Is this any way to holiday? ‘Selfie tourism’ might make you feel good when likes pour in, but you are doing it at the cost of ruining your trip. Because you are so busy looking for the best angle and lighting, you aren’t really present in the destination that ‘s one of your “#travelgoals”. Instead of immersing yourself in a new culture, you are posing for the camera like it’s your freaking job. You look like you’re having a heck of a time in all your photos. In reality, you are preoccupied with taking perfect photos. Which as we all know, can be extremely stressful. Taking incessant selfies on vacation is not going to make your holiday any better. Au contraire, it’s going to take away from the entire experience.
Now before you accuse me of being a selfie hater*, read this quote from a brilliant article on #MeTourism by Marianna Sigala: “People go to such trouble to get the perfect picture of themselves, but in their quest for an image of authenticity, it ends up being created in a moment that is artificial.”
If this is you, when you are on vacation, stop snapping away as if your life depends on it. Take fewer selfies so you can be in the moment and make better memories. If you are a visual person, you could even create mental images. This way, you can recreate your vacation whenever you want.
And you will find that the most memorable photos are candid, for your eyes only ‘non-selfies’. Because not only are they pressure-free, they focus equally on you and your surroundings. And isn’t capturing scenic, interesting locations on film that you can revisit later the whole point of taking snaps while traveling?
*Being a private person and someone who isn’t interested in showing the world different angles of myself, I am quite against selfies. Still, I have warmed up to them a little as they can be empowering when done right.
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Does documenting your life online keep you from actually living it?
Everything is so different now on your blog, Mahevash.. :)
You got your own special domain and the blog glitters now.. Happy Blogging!! Merry Christmas.
Thanks, Ankit. So happy to hear you like the new blog. Merry Christmas to you too :)