An Essay On "Less is More"

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An Essay On "Less is More"

 

 

Long before photographs and cameras were invented, people would bask in and capture cherished moments using only their five senses, most especially, their eyes. Now that the world is greatly affected by technology, high-end cameras can make the picture into reality. With digital cameras, one can take or retake photographs as many as he/she deems. It is not really bad to have this kind of "instant moments” since we are all adapting to technology. However, it seems that circulating digital photographs are plentiful already, that people seem to truly appreciate the meaning and essence of such photos. Just like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, "less is more”.

Though digital photographs offer a much more convenient and secure way of storing and taking photos, as stated by Katherine Schulten, they do take away people’s ability to feel just the moment. Long before, people would take long hours just to take that one perfect photo and wait for another hour or two to have the negative films printed. But one could imagine the excited yet anxious countenance or feeling of the one waiting for the photo, especially if it was taken with a family, a friend, or a loved one.  After that one photo is finally printed, people would hold on to it and keep it in their wallets or even necklaces, to serve as a reminder of their focus.

Today, everywhere you go, as long as you have a camera or a cellphone, you are just a click away from capturing perfect moments. These digital photographs end up plentiful in our cameras and we take time to scrutinize which one do we really like to brag or post on social media which leads to another point which is, digital photos take away the candidness of a moment. This is what the generation lacks now: the sense of being one’s true self since we are now living to please the world outside that doesn’t even know us but through these digital photos that we flaunt on our accounts.

Lucinda Rosenfeld writes that "many more images, much less meaning”. It is human nature that we always would want to have "reserves” just in case something does not go according to plan. But again, the more storage rooms in our device, the more we urge to take more photos that only end up being hoarded in phone memories. Photographs—they serve as our reminder of the beauty of yesterday that we cannot really hold on to again. Every time we look at these still works of art, it allows us to see and remember the moments that are worth reliving. They tell us stories that can’t be told by just words. They are not just there for display, they bring us meaning, and the moment we forget what they truly serve, we forget the meaning that we are trying to create in our lives as well as others’ lives too.

In summary, digital photographs are great. However, taking too much tells something too. What would we like to show to the world? Is it the quantity of the photos or the quality that we want to project? Let’s take time to reflect. Take that one, old favorite printed photo of yours, and recall why you continue to hold on to it.