Eight-hundred seventy-seven. The number of photos on my Instagram.
Some people think that’s absolutely insane, but I disagree. To me, those photos are my fondest memories and I don’t think it's possible to have “too many.” Don’t get me wrong, maybe if it was 877 selfies, I would think differently. Instead, there are photos of things such as food, friends, nature, buildings, family members, and throwbacks. I love to take pictures of anything and everything. Instagram is my place to post whatever I like and I don’t take/post these photos with the intent of getting likes or to gain followers –– rather I do so because it makes me happy.
I think that photos are the perfect way to capture moments and help you relive your fondest memories. From the day I graduated, my best friend's birthday party, to enjoying the Fourth of July with friends. I enjoy scrolling through and reminiscing on the times spent with the people I have met, the places I have gone, and the days I have experienced. I have an awful memory, but with the help of pictures, I am able to relive certain things and remember individual days and appreciate the moments.
Because I think this type of reflection is so important, I have a personal goal of taking at least one photo a day. This is a challenge I have put upon myself and I am committed to doing. I believe it has helped me enjoy each day as it goes by, rather than looking back and feeling as if the weeks are a blur. Even if some days were hard, I still want to remember them and having a photo of it can help me honor my struggles. Whether the day was tough or easy, I still want to remember it in my story of life. And there are days where I just don’t do anything particularly exciting, so my picture might just be of my shoes or a flower. But even that has helped me to take advantage of the everyday things, to see the beauty in the small things. And naturally, on the contrary, some days are extravagant and I have a vivid, stunning photo to show for it. And those times are just as good.
For me, there is a limit to photos and I certainly don’t want my fondness for picture-taking to overpower the sensation of enjoying the moment. For this exact reason, some of my photos are pretty blurry –– but I love that. I don’t want to attend an event and hold my phone the whole time or constantly take photos so I end up experiencing it through my phone screen rather than my own eyes. But I do try to make it a habit of snapping a quick photo of the event or thing I'm doing in order to remember it. I have tons of blurry pictures or ones that didn’t turn out as cute as I had hoped, but that doesn’t bother me. The blurriness or imperfections don’t have to take away from the memory. Sometimes I feel even more creative with photos that aren’t necessarily perfect because then I’m able to filter and alter it if I like. It's fun to see what you can do; it's entertaining and enjoyable to alter reality sometimes. To toy with your imagination and see how things could’ve been.
We all grow, change, and evolve and I can clearly witness this through my feed of photos. I am able to document days and watch my friends and family grow. I can see how my circle of friends change and the different people who come and go. I am able to see the different seasons of my life and how my subjects evolve over time. I like capturing the beauty that we have in this world. How things change, how I change, how the people I love change, how my interests change, how the topics of my photos change. It is neat to see things from my own perspective. It helps me to take a step back and realize what things I choose to focus on and then, if I see fit, I can adjust and refocus on different things.
From this reflection, I’ve also noticed the smaller details of photos like lighting and textures. I am able to really appreciate things such as the architecture of buildings or the characteristics of my friend’s face. I think this helps me better see the world around me as it truly is and to appreciate it.
I’m a story-teller, so photos always seem to enhance my story. I am better able to explain what I’ve done when I’m talking to others and also when I’m just personally reminiscing. I want to vividly remember the places I go and the landscape and the nature I see. The world we live in is a beautiful place and I don’t want to let that pass me by. I have countless pictures of flowers and sunsets, but they’re all unique and beautiful and I don’t really care.
Like I said, I don’t want to waste my time taking a million photos of the same thing. I don’t care if the photo is Instagram-worthy, I prioritize enjoying my life and that includes looking back at all that I have done and accomplished. I can’t remember everything –– but with the help of my iPhone and my Instagram, I hope to have a more vivid idea of what I’ve done and to know my memories are kept safe, with a simple click of a button.
