AIBU to be frustrated at this trend of turning nice places into queues?

[Emori]

I've noticed this phenomenon across Europe, specifically in Italy, Spain and Greece in the past year where I've been somewhere on a day out, tourist attractions so obviously always going to be busy with lots of people taking photos etc, now there's an additional queuing etiquette which is something else. It's like there are certain points within the attraction where people get fucked off with you just walking around like a normal person and instead expect you to stand in a line to take a photograph. Even though there's no official signs to such effect. I find it really spoils my enjoyment, appreciation and concentration. Am I alone in this?

I used to do a bit of modelling back in the day and have to hold my hands up and say I was the annoying person asking people to stop walking down the hill in Robin Hood's Bay one morning. But literally for less than 5 mins and it was a proper professional shoot which people realised and seemed interested in. Nobody shouted at me anyway and I was very apologetic. I was cringing though.

I live somewhere that has a fairly popular Instagram spot in a busy central location. It's a large, distinctive architectural feature and to get the perfect shot, people need to be a fair way forward from the building, right slap bang in the middle of a square that has four routes leading out. The only time you could ever realistically expect to get a clear shot is before 9 and even then you'd be trying to squeeze it in between passers-by. There's almost always someone trying to do elaborate poses while surrounded by about 50 people and getting increasingly irate as people step round them or walk behind them or even have the nerve to stand and look at the thing the Instagrammer is trying to photograph. I was queuing for a cup of tea in one of the cafes once when the square was relatively quiet - only a dozen or so people around - and a young woman had a tripod set up and kept trying to film herself sashaying all the way to the building, maybe 20 metres, to do a twirl and a pose. Inevitably someone would walk through the shot. The escalating rage was hilarious. It started with noises of frustration, and escalated to actual shrieks of fury while she stood still, fists clenched and raised to the heavens. Obviously at this point, everyone in the vicinity converged and became fascinated by the spit she was trying to film, leading to pantomime levels of anger. I may have stayed and drunk my tea just to watch it all play out. Funniest thing I've seen on that spot!

Exactly!

This is so depressing on so many levels.

Paris was the same this summer. Bored looking boyfriends being instructed in what shots to take. At the Musee D'orsay people speed walking past paintings snapping as they went, hilarious. Nobody actually looking at anything or just being. Reminds me of the poem
What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stop and stare.

’Why do you need to concentrate?’

A depressing question. I agree, OP. Last time I went to a famous art gallery it felt quite unfashionable to be actually looking at the paintings.

Anyway I live and work near this sort of thing, and even pre-Instagram I think I’m in the background of a lot of photos as I tried to get places. I used to say I’m probably famous in Japan.

I’m with you OP. I can’t abide this obsession with taking photos of ourselves at any notable destination / view etc. at the expense of all else.

My husband wanted to take a photo of a statue at a minor tourist spot (UK) a couple of weeks ago. There was a group there of about 6 people, adults and DC. I'm not exaggerating - he had to wait 20 minutes for them to finish taking pictures of themselves in front of the statue in every possible permutation of the group, plus individually making silly hand gestures.

I do not have time for these queues. I don't need people out of my shot. However, I don't photo bomb because I don't want my face on someone else's social media.

This actually makes me really sad. What happened to sitting down with your flask and sandwich to enjoy the view.

We were visiting a castle last week - there was a rack of Medieval-stylie clothes meant for visiting kids to play around with - but some moon-calf with a camera phone had commandeered the whole thing for his self-regarding girlfriend to squeeze herself into every - single - outfit and moody-model-pose for him...

They were so entitled and bad-vibing anyone who came near that we thought it was official at first, but no, just narcissism in action...

I'm genuinely torn on this one, because while I don't mind waiting for a while for someone to take their picture or opening Photoworks to remove someone from the background, I also don't understand people being rude about it. You don't need pushing anyone out of your way to take a photo from a better angle, asking politely would usually do the trick. Turning nice attractions into queues is wild, but on the other hand, how would you organize the process otherwise? Photography is accessible now and obviously everyone wants to take a picture whenever possible.

