'Selfie tourism' - AIBU?

[SunflowerPosers]

This weekend I went to a beautiful sunflower field not far from where I live (NC for this as don't want it to be too outing), and I just wondered if anyone else feels the same way as me or whether I'm being too judgey and unreasonable?

There I was with my little DSLR camera trying to get some nice photos of sunflowers, and I couldn't believe the number of people who clearly thought the place existed for their own personal photo shoot.

Women (of a range of ages, not just the early 20s 'influencers') all clearly dressed up, doing 'candid' poses (where they deliberately don't look at the camera for some reason), instructing increasingly exasperated partners to take 20 more photos of them doing very similar poses. People walking around with obnoxiously large 'selfie sticks' where they've got the camera trained only on themselves the whole time, rather than just taking a moment to put their phone down and be present.

Maybe it's my age, but I don't really get it, and just think it all looks so cringeworthy. Of course, I understand wanting to get one or two photos of yourself in a nice location, but some people seem to take it to an extreme level of narcissistic behaviour.

And it seems to be common at so many places now. Go anywhere pretty, and you can barely move for the amount of people with selfie sticks. I'm half convinced that a lot of people you see on walks are only interested in getting photos of themselves to show where they've been, rather than actually enjoying walking!

Apparently there's a term for this sort of thing that I wasn't aware of, selfie tourism. People who specifically go to a location to get the perfect photo of themselves, rather than appreciating where they actually are.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this is crazy?

I rarely post pictures online as I'm a very private person but I definitely take lots of pictures like this. I think in a strange way it's more wasteful than sharing them, as at least on a profile feed other people can see what you're doing and enjoy it. I often see others and think wow she looks great, I wonder where that is, good for them, happy for birthdays lifevents weddings etc. but I'm not a jealous person I never have been.

I think it's highly telling that you were there taking your own photographs, somebody from an older still generation might say you ruin the ambience of the place and others enjoyment by bringing a camera and taking pictures at all. It's just the way things progress and behaviour changes.

I’d argue this until I’m blue in the face. Young women are NOT narcissists for being confident.

Well, OK, but you specifically went to somewhere where it must have been obvious it wasn’t just going to be you and the sunflowers, and now you’re moaning about other people using something that’s essentially grown as a photo backdrop rather than as a farm crop differently to the way you want to use it.

It’s like going to a library and being annoyed that other people are reading, so you can’t play your favourite drum and bass track very loudly.

I think the most confident people are the ones who feel comfortable enough in their own skin that they don't need to be sharing daily photos of themselves on social media. But again, I appreciate this is a generational divide and don't understand why so many require the online validation of so many others, many of whom they don't even know.

YANBU. Plenty people have died trying to get the perfect selfie. Natural selection innit. I find it all a bit odd. I don't think people taking photos of theirselves and posting them on the internet for the likes are confident at all. They're seeking external approval.

You’re just being judgmental. People can post on social media for a multitude of reasons. You’ve made a snap judgment based on their looks.

I hate places that "have staff to move people along", although I recognize that it's necessary in places that are small and ridiculously over-touristed, like the Mona Lisa gallery or Lenin's mausoleum (visited well before the selfie era).

I think the solution is for the influencers, and probably everybody else, to find places which are just as photogenic but off the beaten track. I drive past sunflower fields every day and I've never seen anyone take a photo.

And yet you’re here online, seeking validation from internet strangers, for your dislike of other people’s photo taking habits.

We were at Ground Zero last year and the number of selfies going on was just disrespectful. Always the pouting with the v signs. Most of them were either not born when 9/11 happened or were very young. Either way, it was just wrong. Our dc aged 16 and 13 thought it was awful too. I’m a teacher and told my form about this and they all agreed it was appalling.

Does seem to be people of a certain age. I don’t like to generalise but based on what we saw I don’t think I’m far off.

That’s a totally different scenario though. Surely you can see how ground zero is a different situation to a field of sunflowers?

It’s not seeking validation to have a discussion - that’s called being open to try and understand different points of view , find out what the society norm is etc

although that accusation suggests you have run out of actual reasons to defend taking so many photos of yourself

I'm not seeking validation at all. We're merely having a discussion on a discussion forum.

There is no need to defend it because doing it isn’t inherently wrong?

What is wrong with wanting a picture of yourself? With being confident and unapologetically you, happy and wanting a photo? Perhaps to share, yes, or just to look back on?

There is nothing wrong in wanting a single picture of yourself

there is a lot wrong with wanting lots of pictures, wanting them to look so Perfect , getting people’s way, expecting others to make room for your picture collection

op isn’t talking about the odd quick snap

the vanity and selfishness often on display is ugly

In the same way several posters and I have assumed your thread is seeking validation and you insist you aren’t, maybe the photo takers also don’t feel they are seeking validation. I assume you didn’t survey them.

"As you went to a sunflower field to take pictures yourself, I can’t quite see why you have an issue with that. Everyone is there to have a nice time and take pictures."

This!

But you were there doing a photo shot too?

Again, no. Wanting a nice picture isn’t a crime!

Nope. It smacks of 'I'm allowed to be here but YOU'RE not.' Why do you think you're better than them? 🤔

This. ^

Again, why does the OP's right to be in said sunflower field, (to take 2 photos of sunflowers - coz she will only take two after all 🙄) trump the rights of people going there to take selfies with the sunflowers in the background?!

It's absolute cobblers that ALL these Insta people are pushing the 'real photographers' out of the way, stampedeing through the field, taking dozens of photos, and getting in the way of the 'real photographers!' 🙄 It literally does. not. happen. And as I said, they have as much right to be there as the OP, or you, or anyone else!

Entitled much @SunflowerPosers ?!!! Seriously, what a daft thread!

🤷🏽‍♀️ this place exists because people want to visit it. As long as they are respectful and don't damage the set up/ place, who cares what they do when they are actually there?

I think the problem with digital photography is that it has turned photography into another form of instant gratification, as you can see the image immediately, which was not the case in the days of film.

Doesn't bother me. Although I did find it funny at the Acropolis when the staff would scream at people for daring to pause on the steps for a photo. It was August and absolutely packed so we had to keep it moving at all times. Anyone caught dawdling would get loudly bollocked by the Greek workers.

A lot of people make a living online from photos and videos in exotic locations. Tara Milk Tea has become a millionaire from her photos, and Kyra-Mae gets flown all over the world and sent incredible PR packages because of her travel videos on Tiktok. Good luck to them I say, I'd love to get paid for rolling around in a field of sun flowers.

If they budged up and shared the view/picture/building/whatever then I wouldn't give two hoots but they won't as they seem to be so self obsessed that they genuinely think them taking their perfect selfie trumps everything else. If they would just share I really wouldn't mind and would find it rather sweet that they've gone to so much effort to get a photo somewhere lovely but as it is nobody else can even get a glimpse of a view as they and their vast hats and billowy dresses are plonked right in the middle for ages, trying to get the perfect angle 😄