Are digital photos too plentiful for the wrong reason?

What makes you want to take a picture? What really drives you to pull out your phone and snap a photo of something? Is it because you desire materialized based validation from people you’ve probably never met on social media? Do you take photos because you want people to know that you have friends? Maybe you take pictures because you want proof that you’re beautiful. You want acceptance, so you post a picture of yourself and wait for people to mindlessly comment and like it, just to remind you of something you should be finding in yourself. If your picture doesn’t get enough likes do you delete it? If every little flaw isn’t covered by a filter does that make the picture unappealing?

Pictures seem to be developing into a mask for many on social media. This mask prevents individuality and encourages people to prioritize on looking and acting like what’s trending. Eventually the mask is worn for too long, and people start lose their real selves. They become a copy of those considered trend setters, focusing on keeping up their social media. Making sure everyone approves of them, knows they’re traveling, eating fancy foods, and dressing in expensive clothes. The most popular use of photographs, is to hide behind them in desperation of self worth.

Photography can defeat time.

Images can keep the memory of a loved one alive, hold a moment in history for future generations, be a witness to tragedy or joy. They can also change behavior, stimulate understanding and create a sense of urgency that will move people into action. Photography adds value to our lives by recording the raw events, people, and places we interact with helps us learn, grow, and share our experiences with others forever. Photographs are our personal story, a timeline of our lives filled with the faces and places that we love. Photos are an expression of creativity that can influence the mindset and way those who view it approach life. Photos can tell a story. Pictures can connect people in ways that can’t be expressed through writing. A photo can allow you to capture the raw beauty inside a person that not everyone can find, capture, or cause it’s revelation. Photographs can change the world.

What will you do with them?

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Vanessa Jeffries

My name is Vanessa Jeffries! I'm 17 years old and I'm a junior here at Orem High. I've been writing for almost 3 years now and I love it! I want to become a photographer or a photo journalist when I graduate, it's my passion and talent. I work at Megaplex Theatres right now and it's good job. I have four brothers and a dog that I've had for about 14 years. I love animals, playing my xbox, and writing/photography (duh). 🙂