Friday, 16 September 2016

Photographs

Remember when the term "camera roll" actually referred to a roll of film that went inside your camera? I couldn't have been the only one who got super excited whenever the film was developed and ready to be picked up. That feeling is lost in today's world where everything is ready in an instant. The number of photographs we can take is now limitless and they are available as soon as we click them - for viewing, sharing, deleting and retaking. I'll be honest, there's no practical downside to this. It saves a lot of money, time and disappointment (if the photo isn't up to expectations). But I still can't help but miss the feeling of going through physical photos and albums. Awaiting the photographs to be developed or even awaiting a letter from a friend or loved one. Despite the convenience of the digital world, instant pics and messages don't give the same pleasure as those letters long awaited.
WhatsApp messages and snaps have become routine - monotonous, expected and even annoying at times. Emails have become business oriented and letters very few and formal. Slowly we went from penpals to epals to WhatsApp buddies. The limitless storage of digital era is it's brilliance as well as it's weakness. Who has the time to go through the millions of saved photos like we used to go through photo albums? Did you even look twice at the 200 pics you took at your best friend's last birthday? So much digital data is lost or forgotten. Our generation captures each and every moment but in our free time we back them up instead of browsing through them.
Let's be honest, one of the only times we go through our pictures is when a friend's birthday is coming up and we need something to post on a social networking site or simply a special profile picture for that day. We click, caption, post and then forget about it until the next year when Facebook sends us a notification saying "You have a memory to look back on today" which means we must share it with yet another caption. Nowadays we click more for showing and sharing rather than for seeing and remembering. People are desperate to increase followers and likes rather than cherished memories.
Soft copies may be more convenient and in sync with the modern world but there's something about holding a simple photograph that just can't be beat. 

1 comment:

  1. This was just amazing charvi. I can easily relate and feel what you've written.

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