Magic Moments

Posted on by Victoria

“At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough.  You don’t need to photograph, paint or even remember it.  It is enough.” 

-Toni Morrison

I love the concept of being present, staying in the moment and yet I struggle with it. I don’t know if it’s related to aging and my desire to capture moments for posterity…or something else. Habit, maybe? I’m old enough to clearly recall the days when a separate, clunky device…an old-fashioned camera was required, involving planning, forethought…and for goodness sake, FILM! Delicate and tiny sprocket rolls, gently deposited into my Nikon. Almost as important as ensuring I had sufficient snacks for the adventure that awaited. 😉 Travel? Baseball games? Family parties? Walk in the park? I took my camera everywhere and early in our courtship, futzing with negatives, tinkering in darkrooms deepened the friendship and love between the hubs and myself. He was/is a photo geek, too.

Time and technology march onward, and I’ve fallen into formation. I love the ease of quick snaps using my phone…but I also hate it…because that ‘stepping out’ to line up a photo, manufacture a moment…is paradoxically treading on reality as I attempt to memorialize it.  Somehow with an old-fashioned SLR camera, everything about capturing a photo was slower, more deliberate?

I’m not a philosopher but I appreciate Toni Morrison’s quote…more cautionary than condemnation.  If I can capture beauty, love, magic in a memory – that’s good – but my growing compulsion to seal the deal by wrangling my phone into the moment?  Am I busting up a good thing?  The moment is the magic – not the insurance, for posterity – that I can return to it, zoom-zoom – anytime, by summoning the snap from my phone. 

Which leads me to brain-based research from UC Irvine Professor, Elizabeth Loftus:

“Snapping too many pictures could actually harm the brain’s ability to retain memories.  We either offload the responsibility of remembering moments when we take pictures of them, or we’re so distracted by the process of taking a photo that we miss the moment altogether.”

Loftus isn’t alone.  In the same NPR article, another researcher, Julia Soares from Mississippi State shares that picture-taking can be a trigger for ‘attentional disengagement’. The physical act of holding our phones, setting up the shots – all of the tinkering that goes into crafting Insta-worthy, shareable snaps?  We may be, unwittingly, siphoning away cognitive capacity for memory-making.

Still, there’s room for moderation and thoughtful photo-taking can provide memory cues for fallible memories.  The trick, according to researchers, is intentionality.  Be choosy about what you capture in a photo. Said another way? Make the memory FIRST, allow yourself to savor, then focus on the photography. 

Let me know what you think.  Tips, recommendations, commiserations, and a-ha’s welcome!

Vicki 😎

Photo by Dan Cristian Pu0103dureu021b on Pexels.com

64 thoughts on “Magic Moments”

  1. “Make the memory FIRST, allow yourself to savor, then focus on the photography. ” I think this is the answer. I tend to be so focused on being in the moment that I rarely take pictures. While in some ways good, there is a several-year block of my life that I don’t remember and don’t have pictures of, and I wish that I did. I often think back to how my parents’ and grandparents’ generations took pictures. It was the big events: weddings, a vacation to the beach, the birth of a child, or the family dog…. and rarely a “just because” gem. What great food for thought, Vicki!

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    1. Ohhh…you said that so well, Erin. We DO want photos to help us ‘look back’
      and remember and I suppose the gaps in photos tells a story of its own, right? And yes – generations past – photos were naturally about big moments…not the everyday, perhaps more “manufactured” moments? I’m still trying to work this out in my head. Thanks so much for reading and for your comment, Erin. xo! 😊

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  2. Lovely post Victoria. And we’ve discovered something we don’t have in common. Im better now than I used to be, but I could be away somewhere for the day, on a holiday etc and be too caught up in enjoying myself that I’d forget to take the photos. When I went to Seville for 6 weeks for my studies I was there 2 weeks and had taken 4 photographs. From my perspective, not having the photographs is also disappointing. Yes, I have memories in my head but I don’t have the excitement of revisiting the photographs and the enthusiasm etc I felt in the moment.

