Photos and Facebook

[June 2015. This greeted us while boarding the Mickey and Friends tram to the Disney Parks. First time here since 1996. Obviously a lot has changed, including the "parking lots".]

“Pictures or it didn’t happen” …

I’ve heard it, I’ve said it. And … I mean it.

I love looking at pictures from my family and friends’ adventures and vacations. And, I like to post my own photos of my adventures and vacations.

As someone who takes a LOT of pictures throughout the year (NASCAR, Bellagio Conservatory, Project: 365, etc.) – picking out the “best” ones to share is a challenging task. As I am proud of most of the pictures I take (90%) – I want to share them all. That’s not realistic. So, I do have to narrow it down a bit. And, let’s not forget the day shot, night shot, side shot, front … the list is endless.

I leave out something, I know I left it out, and I feel lazy for leaving it out. Then, there’s someone asking “didn’t you take a picture of [blank]” – so I go find it, and post it. So, rather than to risk it, I find about 75% of the best pictures to share or something like that … just to make sure I’ve covered EVERYTHING! And, from all angles and lighting perspectives. That really adds up over time. I know because I’ve printed some that I’ve posted – I know there are a LOT of photos! I’ve easily surpassed a print count of 500 very easily.

And, it takes some time to get them sorted and uploaded to Facebook. I have to “watermark” them because of something a former friend did years ago.

To just explain that as quickly as possible: I was out shopping and I saw something rather cute. So, since I had a really great Smartphone (and a decent camera) – I snapped a picture of it. It was a “picture of the day” deal.

When I got home and signed in to Facebook, I learned the “friend” had shared (without attribution) my photo from my “personal” gallery. It wasn’t like it was an internet meme – it was a photo I personally took! And, she shared it before I got home.

She didn’t ask permission, and she didn’t even credit me. It wouldn’t have been so irritating if her friends hadn’t thought “her” photo was so cute. While it seems petty – that is a crime. It is intellectual theft. It’s looked down on by the FBI. I immediately (to sort the confusion) thanked the people posting for praising my photos and give them the story behind it. They deleted their comments and I chose to start “watermarking” my photos with the copyright (©) symbol (see photo above), the year, and my name. She didn’t even apologize for sharing the picture when I made the comments I did. Nor did she comment that “oh, it’s her photo, I thought it was cute so I shared it”. Nope. Nothing.

That is one of the reasons I don’t share photos very much or I’m selective on who I share them to. After all once bitten – twice shy.

Once I get the photos “ready”, it’s hard knowing who to share to. You think it’d be an easy choice – it isn’t. It’s not as simple as some might think. And, yes I might over think it – but the last thing I want to do is to have some kind of “drama” over pictures from an event, vacation, or … something!

Family is usually a safe bet – after all, you’ve known them their or your own entire lives. That’s the downside too. Perhaps they’re having a bad time and you don’t want to go “see what I did” and make things worse for them (or rub their nose in it). Not that I do it in that manner. But, it can unintentionally feel like that. Sometimes actions do speak louder than words. And, pictures speak volumes!

For me, a vacation is an oddity. Back in the 1980’s we went on very few vacations. In the 1990’s we went to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm in April 1992; twice in 1993, and the last time being 1996.

I haven’t had a good out-of-state vacation since November 2005 (that was with my mom). The June 2014 trip … that was a bit different – it was just me and it was more or less a “fan experience”.

For me, posting pictures isn’t really bragging. I’m usually excited and I want my family and friends to live my journey with me since we’ve never done anything like that together (believe it or not, my vacations have only consisted of me and my mom). I live through their vacations (and pictures), so I post mine to say “thank you for sharing your life with me, here’s my life”. But, I don’t want to compound anyone else’s problems by “bragging” either.

As far as friends – that gets touchy as well. In fact, that’s dangerous territory right there!

Some friends really want to see the photos and the more the merrier. After all, some live vicariously through us. Others? After about 10-20 photos they get … well … “twitchy”. Like “how many pictures do you really need to remind you? You went on vacay … la-di-dah! My goodness! It’s not that big of a deal!”

Or, they tend to defriend you (if not block entirely).  

Thankfully no one has really said that, but we all know the type. And, like family – they too could be going through bad times. But, having pictures to remind someone of what they can’t do or are missing – that’s really crappy, if not inconsiderate. And, some are all too vocal about it. Others “vague-book” it – “oh yes, you went on vacay, nice … ever think some of us can’t? Ugh! Selfish entitled brats!”

I saw that on Twitter last year. Someone actually took my advice and unfollowed me. She was quite “vocal” about it, in a direct message that is. Though I did tell her that I used Twitter as a back-up for Facebook. And, that for some people who lose loved ones – those social media accounts are the last memories they’ll have of that person.

Puts it into perspective doesn’t it? It should. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Anyway …  

If you don’t know the people that well – you’re opening yourself up for more trouble than it’s worth – regardless of intent.

Though in all fairness – one should be able to post their pictures to Facebook without the fear or stress of offending people. That is unless the photos are truly obscene. But, we all know the “griefer”. They can’t help but make a production of their “miserable lives”.

And, then there are the “souvenir” photos. There are those (family and friends) who want to see what you got – after all, it’s a bit of Christmas Day only more socially acceptable. But, some people are not so curious. After all, it’s a form of bragging – not only did you have a good vacation, but you got the “spoils of war” from it. Then there is the “why do you need pictures of stuff you got” … yeah, I know … “those people”.

So, that’s perhaps why I’ve been holding off sharing my photos – the fear of the backlash from it.

It’s not an easy choice.

Nearly two (2) months later, I haven’t made a decision as to whether I want to post the photos or not.

Even as my orders of prints arrive (right now I’m about halfway on getting them all printed) … I’m still debating on posting.

It’s not like I don’t want to share. I just don’t want the grief from sharing.

I shouldn’t have to feel like that – however that is the downside to social media and “sharing”.