Even more annoying are the people who do an on speaker video call to show someone at home the view.

I quite enjoy watching the ones who are travelling round the UK in wedding outfits to get photos in various hot spots. It’s been a trend for a while and I see them at work and at home. They often look quite chilly.

and obviously everyone wants to take a picture whenever possible

Please tell me that was sarcasm.

No - they don’t!

We went up on the train, we still took a photo. I am very disabled. It was a thrill to me to get to be at the top of a mountain when most of nature and the countryside is inaccessible to me.

I had exactly this experience (again) at the Cartier exhibition at the V&A. I think taking photos should be banned within an exhibition. It holds everyone up, you can see that their photos are shite and they shouldn’t be too tight to buy the catalogue. Just look at the exhibits ffs. Rant over! 😹

Yes this is annoying. In an art gallery in front of the most famous painting everyone is queueing for a photo. I'd rather just appreciate it and look it up online or buy a postcard later if I want a momento. We went to a castle and were followed round by a group taking selfies in every room. There were loads of big mirrors, so I was constantly conscious my back was in the mirror. I know I shouldn't care, but it just made me feel awkward and on show rather than just meandering around.

Wildly applauding this thread.
See also. Going to a concert and it’s a sea of phones recording the thing.
I managed to go to many wonderful places- e.g the Taj Mahal without taking a single photo. I know what it looks like. I can easily find a photo of it. I know what my family looks like. I don’t care about showing off where I’ve been.
I started a thread on here about the morons who whip their phones out to record moments of other people’s distress. Just hate this obsession with people trying to display every moment of their lives.
That Snowden picture is giving me the rage!

It is what social media has done to the world. We regularly go to Disneyland Paris and I am a member of some social media groups related to it, the amount of questions about how to get a photo in front of the castle with no one in it, where to find the champagne so they can do the ‘lift the glass in front of the castle’ picture, then you get there and there are people trying to set up their own personal photo shoots everywhere, I get that everyone likes a good holiday snap but nowadays they all have to be absolutely perfect.

I'm glad you had a great time.

But why the need for the photo? You know you went, you know how it felt. Don't you believe yourself unless you've got a picture?

whilst I try to notice if someone is taking a photo and stay out of their way I do think looking is more important than photos/selfies and the latter are not as considerate to those just looking ime

Just pretend you don’t understand, just smile what are they going to do. Or pretend you’ve not heard. It will give them a ragey anecdote to tell their friends.We’ve all paused to let someone take a photo though so I’d do that, you are giving it too much headspace though.

i went to the marina bay sands in Singapore a few years ago, the huge one with the pool full of people taking selfies , I wanted to swim lengths so I swam lengths, people just had to wait for me to pass. There wasn’t any aggro or drama. If you look for it you’ll see it.

Been to Santorini recently and they are hiring photographers and wearing outfits for group photoshoots and they are in Greek ancient matching outfits that the company provided. Mainly American and East Asian. They could have been hen parties or something special but I think a quick natural pic in an sundress on a phone and the stunning backdrop should suffice. They seem very vain to me. All women.

I honestly think the pics from friends and relatives are tedious, I don’t care to get 26 pics of your hols on WhatsApp as I am not that interested in their life. My dc fine I like those but that is it. Plus I go to numerous places and don’t mention it, I would only send a pic to my dc and wouldn’t post it online.

I had a cousin bombard me recently from Marbella with pics and commentary. I mentioned I was on hol too in the Caribbean and said the resort, no pic, she went silent then thank god, it’s all keeping up with the rivalry I think, pathetic.

Oh I love the blokes with women who think they are models. I always stop and watch, their self confidence is amazing. It’s sometimes a better show than the thing you’ve gone to see.