This is something we don’t often talk about and for which we need some grief process! Ok, I’m a little dramatic, but I thought when I went on my first incredible picturesque trip that I was going to be able to have insane pictures to show for it. And in fact, I did not.
Here’s the reality.
They aren’t real.
The travel photos and videos you see on Instagram and Nat Geo take SOOOO long to curate and require drones and $$$$ cameras with $$$$ equipment. And they take TIME and professionals. Most of those photos and videos you see are created by professional photographers!
I thought being in a place with amazing scenery and wild experiences would instantly make all my pictures look incredible. And that I wouldn’t have to try very hard or spend much time curating them. Boy, was I wrong!
It’s not even dependent on the camera and the photographer, but also the weather that day, your access to these places, the amount of people in them. AND editing!! Editing can change everything about photos.
It’s not worth it, unless you enjoy it.
When I traveled with some friends, (girlfriends), we would spend hours curating photos at the beach, in the water, etc etc. And it was exhausting. I didn’t enjoy doing it. And I felt like there was a lot of time spent judging ourselves, our bodies, and our poses and too much negativity for my psyche. Some people enjoy taking lots of photos and getting the perfect ones, I personally do not.
We live in an age where you can check and recheck these digital photos and adjust things as you go. It didn’t used to be like that. You had a roll of expensive film you didn’t want to waste, and you’d go through those 24 pictures with your friends after you got your film developed and laugh at all the silliness. I miss those days. And sometimes think it’s fun to just take one shot and move on.
There are so many times when I’ve felt disappointed comparing myself and my photos to the ones on professional Instagram feeds.
Don’t do this! Learn from me.
Lower your expectations of yourself.
And enjoy EVERY second of that trip instead of comparing yourself to others.
Take pictures for YOU. Take pictures of YOU! Don’t worry if they can’t be considered for the beautiful destinations travel account. They’re still amazing and incredible. You should be proud of what you’ve achieved to get to the places you’re getting and take the pictures you’re taking! Also, life is too short to never be a goofball! 🙂
It’s an immense privilege to travel at all. Banking those experiences and having any photos for memories is priceless.
Have you ever felt this way about photos and comparison? I’d love to know I’m not alone. Comment below and tell me about your experiences 🙂
#comparisonisnotgoodforyou #comparison #photography #travelphotography #travelreality #enjoyyourmoments #liveinthemoment
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