Photography for the holidays!

Pachimac

Pachimac

Active member
Why am I so weird about taking pictures now?? I have been leaving my camera behind, and feeling "on display" when I take pictures lately. It's weird.

I do know that part of it is something I just need to get over, but I'm not sure how to quiet that voice. I have a "used to be" friend, who, with her parting shot, told me that I take so many pictures, and because I take selfies, I'm a narcisistic witch with a b. Now everytime I take a picture, I hear her voice. I know she was wrong, but I can't shake that embarrassment off...

If I don't take pictures, they don't get taken, and if I don't do selfies, I'm rarely in any pictures - and I want to be in them for my daughter. I treasure and cherish the little photos I have of my Momma, especially now that she's gone. She was the photographer and was rarely in any pictures. I don't want that for Melissa.

Does anyone else have a problem taking pictures? How do you work through the "I shouldn't take pictures" feeling?
 
I say.....take all the pictures you want! As a photographer, I don't feel self-conscious taking photos or being in them. A camera is such an integral part of me. I don't think taking selfies is a bad thing. I think if you have fun and especially if you scrap with your photos....then of course its a good thing. I take a lot of selfies and don't care what anyone thinks. Bailey and I take selfies together all the time now and I absolutely cherish these b/c I never used to be in the photos (b/c I was the photographer) but now with selfies, I actually have pics of me by myself and with family/friends. I also take a lot of food shots and I know lots of my friends/family think that's weird but I don't care. Do what makes you happy is what I say!
 
I have found that negative comments like that are more of a reflection of how that person is feeling about themselves than it is about you.

When I'm not actively scrapbooking I tend not to take photos...so for the past 4-5 years I have only a handful of photos and that makes me so sad. I wish I would have been more intentional about taking more photos, especially selfies with friends and family. I don't think you'll ever regret having "too many" photos...sure beats the regret I have for not having any photos.
 
It was only after my dad died that I realized how incredibly precious the photos of me would be to my kids one day. I'm still fairly shy about putting myself in front of the camera, but I do make a point of grabbing selfies whenever I can with my sons and grandkids just so they will have these after I'm gone.

I'm definitely not shy about taking photos of people, places and things. I do use my cellphone more than my "big girl" camera for the everyday stuff. So it is probably more discreet.
 
bcgal00 said:
I say.....take all the pictures you want! As a photographer, I don't feel self-conscious taking photos or being in them. A camera is such an integral part of me. I don't think taking selfies is a bad thing. I think if you have fun and especially if you scrap with your photos....then of course its a good thing. I take a lot of selfies and don't care what anyone thinks. Bailey and I take selfies together all the time now and I absolutely cherish these b/c I never used to be in the photos (b/c I was the photographer) but now with selfies, I actually have pics of me by myself and with family/friends. I also take a lot of food shots and I know lots of my friends/family think that's weird but I don't care. Do what makes you happy is what I say!
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I guess I just need to get over myself and realize that not everyone is judging me like she was. I do cherish a lot of the photos that I've taken lately, and my IL's aren't getting any younger. Who knows how long we will have them with us?
 
snickels said:
I have found that negative comments like that are more of a reflection of how that person is feeling about themselves than it is about you.

When I'm not actively scrapbooking I tend not to take photos...so for the past 4-5 years I have only a handful of photos and that makes me so sad. I wish I would have been more intentional about taking more photos, especially selfies with friends and family. I don't think you'll ever regret having "too many" photos...sure beats the regret I have for not having any photos.
Click to expand...

Yep! When we first moved here to Vegas, I had just bought an iPhone 4. It was so convenient to take pics with it instead of lugging my dSLR around - and the photos were such TERRIBLE quality that I was so upset I tried to take "real" pictures with it. I get it.
 
pagefrocks said:
It was only after my dad died that I realized how incredibly precious the photos of me would be to my kids one day. I'm still fairly shy about putting myself in front of the camera, but I do make a point of grabbing selfies whenever I can with my sons and grandkids just so they will have these after I'm gone.

I'm definitely not shy about taking photos of people, places and things. I do use my cellphone more than my "big girl" camera for the everyday stuff. So it is probably more discreet.
Click to expand...

I never felt self conscious about taking photos with my "Big Girl" camera until this incident. Now EVERY single time I take it out, or take a selfie, I think of it.

I guess the only way to get over it is to get over it, eh?
 
You need to just bite the bullet and do it until it becomes second nature again.

Think of how sad her family will be once day when they wake up and there are no good pictures of her, or their childhood, or all the things they have done together!

Think of how happy your family is that you have all these lovely pictures.

WHICH OF THOSE TWO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? The happiness of your family, I would imagine. Focus on that. Look at that camera and think of it as a keeper of happy memories. Look at it and smile. Love it for the pleasure it brings your husband and daughter. It is a treasure and far more important in your life than a misguided person who will be pictureless one day.

Whip out that camera and take all the beautiful pictures you want. It is NECESSARY.
 
I echo what everyone else has said- your former friend clearly has her own issues. It's hard to get rid of those negative voices. I definitely get that. But you're doing this for you and your family, and that's the important thing. It might be awhile before you can quiet her voice, but those photos are going to be SO worth it!
 
I take my camera with me everywhere. I have a DSLR but use a Nikon Coolpix with a 65 zoom. I love it. I try and take a picture everyday. Mainly for my scrapping layouts. I did have one person tell me to take more bird photos as she did not like my leafless tree photos. I decided it did not matter what she liked, I like things to be a little different. Just do what is best for you. I agree about photos of yourself for your children. My mother did not like her photo taken and if she saw a picture of herself, she would tear it up. I finally convinced her before she passed away her grandkids would love to she her pictures. We do have a few now and I am grateful for that.
 
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