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    1. Ahh…thank you for sharing that. Ends of the spectrum, we are! Maybe we meet in the middle? 😉 You seem to have a talent for capturing photos in your travels… I can see where missing a few from Seville would feel like a loss. Two weeks and four photos? Oh my – I think a return trip is in order! xo! 😉

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      1. Definitely. I’ve been back, but it wasn’t long enough. My friend wants to go to Granada, to the Alhambra – and I’d love to return – so Seville will probably be on the cards then. But for now we’re hopefully planning a trip to New York for next year – but I need to get my passport organised first

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  3. Funny to read this now as I just went through and backed up all the 2022 photos from my phone.

    I’ve observed that, in the days when I had to use a camera to take pictures, I actually took more pictures and better pictures. Just the fact of remembering to bring my camera along made me more mindful of capturing moments. With the phone as a constant companion, it’s too easy to take it for granted and not bother to take pictures.

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    1. Hi, Michelle! I feel the same…the quality of my photos seemed better when I used my camera more — made me more mindful as you said. Recently I chatted with a friend who’s a fabulously talented photographer and she admitted that she might be taking better quality photos with her phone. I was so surprised! And you’re right — with our phones ever-ready, maybe we bounce back and forth from taking too many to taking too few? Thanks so much for your comment this morning! 😊

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  4. I tend to take a lot of pictures but of more random things. An unusual cloud formation, snow on tree branches, a glint of sun off a cityscape, not for the memories, but for prompts- prompts for painting and even prompts writing. For memories, I’m more judicious of what I snap. At dinner with friends I’ll take pictures of the friends, not the dinner. Like some previous comments, I agree it’s easy to be in the moment and the completely lose a momento of the moment. Perhaps too easy. Go ahead and take the pictures. So what if your memory thinks you’re cheating it. I like to think of them more as insurance policies for when my memory will betray me anyway, just for growing old.

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    1. “Momento of the moment”? Michael…I love that — and appreciate that you are often taking photos for other creative outlets — your painting, writing. And I like the idea of saying phooey about the ‘cheating’ aspect. Good memories — especially of people we care about – matter most. However we get there! 😉😘😉

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  5. Hi Victoria,

    Thank you for sharing another thought-provoking post. I defintiely agree that stopping to take photos to memorialize “moments” actually takes us out of the “now” experience. Balance and intentionality are so important. One point that I’ve noticed over the years is that I rarely want to look over the photos that I have taken; or read the diary logs that I wrote during my solo motorcycle trips. The “concept” of now is not the same as the “now;” just like the concept of a glass of water can never quench our thirst.
    Looking forward to your next post! 🙏🏻🙂

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    1. Morning, Art! So happy to see your comment. I thought about your perspective when I wrote this post — imagining wisdom about “now” that you often impart. I appreciate your thought about balance. That makes so much sense to me…thank you! And…how interesting that photos you’ve taken don’t pull you in as much. I suspect this might be because you’ve made the memories, tucked them away, thanks to your talents in being present! 😊😊😊

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  6. Good morning, Victoria! So happy to hear from you, too. The importance of balance is something which I didn’t always know. I allowed false self to drive the pace of life for many years. It took a great deal of suffering to break the habit of being “me”–which allowed true Self to be known. The point about photos has been with me for many years. Not sure if I previously mentioned, but during a seven-month trip when I was twenty-one, I took only forty photos.
    Wishing you a great day!

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    1. Wow…seven months and forty photos! I’m not sure I would know how to have that much restraint. I think part of my challenge is that I’ve never been very organized about keeping photos digitally – or otherwise. All so messy. I’m in awe of folks who can do that…and I don’t think I’m one of them. Cheers to you! 😉

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      2. Understood…I think what you’ve shared makes the point beautifully — everyone needs to find what works best for them. Thank you so much for that perspective, Art! 😉

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  7. I take pictures, because I love photography. However, I know I don’t take as many photos as other people do. If not for my posting wrap ups of my week, with the exception of pet snaps and flowers, I probably would take very few pictures on my phone every week. I do like living in the moment. Alas I also like to share with my blog friends

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    1. I think you’ve mastered how to balance so well. I love the photos that you share…the vicarious trips I can take with you. Maybe you can teach me a few things about how to do that well/better, LA! 😘

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  8. Such a thought-provoking and inspiring post. I love your point about being intentional about the pictures we take. It’s something I struggle with – does taking the picture of the sunrise increase my ability to notice it or take away from it? And you’ve provided some great science and perspective in this wonderful post.

