People travel, camera in hand, see new lands, get to know new cultures, experience different foods and customs. However, something can obstruct the view. Strangely, it is the camera.

Do you look at everything through the lens of the camera (or cell’s camera) instead of taking an unfiltered look with you eyes? Are you being present, engaged in the moment, or always busy taking pictures to eternalize the moment instead of internalizing the moment? Can you do both?

Don’t let the camera separate you from the experience. Use it as a tool, but don’t replace it by your own experience. Coach yourself to feel the present.

Try sitting on a beach while regaling yourself on the beauty of the water and skies, the sounds and smells of the sea, the purity of the waves and horizon. Take the time to breath in the air, the freshness, the view -don’t postpone the moment of pleasure by clicking the camera constantly, don’t dilute the joy of living in the present by always placing the camera between you and the view.

Use the lens to etch memories, but don’t make it your eyes, and don’t let it become the end goal of an experience.

Enjoy your travels,

Ella