In the tech-heavy climate of today, people often have to be reminded to put their camera (phones) away and be in the moment. These days, it is quite common for people to spend the majority of their time uploading images to Instagram and Snapchatting, Tweeting or FaceBooking their experiences of concerts, festivals, parties, weddings etc., instead of actually just…experiencing them. But what if capturing these moments is what you have been trained to do? What if you love creating a beautiful well-composed depiction of said experience? As a photographer, where do you draw the line?

I have noticed an increasing number of couples opting for an ‘unplugged’ wedding. In case this phrase is new to you, this essentially means that guests are asked to refrain from taking snaps on their phone, and sharing them on social media. This means that guests will actually be present and engaged (and not getting in the way of the professional photographer!). Isn’t it crazy that it has come to this?

Weddings aside, I know that as a photographer (who is constantly subconsciously looking for aesthetically pleasing compositions), I struggle to put my camera down. Consequently, I have been choosing to shoot film at certain social events. I love film photography anyway, but the added bonus is that I only have a limited number of shots I can take! It is too time consuming and expensive to be too trigger-happy, and snap the day away, so I am forced to be involved and present. It is a funny thing though, I sometimes feel I have a duty to capture a moment, because I can do it well. It’s almost like sacrificing the now for the future. Not that it really does feel like a sacrifice, I’m in my element when looking through a viewfinder.

I’d love to hear from other photographers or photography enthusiasts, is this something you can relate to?