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Original poster

To be surprised by the number of people who only seem to care about taking pictures of themselves?

153 replies

IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 16:37

I’m in Rome and spent the day walking around all of the various tourist sites. Everywhere, even in the Vatican city, people only care about taking selfies. Not looking at the information around them. Not taking pictures of the actual sights and historical monuments. Just pouting selfies and videos of them walking. It’s doing my head in!

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 02/09/2025 22:06

I sort of think, to each their own, but I sort of agree that spending the whole time taking selfies or doing “photo shoots” is a bit ridiculous.

I guess people can do as they like as long as they’re not blocking everyone else’s way/ view etc. I realise a lot of people do do this, and that’s where I’d get annoyed I think.

Went to Rome recently (this April) and didn’t think it was too bad. We didn’t get near the Trevi fountain for crowds though so you were lucky there!

Edit - maybe Sept is prime selfie time!?

Themagicfarawaytreeismyfav · 02/09/2025 22:01

Its so vacuous! Its like they only care about creating insta worthy pictures instead of enjoying the moment! My job involves lots of travel and on a trip to South Africa last year so many of my colleagues spent more time getting the perfect picture of themselves than actually enjoying their surroundings.

FoxRedPuppy · 02/09/2025 21:57

fussychica · 02/09/2025 16:52

I'm always amused by the couples where the man is standing taking dozens of pictures of his partner who is posing multiple times to get the photo just right as if they are on a fashion shoot. This means blocking everyone else from the prime viewing spot. Bonkers!

Oh god this! The longest me and DP witnessed in Dubrovnik was 50mins! Of him taking pictures her doing weird poses and then checking then and starting again.

Its worse when kids are involved and being forced to stand in certain way, pose etc, over and over until the picture is right.

XenoBitch · 02/09/2025 21:54

NewGirlInTown · 02/09/2025 21:51

I agree OP.
I am baffled by this new cultural habit of incessant ‘selfie’ taking.
It’s the height of vanity and rudeness if it is being done in a social setting.
If a person’s IG feed is just photos of themselves, it tells you a lot about them - not positive!

I wish my mum's Insta was full of photos of her.
When she dies, I will have nothing.

Bernadinetta · 02/09/2025 21:52

IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 21:34

It took about ten minutes to be able to see anything? I was pushed around at one stage by someone taking pictures of his wife, you can’t just walk between sights as someone is pausing to take photos. It’s narcissistic

Show quote history

If you were pushed around by a man taking photos of his wife, at least they weren’t taking selfies 😉

NewGirlInTown · 02/09/2025 21:51

I agree OP.
I am baffled by this new cultural habit of incessant ‘selfie’ taking.
It’s the height of vanity and rudeness if it is being done in a social setting.
If a person’s IG feed is just photos of themselves, it tells you a lot about them - not positive!

ZenNudist · 02/09/2025 21:49

In 2000 I went round Europe aged 21. Mobile phones were not a thing. I had a camera with rolls of film. I had to be sparing with my shots. I liked to make sure the picture had me in it. Maybe with friends. From time to time I took pics of my friends too. I still appreciated the art and architecture but I did make sure I posed for the photo. No pouting though.

NoSoupForU · 02/09/2025 21:44

The thing I find odd is that so many people think a photo of a beautiful scene, building, monument etc is so vastly improved by having their face in front of it.

Cynic17 · 02/09/2025 21:41

CuriousKangaroo · 02/09/2025 16:43

I find it depressing too. And I hate going to art galleries where people take pictures of themselves in front of the paintings, and move on to the next famous one for more of the same, without even looking at the painting itself.

This is my number one hate! Phones should be locked away in galleries. Just look at the f*cking art!!

Cynic17 · 02/09/2025 21:39

100% agree. I have never taken a selfie in my life, because I know what
I look like and, if I ever forget, I can look in a mirror!
And why on earth spoil the beauty of Rome, Paris, Venice etc by shoving a mug shot in the middle of the photo? I want to remember the place, art work etc without random faces ruining the shot.

