Photo Sharing

The Flickr Phenom. It is wonderful for those who love to live on the computer and have the urge to share with the world (either one's immediate or at large). It's not for me. Just as podcasting, tweeting and blogging do not appeal to me.

In terms of blogging and tweeting, I prefer to connect with people in person or at the very least by voice. I know and understand that I might feel differently, and more at ease at making myself accessible to people I don't know and may never meet, if I had grown up digitally. That is the advantage of the current generation. Their definitions and practices of privacy and discretion are unique to their comfort and expertise with personal technology.

I did not grow up with it. I came very late to it in mid-life. I am perhaps overly cautious about how I use all the new hardware and software and where I go with it and on it.

I also enjoy the tactile experience of compiling personal memories i.e. making my own hardcopy photo albums. I like making them and displaying them and being able to just pull one off the shelf to look at rather than having to say "Hey,everybody, let's gather around the computer." I think that all the wonderful things that photo sharing sites allow members to do with their snaps is somewhat offset by the immediacy and intimacy of hands-on turning of the pages of a lovingly handmade book.

I know that some people enjoy using the computer for all aspects of their lives. I use it and even find myself spending way too much time on it some days. But, I have no desire to manage my snaps on it. I truly get pleasure from creating my own hardbound albums that always are within arms reach. I do understand the value of storing things online in terms of saving them from potential loss, but that is not enough to propel me to sally forth and do the digital version of pasting and captioning. There are risks of loss online as well, just less likely.

I was very impressed with the possibilites of photo sharing digitally. I can even see myself one day sharing a shot or two with family and friends via one of the photo sharing sites. I just don't see it as my way to make an album. I just prefer and enjoy cutting and mounting my notes and inserts along with my photos into albums that I choose, design and decorate in my quaint anolog way .