    I find myself taking a lot of pictures of my kids these days – and I think about how amazing it is that I can take 10 without that worry of cost of film/development. But then I often fail to do the next step of selecting the 1 and deleting the 9 others. When I don’t, it almost makes the whole thing pointless because if I have too many pictures, it’s as overwhelming to look through and I might as well have none. Ah, you’ve given me such great food for thought. Thank you, dear friend!

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    1. Thanks for sharing, Wynne…it’s a struggle you and I share…although I’d say your subject matter, Mr. D and Miss O are far more compelling and photo-worthy! 😘 My issue is my over-noodling with all the post-pic editing options on my phone – and like you said, not being as good as I should about what to delete/keep – especially when I’ve taken multiples that are oh-so-similar. Cheers to all of us who are trying to find our way. If you get there first — to that moment of clarity – will you save me a seat? LOL! 💕💕💕

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      1. Ha, ha, ha – now that’s a great ending line! Instead of “we are all walking each other home” (which for the record I like quite a lot) maybe our tagline should be “saving each other some seats.” 🙂

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  9. I see so much truth in the brain research info Vicki! Living in the moment, really putting yourself into what you see is visceral and helps to cement that place and time with emotional reactions. The more neurons that fire the greater the impact and imprint that moment has on us. All of those IG perfect moments like creating the perfect image of your pastrami sandwich at Mac’s dive bar while futzing around with a tiny screen rather than just experiencing the taste of the food on your plate, the joy of sharing that with the people who surround you…I think I will always take the moment first. It is a trade-off without the visual record and we all have personal choice of course. I exercise my choice to leave the phone in my purse!

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    1. Deb — can you see me smiling? 😊😊😊 Thank you for bringing the science — yes – those poor little neurons, firing because we want to capture our pastrami sandwiches for posterity. I love it! And your straightforward wisdom? Leave the phone in your purse? That’s perfect. Thanks much, Deb! 😘

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  10. This is such an interesting topic. Hubby and I were amateur photographers and fellowship students at a local art school. We, too, spent many hours in the dark room and Saturday mornings were often spent out capturing that magical morning light. We are often missing in family photos because we took all the photographs. Like you, we now use our phones almost exclusively.

    I have, however, learned to stay in the moment, especially since we do not see our family as frequently as we would like. I find myself almost panicking at the end of the visit if we have failed to take photos with our loved ones. Looking back, my dad was the family photographer. As I peruse old family photos, I find I do not remember much about the event. It has become frozen in one snapshot of posed faces, so perhaps the research is right. The memories I recall most clearly are totally undocumented. I had never considered this until I read your post.

    The Toni Morrison quote is very apropros.

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    1. Thank you, Maggie — I love that you like the Toni Morrison quote. It spoke to me, too. I feel your comment about often not being IN photos as the family photographers…and that it was a role your father took on, too. I bet any photos you have of him are more special because there aren’t as many?
      And – I feel the same as you when I look at family photos — the events and details elude me…but the faces? They pull me in. Thank you for sharing. xo! 😘

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  11. This whole idea of off-loading our memories to the camera seems so true. I think Loftus quote is excellent and so is your advice to experience the moment fully first and then take a picture second. I’ve caught myself on occasion just snapping away, and then realizing I’m not really paying attention. Great piece!

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    1. Thanks, Todd. I’m still trying to figure that out myself…catching myself snap, snap, snapping…but being disconnected at the same time! Thanks for reading and for your kind comment! 😎😉😎

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  12. Memory wanes with or without camera in hand—at least it my world it does. I am ever so grateful for the photos of days gone by that I had long forgotten and would not have remembered had I not turned the page of an aging photo album. If only there were more…..

