To not want to participate in friends social media photoshoots

[Sundaycoffee]

I'm going on holiday with a good friend of mine in a months time.
The only thing that drives me mad about her is her need to document every part of her life for social media.
She's one of those people that will post a video on her story of her coffee being poured in the morning.
I have told her that while we are on holiday I just want to relax and not spend half our time doing "photoshoots" and she told me she will bring a tripod with her instead so she can take her own pics- which is fine.
The only thing that does bother me is having to wait to take a bite of my dinner as she needs to set up the table to take a photo first, if we order a cocktail it's photographed, everytime we are together and buy an icecream we have to hold our hands up together so she can photograph our hands holding an icecream. AIBU to just say "no" to all this stuff too? Sorry you can take a photo of our food but I'm going to eat my meal when it comes.
Part of me thinks: if it makes her happy and takes an additional 30 seconds should I just be going along with it all?
I love her but all this drives me bloody insane!

Flush her phone down the toilet when she's asleep.

Just don't indulge this shite at all. If she wants to fanny about taking pictures of her food, fine, but you just crack on. Attention seeking twat.

I sometimes go to a restaurant that used to do a fruits de mer platter. Often, when I ordered it, someone from another table would come over to take a photo. Which I thought odd but harmless. But then it would get really annoying as they kept going and wouldn’t go away.

I think they must have been pissed. I can’t imagine taking photos of a stranger’s lunch.

They don’t do them any more - said it was too hard to work out how many would be ordered So either they had too few or too much was wasted.

plus these days with google, you can learn the history either before, after or during the holiday.

I take photos of nice food sometimes as a way of remembering a lovely meal or to try and replicate at home, but I wouldn't take photos of someone else's food.

Taking photos and then them popping either on social media or Google reminding me is the closest I'll ever get to keeping a diary.

Nope would not be entertaining that nonsense at all. Just tell her your happy for her to do her & leave you out of it, as not your idea of fun. I have no idea why people have to 'share' so much irrelevant stuff. I have not a care, what their coffee or dinner look like, or what they are humble bragging about.

^ Totally ^

I couldn't even be friends with someone like that let alone go on holiday with her.

You do you.

Good luck!

YANBU of course, but it's about people being allowed to like what they like, as long as it doesn't intrude on other people.

I'm passionate about photography but only two kinds, nature/wildlife photography (mainly urban wildlife), and photographing street art/graffiti. It's funny how my genre of photographer is taken reasonably seriously as 'art' but photographing food, outings, or yourself is considered just narcissism.

When I travel with other people, I often arrange to go off by myself to take photos, because most people don't want to travel hours to some random slum in the outer city because it's known for great street art. I figure out how to coordinate plans and time so I can do my thing, and others can do their thing, and we still have plenty of time together.

So your friend isn't wrong for liking photography or liking instagram, but she's wrong for forcing you to participate or not being aware when she's being intrusive.

I hate that carry on. I feel I can’t relax, be in the moment or enjoy myself. I don’t want to be documented or seen or captured. I cut ties with a friend of 35 years this year and whilst this behaviour wasn’t in the top ten reasons why, it was in the top 20. I couldn’t relax and be myself anymore because she was always on standby to ‘capture the memories’. and post them to the masses somewhere.

Just don't participate, honestly as soon as your lunch/cocktail arrives eat and drink as normal, if she asks to take a photo then she can, it'll just have a bite out of it, or if she asks you to hold up your drink, simply say 'take a photo of yours' and carry on eating or drinking. It really is that simple.

If she says 'holidays are about photos' that's fine, your holiday isn't so she can take photos of herself, her food and her drinks, you don't need to participate

So your friend isn't wrong for liking photography

She doesnt like photography.

She likes posting on SM for validation.

She’s not making any money doing this.

No one will be looking at them anyway, in fact they’re more likely to be laughing at them and her.

Her photos sound cliched and boring and deeply unoriginal.

They take up too much time.

Why are you going with her, again?

I assume it would cost you a lot of money to cancel. So make it the last holiday you have with your friend.

Saying "I forgot the camera" is not a solution. You love to take your camera to parties, you don't want to "forget" it every time that friend is invited too. I think you should gather your courage and speak your mind : I will bring the camera but I want to keep my pictures. If you want some pictures for yourself bring a camera roll. Maybe that friend will be shocked (a bit) but she probably knows already that what she demands of you is not right. She might also buy an instantcamera for herself, seeing she's so fascinated by it over a longer time. I know they are expensive, but especially that the film is expensive. I guess you saved up for it, she can do the same 🤷🏼‍♀️