NooNakedJacuzziness · 02/09/2025 21:39

Never get out of the way if someone's hogging a view for ages, photobomb the hell out of them!

Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 21:34

XenoBitch · 02/09/2025 20:55

Does it matter? What impact does it have on you?

Show quote history

It took about ten minutes to be able to see anything? I was pushed around at one stage by someone taking pictures of his wife, you can’t just walk between sights as someone is pausing to take photos. It’s narcissistic

OP posts:
coxesorangepippin · 02/09/2025 20:56

I am so sick of this narcissistic culture

Urgh

XenoBitch · 02/09/2025 20:55

IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 20:48

But that’s not what they’re doing

Show quote history

Does it matter? What impact does it have on you?

Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 20:48

XenoBitch · 02/09/2025 20:29

YABU you can get photos of historical places online. People take photos of themselves to show they were there.

When my loved ones die, I wont be finding pleasure in photos of buildings. It will be photos of them. A photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Can get that online. The cliched pose of a family member pretending to hold it up? Would make me smile.

But that’s not what they’re doing

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 02/09/2025 20:29

YABU you can get photos of historical places online. People take photos of themselves to show they were there.

When my loved ones die, I wont be finding pleasure in photos of buildings. It will be photos of them. A photo of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Can get that online. The cliched pose of a family member pretending to hold it up? Would make me smile.

dynamiccactus · 02/09/2025 20:28

A mystery for me is why people instagram their takeaway coffees.

As for people taking photos of things, try going past Stonehenge. The traffic jams there are way worse than they need to be because people stop to take photos out of the car windows. I would like to set a minimum speed limit along that road and if you don't stick to it, you explode Speed style.

RaraRachael · 02/09/2025 20:26

We had to stop half way up the plane steps so the couple in front could turn round and take a bloody selfie.

Big woop. You're boarding a plane. Who cares?

LlynTegid · 02/09/2025 20:22

I'm not surprised one bit.

Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 20:21

It happened again, literally while walking to dinner!! People stood in the middle of the road, stopping us from crossing, to take photos!

OP posts:
Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 17:45

TheGreatWesternShrew · 02/09/2025 17:38

I’ve been in Brazil/Peru/Bolivia for a few weeks and it’s the same. Even the tours stop for photos every 5 minutes and it winds me up. I don’t care! I just want to get on with it.

It’s the fact they block the view for everyone else that gets me really annoyed

OP posts:
Aparecium · 02/09/2025 17:41

Drives me nuts when people post videos of a place they've visited, and instead of showing you what they're talking about, the video is of them walking through the place, occasionally turning around so that you can see it behind them. OK, show me you in the context of the place, but YOU are not the attraction, the place is!

TheGreatWesternShrew · 02/09/2025 17:38

I’ve been in Brazil/Peru/Bolivia for a few weeks and it’s the same. Even the tours stop for photos every 5 minutes and it winds me up. I don’t care! I just want to get on with it.

Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 17:38

Thundertoast · 02/09/2025 17:08

Probably not the right thread for this opinion but I was a teenager right when influencing online started in it's infancy and you can bet your ass that if someone told me that taking photos and videos of myself travelling might end up making me thousands, even millions then I know I would have seriously considered it tbh!!
Plus and I hate to be this person but given how brutal society is about the way women look is it any wonder people want to take multiple photos in a location to make sure they get one that fits the standards they have been indoctrinated from a child to believe is 'right'. It's sad, and it doesn't make it right, and by doing so they perpetuate the same thinking, but it's the world we live in. People who dont understand that are very lucky, I'd say!

I don’t think that’s the case. It’s about showing off!

OP posts:
Original poster
IGaveSoManySigns · 02/09/2025 17:37

Re the “it’s so vapid to not just use other photos” - I think that’s a strange way of looking at it as you could just look online instead of visiting? I don’t by any stretch think my photos are better but I do know my family will want to see them.

and I don’t think taking pictures of friends/family is the same thing as pouting for videos and selfies for 10/15 minutes, stopping other people looking!!

OP posts: