Look around. Do you see that man eating lunch with a friend, but frequently checking his cell phone and holding it like a mini-barrier between them? What about the mom pushing her child in the stroller with one hand, and holding her cell phone to chat with someone else with the other? At your daughter's basketball game last Saturday-how many parents watched the game through the viewfinder of their iPhone? Do they really believe they will watch the game with their daughter later? Or do you remember the dad who barely glanced at the game in front of him, choosing instead to watch his favorite professional team on his phone instead?
At a recent wedding that I photographed, the bride waited patiently for her mom to arrive before donning her wedding gown. She wanted to be sure that her mother was there to share that once-in-a-lifetime moment. Her mom arrived and immediately retrieved her phone out of her purse and began taking pictures, then looking down to send them to friends and family that couldn't attend the wedding.
Your first thought may be that the mom was being thoughtful, sharing the moment with others not privileged to be there. In reality, I saw the daughter being laced into her fairytale wedding dress, disappointedly watching her mom- who was missing 90% of what was happening right in front of her because of her interaction with her cell phone.
I was hired as the professional photographer for the wedding day. As the professional, my job is to preserve all of those moments so that they can be shared and enjoyed with loved ones for years to come. I also believe that the most important aspect of my job as the photographer, is to capture the memories so the bride, groom, bride's mom, groom's dad and maid of honor don't have to! They can then ENJOY each second, while it is happening, in the moment. Was it necessary for mom to send photos immediately to her friends and other family? Couldn't they wait a few hours and see them on a website later? Did the bride's mother really need to "step out of her life" and allow technology to get between her and that precious moment that should have been shared with her daughter right then?
At a wedding last year, just before the "you may now kiss the bride" proclamation, I was caught off guard when the groom's father stood up and stepped into the aisle holding his cell phone. As the newlyweds shared their first kiss as husband and wife, the photo that I took and the one taken by my assistant photographer in the balcony, feature the father of the groom standing before them, as much as the bride and groom.
I humbly ask that the next time you reach for your cell phone, tablet or iPad when you have the option of interacting with a friend or loved one right beside you instead, please consider the question, "Is it really that important?"
