Hey friends, it’s been a minute since my last blog! I wrapped up my summer 1 class with an ‘A’ and started my summer internship at KFDX 3 news station in Wichita Falls, TX this past week. Between summer 1 and 2 I took a much needed school break and went down to South Padre Island with Konner and some of his best friends! We had so much fun down there, I didn’t wanna leave the beautiful house at the end of the week!! I really enjoyed myself and tried to stay off my phone. I took in moments instead of photographing them and abstained from sharing all my moments on social media for the week. South Padre was a nice break from the busy world and Instagram algorithms!
Buuuuutttt then I got back home and to reality and to work and realized I had barely captured any real memories of my week long vacation! I had one good photo of Konner and I and one good photo of an outfit to post on Instagram. I came to a realization. You know what my problem and so many other’s problem is? I don’t take photographs that aren’t Insta worthy. And WHY? ?? ??? I don’t know. I don’t understand why I feel that if no one sees something besides me that it’s not just as beautiful, wonderful, or amazing. Is it my generation? The way we grew up with developing social media telling us to share, share, share? Is it the beauty standards of the world telling me anything but a pretty picture won’t do? I don’t know why I feel the need when I snap a good photo to immediately update my Snapchat story or upload it to Facebook/Instagram or when I don’t take a photo at all just because I don’t feel fresh-faced. I don’t know why some moments can’t just be my own.
Whatever is going on with us, I want to make it a goal to capture more – for me. For my own memories later on (Lord knows I already forget too much) and my children and their children. I challenge you to do the same. Capture your friends as they are when y’all are doing absolutely nothing. Capture how your dog sits at your backdoor, or how your kitty is perched on the recliner’s hand rest. Capture the biggest burger at the diner you stop at, capture your concert – the whole damn thing. Capture your car or who you’re riding with, capture where you’re going and the journey it takes to get there. Capture what the inside of your home is like on a summer day and what it feels like to you on the first day of school this year – it’s a big one! Capture yourself in a bathing suit at the lake, your parents – even if they tell you not to, and the blazing-red sunset behind your house. Just capture things for you.
“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” – truth
It doesn’t matter if you’re not wearing makeup, if your top doesn’t match your shorts, or if you’re not smiling and posed. Being Insta worthy all the time isn’t real, for anyone. Today you are the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be. You’ve got a lot of life to live and one day you’re gonna look back and remember – or maybe not – the moments you captured through it. Wouldn’t you like to have your life captured the way you saw it?
“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” – Aaron Siskind
As Always,
Ara
