Carrying a camera around at all times killed the value of photographs to large extent. I know people who come home from a one week vacation with 100's of pictures, that are never looked at again, and which spoiled all the moments where one could really enjoy the scene. Music concerts where nearly all the crowd film the concert and mostly miss the experience by doing so, is another example.

I'd say there's at least a third reason: intellectual (or rather technical) curiosity of photography itself. Often, when I take a picture, it is just to see how a particular shot turns out, much less so for any sentimental value to myself or anybody consuming those images later on.

I'd also say that's most likely a healthy kind of dopamine usage, as it's leading one into a life of exploration, learning and wonder.

But you're right, taking a true in-the-moment picture is a skill.

I always remember a posed photo that one of my old bosses had on her desk. It was of her and her daughter; she was giving a big attractive (to my eyes faked for the camera) smile, and her daughter looked miserable.

I appreciated the unintentional honesty: time and time again you see kids being told to smile for a camera, when they’re young enough that society hasn’t yet ingrained in the social necessity of doing so.

> What is the point of taking pictures, really?

Ephemeral communication?

It's fun; Gets a group together; They touch for a moment; Look at it together; "Oh my good I look so fat"; ...

I don't use social media (aside from HN). I take selfies to remember a moment. Not to capture it, my memory is good enough for me for that.

I used to think this, and I only took photos of places (without me in them). Then I realised that the value of the photo is to remind me of what I was doing, how I was feeling, etc, not just that I was in the place. I agree that faking smiles makes the photo worth less, but just don't fake anything.

>> I don't like looking at those pictures because I know everyone is faking it.

Maybe you're not far enough removed from them yet. Looking back on a group photo years later, especially if some of those people have died, is a very pleasant experience. The point isn't "look at us all smiling" when you know that it was posed, the point is "remember all of those people there that day, we were together, we did x etc". It reminds you of the entire event, not the specific moment of taking the photo.

Edit: Sit with a parent or grandparent and go through their photo albums. Almost all the photos are posed and you'll see how great that can be.

I'd say selfies just aren't for you, and that's fine. For many others it's not, and friends at a distance may just like seeing their friends' faces instead of just the subject. But I don't understand it myself because I'm outside of those circles. (and less face oriented but that's probably the autism/introversion lmao)

I posted something very similar on here last year after a visit to Ibiza - as we sat eating lunch in the castle in Ibiza old town, a group of young women spent the entire time we were there, maybe an hour and a half, in turn posing for photos next to a plant. Each time one went in for the pose, they'd pass their phone to a friend to take the pictures. It went on and on. The two things that really struck me about this were: 1. all the photos seemed to be taken with the subject's phone, so nobody had any photos of the people they were actually there with, and 2. If they'd turned around, there was an absolutely stunning view right behind them.

I felt old.

I feel similarly. Take good photos of your friends doing cool things. Absolutely do not stop everyone for a group picture. Forget things. It’s okay to forget the minutia of life.