The generation I live in molded the way I view photography.

Throughout the past few years, when I think of pictures, I think of social media. My generation has always lived in a world where pictures are everywhere and nothing too special, so now pictures have to be something more than just capturing a single moment. I have often seen them as a way to get people’s attention and a way to prove oneself by having evidence of an interesting vacation or attractive friends. If pictures are only this selfish and fake consistency, a picture no longer speaks truth and candidness as a good one should. Photos then hurt people and trick people into feeling like they need to have so much more substance to their lives.

While I have learned to love taking pictures and discovering interesting photographers, my idea that pictures are manipulative because of the unnecessary emphasis on perfect photos was a strong idea in my mind.

Last week, I received a new outlook on taking pictures as the somewhat designated camp photographer during the senior high week I went to as a high school student. I was an assistant director over the week which is just a nice, polished name for someone who does all of the random and unpredictable but extraordinarily important behind-the-scenes tasks that no one else working at the camp has time to do. My friend Virginia and I were the only two, and the rest of the volunteers and staff named us so wonderfully the “camp fairies” as we organized campers into interest groups, made countless signs, and cut up three whole watermelons. One of my tasks was also to take pictures throughout the week with one of the director’s cameras, and I was so excited to take on this responsibility that I had no idea about until the second day of camp.

I already would consider myself an observant person, so with this job, I had an excuse to always be capturing the small moments of joy on camera. I remember always wishing I had a sniper lens to really get in people’s faces for a killer candid picture without them knowing at all. However, this hidden observance was not a reality; I had to get used to people always knowing I was behind them taking a picture when an aggressive flash went off.

I started to feel that pain of taking pictures when campers would look at all distracted because I hate when the need for a good picture to post online ruins a moment. I started to wonder why all the campers and myself could just live in a camp of peace, learning, and openness with those notions in our heads and hearts, not on a screen.

Eventually, I became more comfortable with getting in people’s faces. I learned how to control the flash in more serious moments, and I learned that campers can show pure joy in a photo while they know that I am taking pictures of them.

With my awareness in being a camp photographer, I will always remember how one hundred campers for no reason at all joined together and started to sing the national anthem in the middle of the dining hall. I still do not understand how this happened, but it makes me laugh to just think about the kid who jumped on the table with an American flag.

With the responsibility as a photographer, I eventually came to the conclusion that photos are neither ultimate truth nor ultimate dishonesty. While I got some amazing photos, there were other moments when I would see a beautiful hug or gut-wrenching laugher between campers and I would not get the camera ready in time or could not get the lighting just right to really capture anything. However, the goodness I could have captured still happened.

It is not photos that mess up how people see each other on social media; it’s the need to prove something that in a camp with no reception and little Internet connection is impossible. Some of my favorite photos I took I do not have access to at the moment because they are on someone else’s camera and computer, but they happened. I am not the best photographer ever, but the joy in a picture relies on the person looking into whatever camera may be in front of them. I do not have to prove anything; I just had the task of taking photos and the excuse to notice every little thing I could while campers learn to love one another and learn to greatly love God.