The sun is setting as I walk through an exit of the Old City in Germany.
I’m struck by the beauty.
Stretching out in front of me, I see a perfectly groomed park with walking trails. On my right, a golden sun descending into the dark forest, on my left, the edge of the castle overlooking the small town below. Cars the size of thumbtacks drive over bridges older than America.
It’s so quiet.
Then I notice the birds. Singing and swirling around me in the warm evening air.
I absorb all this in a split second and pull out my phone to take a picture.
The second my phone comes out, everything shifts. I don’t hear the birds as clearly, the sunset looks fake on my screen, and I stop noticing the warm breeze on my face. I rush around trying to capture all the angles and beautiful moments before I realize the absurdity of what I’m doing.
In my right hand, my phone camera, in my left, a Sony a7i with a telephoto lens.
I realize that for the last 5 minutes, I haven’t even bothered enjoying this beautiful moment around me. Consumed by trying to get the perfect photo, I almost missed one of the best experiences of this trip. Did I really think I’d remember this moment better if I took pictures of it instead of experiencing it?
Thieves of joy
It’s moments like this that I wonder why we consistently rob joy from our lives. Why do we observe life through screens, instead of experiencing it ourselves? As someone who has created content online for years, I’m intensely aware of just how flat it is. It’s nothing like real life.
So I put my phone away, set my camera down, and sat on a bench overlooking the city streets below.
I just watched.
Then, something interesting happened. I had to resist pulling my phone out at least 10 times to take a picture. Frustration crept in, “Can’t I sit 5 minutes without needing to pull out my phone?”
But then I realized what was actually happening. I realized that the longer I sat there, the more beautiful things I noticed. Naturally, I wanted to capture those, which is why I wanted to pull my phone out. But here’s the catch. I was noticing those things because I wasn’t distracted by anything. I had slowed down and started truly observing what was around me.
Being present.
It was an amazing experience, the birds singing around me as the light slowly faded and street lamps turned on.
I wouldn’t have noticed any of those things if I hadn’t put my phone away and forced myself to slow down. The more I slowed down and the less distracted I became, the more I noticed, and the deeper of an experience I had. Of course, each time I was tempted to try to capture those moments and I had to remind myself that that would only shatter the moment by distracting me.
The Perfect Picture or a Beautiful Memory?
I don’t know about you, but I think in life we should build experiences and memories, and if we take pictures, it’s to remember those experiences. We measure experiences with stories, not the size of our photo albums.
I’m not against taking pictures, as long as there is a meaning behind them.
My parents are a great example of this. They don’t take pictures because it’s pretty; they take pictures because there’s a story they want to remember.
Growing up, I used to get so tired of hearing the same old stories. But around 5-10 years ago, my parents started traveling and going on some pretty awesome adventures.
Guess what?
New stories.
New experiences.
New energy.
It’s wonderful to watch, and they are more interesting than ever. That’s how I want to be, and I’m guessing you do too.
This was a startling reminder, that I’m robbing so much joy from my life by constantly trying to document and capture. There are some things that aren’t meant to be shared, or that can’t possibly be captured in a photo. I’m realizing that it would be a better use of my time to spend 5 minutes being present with the moment instead of spending 5 minutes trying to find the right angle for my Instagram post.
The best part is you don’t need to be in a castle in Europe to experience these moments. In this post, I discuss 5 habits that help me slow down and appreciate everyday life.
Loved this post, Austin.
I had the habit of clicking pictures on every road trip, hill station, and more. That's what I did in all of 2023.
And the funny thing was, when I looked back at the pictures, all I could distinctly remember was clicking the pictures—not how I felt or what I thought.
Now, I click just a picture or two (if I feel like it) and spend most or all of my time being present.
Best decision ever!🙌
Enjoyed reading this piece. It is so true - often we ignore the power of the minds eye and rely on technology to fill a weakness that we perceive exists. Truth is no camera can ever capture the depth of that moment. Thanks for sharing this - pertinent for these times.