Inese Dūka

To take a picture or not to take a picture

Recently a friend asked to see my pictures and I naturally gave him this address. His response was that while my travels were interesting, he really wanted to see me. So how come there are so few pictures with me on them? I had had this discussion with Arta a lot of times but now I finally put my thoughts "on paper". So I thought why not share it with you too?... ;-))

There are several reasons why I am on so few pictures.

1) I don't consider myself to be such an important person to have many pictures taken of me. The ones where I am alone and it is not in any other big context I put in a separate album at the very end of all albums on my page.

2) What I see on the pictures doesn't correspond to the image of me I have in my mind. So unless I really have to I prefer not to be on the picture.

3) A lot of times I travel alone and I am most definitely not asking strangers to take a picture of me. Unless it is something I really really wanted...

4) I like taking pictures. I trust myself more than others with my camera. So if I have to choose between a shitty picture with me on it or a good one without me, I most definitely would choose the latter. Hmmm... Anything else?...

Then I have my issues with taking pictures in general. I have grown up with my mom always complaining that I have so many pictures, and that was already waaaaaaaay before digital camera. So up to this day from time to time I feel guilty about the number of pictures I do have. I have a sort of love/hate relationship with my camera. There are times when I see the world around me in photos but I have left my camera at home and these moments remain uncaptured. There are times when I am more than happy to use my camera as a legitimate excuse not to take part in some activity. That's why there are lots of pictures of other people doing something. But then again there are times when I am tired of picture taking/filming and I just want to get rid of the camera and not focus...

And finally there is the issue of taking pictures of sights. Me and this. Me and that. I think a lot of those pictures just look silly because I don't know where to put my hands or how to stand. Then I take a picture of the thing alone. But then again... why should I do that if it has been photographed a million times before me. Besides, I can just buy a post-card, which usually will be a lot better quality than the picture I'd make...

Notwithstanding everything that has been said the current number of the pictures in my gallery is 4315 and I continue my inner battle…