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Monday, July 16, 2012

Being Present

I am the type of girl who lives behind my camera.  I am always trying to capture moments of my life on film/video. I feel like if I am not taking pictures, no one will, and the moment will be lost and forgotten.  Sometimes, I feel like it keeps me from really being present in my life. I'm capturing it, on film, so we can all relive it, but I'm not actually reliving it, if I'm living it through photos only.

How most people see me / Personal Photo
As a wedding guest, I'm definitely the person who posts pictures on Facebook the day after the wedding, and you know it never even occurred to me that some people would rather that I not. I've actually become a lot more conscious of what I post, and who I tag, even more so recently than in the past. Before dating me, Mr. Ly had about 10 pictures of himself on any social media site, now, there are probably hundreds - thanks to me, mostly.  Some friends request it - and some depend on it. But at the end of the day, I would like to be fully present at my wedding events - showers, parties, etc. - without worrying about taking pictures.


Another aspect of being present means disconnecting from social media. I'm a total internet junkie, and to be honest I can't remember what it's like to not have the internet on my phone, information available at a moment's notice.  As a librarian, I am a full-on early adapter when it comes to new technology.  Some people extol the horrors of media & technology as being bad for our society, for our kids, and for social interaction in general. Some people just really don't like it. I can respect their position, but it's the way most people share and communicate, and I embrace it. I'm not an over-sharer on Facebook (except maybe with pictures!), and I sporadically use Twitter, Instagram, FourSquare, and I love having the outlet when I want it.  I never post something that I think would be questionable if my grandmother read it (my 88 year old grandmother is an avid Facebook user!) or use it as a sounding board for my problems or personal challenges, and I respect other people's choice to use the internet how they will. I am not going to object to people posting our pictures after our wedding, in fact I'm already looking forward to it.  

With that being said (and it may seem hypocritical), but I am going to request that people BE PRESENT during our ceremony. Some version of this sign (or something like this) will greet our guests as they enter the ceremony:
Image via Offbeat Bride
However, I know there will be people who will still take pictures, or post them on Facebook as soon as they happen, and I'm kind of counting on it.  So why have the sign in the first place? I know most people won't take pictures, but there are a few who may not see the sign, or read it, or care. And I really am ok with that.  I want to be present at my wedding, and from the time our pictures start til our very last dance - I will be.  (I can't make any promises for getting ready!) I'd love it if my guests were too, but as someone who knows what it's like to watch a ceremony through the viewfinder of my camera, I fully understand the other side. I see it as a reminder to people who, like me, can get really caught up in preserving the moment, rather than living it.

If I saw this sign at a ceremony, I most definitely would not take pictures, and maybe all of our guests won't either.  That's a risk I'm willing to take.   

If you were at a wedding, and saw a sign like this, would you still take pictures?  

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