot of people around the world. With the provision of a camera in every cheap Smartphone, it has become ridiculously easy to keep clicking everything that fascinates you. Moreover, profligate indulgence with the social media has made people even crazier for getting clicked or press the shutter release button to capture other things. The moment people experience something good or bad, they want to store it in the memory of the phone or upload the moment online as soon as possible! Keeping aside the wisdom or ridiculousness of doing so, the wasteful photos on the phone can never serve the purpose you intend them to do.
The bottom line
A camera was surely intended to aid the quality of life for the humankind, but it is our prudence how we use it. It can never be wise being engrossed in clicking the photos while ignoring the loved ones around you. We can make the most of our travel only by enjoying the actual moment in hand, rather than keeping busy in preparing a memoir of it, unless you are a professional archivist!
