While cycling through my modest photo collection from Panama, it struck me that my former paparazza tendencies have changed.
I was a shutterbug in high school before digital cameras became ubiquitous — think back to the days when as soon as the flash went off, someone would cry out “Doubles!” to lay claim to a second copy once the film was developed.
It’d make more sense for the opposite to be true, wouldn’t it? That in the era of digital cameras where passable images can be instantly deleted, I’d feel more inclined to snap away freely.
But I’m more selective than ever with the moments I decide are worthy of my time to capture.
I am no photographer. I have no aspirations to be a photographer. It’s never my intention to snap a prize-winning photo and I leave those skills to professionals who know what they’re doing.
But I’ll admit it can fun to experiment with my little point-and-shoot — and when you’re on vacation, there’s an endless wealth of subjects to explore. Well, once you’re off the resort.
That’s really the best part. I’ve already made clear my feelings about resorts and ignorant resort people, so day trips helped take my mind off the scads of uneaten buffet food and plastic cups half-filled with locally brewed cervezas.
And of the few photos I took — compared to Matt’s forty zillion — this photo of a convent among the old city ruins in Panama City is probably my favourite.
I may not have many pictures from this trip. But the few I do have are ones I really like. That ought to count for something.
