Sometimes I honestly spend too much time behind a screen. Like many people I am trying to find a balance. I try to follow the common rules, no cell phones at dinner or on dates (unless we are both looking at the same one to find information or enhance an experience). There are other times though where I am flat out missing the moment. It hit me last night when there was a thump in the dark room I was in. A mysterious noise….. it wasn’t something big, but was bigger than a moth. The next thing I know, another thump, and there it is, out of the darkness on that hot summer night….
I love frogs and specially tree frogs. I snapped a photo on my cell phone and took him outside to his friends. If not for him, I would have missed the symphony in the back yard.
So I took a quick video and put the cell phone away and enjoyed the sound. So many creatures making so many different sounds. Even the bull frogs sounded like they belonged. The internet is powerful and amazing but it wouldn’t be so wonderful without the “life” that is shared on it. We have to get out and live it and I think sharing it online is just a bonus “gift” to ourselves or maybe the universe. So now if you have never been to Georgia and heard the night song for yourself you will know what to expect if you do!
Of course the best reasons to get away from the screens are the loved ones around you, specially the kids! Let them be your hints!
Take the hints that come, look for them even, find the great excuses to quickly capture a moment and then get some wonderful screen free time in! That is my plan anyway!
We were at a wonderful special event Tuesday, welcoming people of like faith from all over the world and enjoying a program of art and entertainment at the Buckhead Theater. I pulled out my phone once during the performance and took a few shot and a short video of the Elvis song that was during the history of southern music part of the program. I am a photographer, but here I was guest and when I discovered that there were assigned photographers at the event and I could get all the photos online with a better view than I had from one of the back rows, I put my camera and phone away and enjoyed. Sadly I can’t say the same thing for 3 of the people immediately in front of me. My 12 year old daughter and I both had to lean and stretch to see past the iPad in front of us. Did those people even look away from that screen at the real life heartwarming and heartfelt humans who had worked so hard? Certainly the live humans surrounding a person at an event are more important than capturing video (that may never be watched) on a screen that requires a person to hold up said screen and distracting those behind. Even when you can see, that kind of light and picture distracts the eye and keeps a person from feeling the whole range of emotions from a live performance.
Anyhow- now I’m probably off topic and venting. But It does make me more conscience of not distracting others, live humans who were also invited to enjoy something, with my own photography. Unless of course I’m the hired photographer and it’s my job to capture the event- then watch out! 🙂
There are times for screens and times for them to be put away and you clearly explained a great event that didn’t need the screens and how screens distracted from the moment. That happens at weddings and is specially annoying and commonly thought of now as disrespectful.