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    1. Thank you for that, Julia. I agree – recently I hunted for photos of a family reunion that I remember in such great detail – perhaps erroneously – and was surprised to only find a few photos. I don’t know if my recollection is faulty or if I’m a terrible detective – maybe both things are true 😉but the experience left me wishing I’d found more. xo to you! 🥰

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      3. Eeks— I was asking why there isn’t a hug emoji because I wanted to send YOU one! So we’re left to our own devices? We have to make up our own? That sure seems like a lot of work to me, but hey—some things (people) are worth it! 🥰❤️🥰

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  13. Elizabeth Loftus was my professor for two classes at the University of Washington in the 1980s. The classes were about memory, of course. Great blog! I went hiking and stopped to take photos with my iphone today. My husband talked about getting me a new lens for my digital Nikon. I’m wondering if I want to haul that around anymore?

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    1. Oh my goodness! Elizabeth…that’s amazing – the connection you have to Professor Loftus! Thank you so much for reading – and for sharing that fab tidbit. I love it!
      Xo…and big smiles to you! 😉

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      2. Her writing and research are amazing…super cool that you had the opportunity to be one of her students! 😉 Oh — and good luck with the new lens…or not…conundrum! 😉

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  14. I miss the days of film camera. While less convenient, it does force us to think about which memories we choose to retain with the finite shots that we have.

    Technology is wonderful but so much reliance on this can also have detrimental effects to not just our memory but our ability to be present!

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    1. I’m with you…fiddling with the film took a little work and the more I think about it, the less of a hassle it was! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Ab! I’ve enjoyed reading the comments. Seems like we’re all trying to figure out how to balance things out. Ease is good…but when is it too good? Cheers to you! 😉😉😉

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  15. I love photography too Victoria, but I must say that I haven’y pulled out my SLR camera in a very long time. And like you, I do worry about being so focused on catching the moment that I miss the moment. I actually noticed it first when the kids were little and all the dads were jockeying for position for the best camcorder video. It hit me that I spent so much time worrying about the video, but we never actually watched the videos. Oh, I would love to have video of the kids when they were young, but I figure that’s a small price to pay to be in the moment. I’ve noticed it too with the smartphone. I try now to have a balance. I’m a big selfie lover. I love to get family selfies before whatever event we’re going to, but once that’s out of the way, I try to not pull my phone out again. I’m not sure that really works all that well but at least it’s an attempt. You’re definitely hitting upon a big topic. I saw a number of stories on this topic earlier this month when Lebron James overtook Kareem Abdul Jabbar for scoring the most NBA points. Everyone in the stands, including Lebron’s kids, were taking photos with their smartphone camera to mark the event. The lone exception was Phil Knight the founder of Nike who sat with Lebron’s kids and just enjoyed the moment. Here’s the story. (https://sports.yahoo.com/phil-knight-watched-lebron-james-break-scoring-record-among-a-sea-of-phones-in-iconic-photo-055525692.html) It’s sort of funny. Great post. Thanks for getting me thinking.

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    1. Ohhhhh….thanks so much for the link to the story. I’d not heard about it…but appreciate the info. I bet the hubs was all over it because he loves Kareem. 😉
      I love what you do — with intention – to capture the family selfies and then put your phone aside. That’s so smart and so ‘actionable’. And boy, I feel you about taking videos but never watching them. Such a conundrum. Thanks for some thoughtful input back to me — plenty to mull! 😉

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  17. No, you aren’t busting up a good thing. My reward this morning is the memory of two large coyotes walking up my driveway. I put my hand on my phone, but left it there and watched. Good thing I did, because now I have the memory. Enjoying all your blog posts!

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing that, Tracey – that you’re reading and enjoying. Coyotes, eh? We’ve had a few of them around here…fascinating to watch. I agree! Big smiles to you — appreciate you stopping by and your comment! 😊😉😊

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  18. I don’t take many photos and when I do I know why I’m snapping the picture. I’m with the researchers and their idea that it’s all about intentionality. Most of life is. Know why you’re doing something and you’ll do it [to the best of your ability].

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    1. Yep, I’m with you, Ally. I’m finding, generally, that slowing down and doing all things with more intention is a good place for me. As you said…know the why…and funny how things become easier or make more sense. For me it’s less stressful, for sure. Xo and thanks, Ally! 🥰🥰🥰

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