If you're reading this, I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you love to travel. If you're reading this in 2020, I'm also going to guess that travel (in some aspects) has been difficult. If you're like me, you've used this year to travel domestically and take day trips (living in LA provides endless opportunities to do both). Now... that is a lot of assumptions, but if any of that resonated, I'd like to share how I make the most of a trip that may not have quite the same hype as a trip abroad.
There is something to be said for truly being present, living in the moment and appreciating your surroundings. I believe that the second you pull your phone out to get a picture, you're immediately bombarded with notifications and can't help but feeling distracted. It's almost what phones are now designed to do. It may sound like I am not a proponent of taking pictures while you're on a trip, but I'm suggesting just the opposite. Instead of capturing your memories on a phone, taking a series of shots that will most likely never looked at again, snap a shot on film using a disposable camera.
Wait, wait, wait. The same disposable cameras that were popular in 2005, that have since been replaced with digital phone cameras that capture much sharper images? Yes, that is the one. Disposable cameras have the ability to take the ordinary and make it special in a way you could never imagine. I'll list my favorite reasons below:
1. Limited Exposures
Disposable cameras only come with about 24 shots, making each picture so special. Do you really need 50 pictures of that waterfall? What if you could only take 1? Would that be enough of a reason to try to make that moment even more special by doing something you normally wouldn't? Having a limit on the number of pictures you can take will prevent you from obsessing over "the perfect picture," and may even get you to start thinking about your pictures more creatively. For example, I could have just taken a picture of the flowers below, but we decided to get a little more creative knowing that we only have a handful of shots to remember this moment.
Josh laying in the flowers on a recent day trip.
2. Relive Your Entire Experience
Delayed gratification is something that has been lost in today's society. Disposables brings back that nostalgic, Christmas morning feeling when your never-before-seen pictures are finally back from the development lab. The feeling you get looking back on your pictures is like you're experiencing the entire trip all over again!
3. Authentic and Simple
We see disposables making a comeback for the same reasons records went through their second-coming: There is a raw, unrefined nature to this medium of art. Using a disposable camera exudes confidence by taking away the ability for a do-over and a filter. In a world that is obsessively curated, over-filtered, and inauthentic, the disposable camera challenges every one of these qualities.
Mornings in Malibu. I think there was some sunscreen on the lens which makes it all the more special of a picture in my opinion!
4. Rugged and Inexpensive
Disposable cameras can go where your phone can't. Losing or breaking a camera should not ruin a concert, adventure or vacation. Leave your $1000 phone at home and still make sure your memories are captured.
5. Film is Forever
No matter what filter you use, it's never got quite the same quality as authentic film. We're becoming more and more disconnected in pursuit of likes, shares, and followers. Film photography connects. It connects us to each other, experiences, and the world.
So, next time you go on a trip, grab a disposable camera and see how much it changes your experience!
Let me know what you think in the comments!
