True Confessions In A Snap: Some Photos You Dislike, Some Photos You Like

/ Ally Bean

This is a photo of a blooming amaryllis that first bloomed in late December and has now re-bloomed in mid-February. Let’s give it up for this likable go-getter.

• + •

I FIND PEOPLE FASCINATING, although I’ll admit that what people do is much less interesting than why people do what they do.

Therein is the start of many a good conversation. N’est-ce pas? 

You can tell me every stinking detail about WHAT you do in your life, but if I have no idea WHY you do what you do, I’m much less inclined to be interested in you.

To be clear I’m not here to fix people. I figure my job is to observe [what’s up] and understand [as best I can] and help [when asked] and report [in this blog] on them.

This brings me to the point of this post.

• + •

FRIENDS HAVE TOLD ME the following three reasons WHY they dislike some photos their friends + family post on social media, but these friends will not tell their friends + family that they dislike the photos.

[And I sure as heck am not going to tell them.]

I’m not saying these are the most rational ideas, but they are enlightening and have made me smile as I listen politely, nod my head encouragingly, and murmur nondescript soothing sounds of understanding.

√  Friend A dislikes photos of food.

This would be any food, either plated, for sale, or in the process of being made. Friend A feels these photos are something that could potentially make her fat because they trigger her to want to eat, which she is always trying not to do.

Friend A is thin.

She doesn’t like food photos so much that she won’t join IG where she feels too many people share photos of food, but does admit that she likes seeing people sitting around a table on which there is food.

√  Friend B dislikes selfies.

She thinks they’re are an egotistical show of shallowness that distracts from any relationship. She wants to see what a person is looking at, not what the person looks like while they are looking at something.

Friend B is artistic.

Because of her firm conviction about the wrongness of selfies, she ignores them as best she can which means she’s ignoring a lot of people. This reality, she admits, gives her pause.

√  Friend C dislikes photos of paths in the woods.

She says that all paths look the same, all woods surrounding a path look the same, and therefore if you’ve seen one path you’ve seen them all. Why anyone would bother to take these photos is beyond her.

Friend C is studious.

She extends this principle to photos taken of city sidewalks with buildings on either side, but seems less harsh with her criticism allowing that sometimes those photos are interesting.

• + •

THUS HAVING SHARED THESE three character studies based on the truthful mutterings of generally kindhearted people with a need to vent, I’m reminded of Eeyore’s wise words: “We can’t all and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it.”

This, of course, leads to me to asking you, my gentle readers, a few questions as catalysts for discussion about photos you see on social media.

Or as I like to think of the comment section here, it’s true confessions time!

When it comes to the photos your friends + family share, do you have a strongly held opinion about any one type of photo you dislike seeing?

Do your friends + family know that you dislike seeing that type of photo and WHY?

Or to put a positive spin on this conversation, do your friends + family know which photos you prefer to see and WHY?

• • + • •

281 thoughts on “True Confessions In A Snap: Some Photos You Dislike, Some Photos You Like”

  1. I don’t like photos that look like someone is bragging too much…don’t show me the five carat ring your husband bought or the Mercedes’ convertible you bought your 18 year for high school graduation. Don’t show me 25 pictures of something when 3 or 4 will do.

    Liked by 6 people

      • Ooh…also photos that are too staged for a normal thing….someone I know posted a pc of her and hubby…the angle, the lighting…just too much for a “look at what my daughter snapped accidentally “ shot

        Liked by 2 people

        • You’re right. There are a LOT of staged photos that I’m supposed to believe just happened on the spur of the moment. I don’t know why anyone thinks they’re fooling anyone else. To what end?

          Liked by 1 person

          • Exactly. Just take a picture in all its imperfections. Life is imperfect…why pretend it isn’t? Though, I’m ok with stated wedding photos of family groups, or things like that.

            Like

    • I love all photos, I can side with your friend over selfies but any well done image with a point or a purpose light a fire within me. I’m a photographer though so I’m not sure if my opinion counts 🤪. What people take pictures of shows a lot about the things that the value and I think your post here proves that!

      Liked by 2 people

      • LaShelle, Ally here. Somehow your comment is in the wrong place, under a comment by LA instead of posted as a new one on this post. WP be weird sometimes. I soooo agree with you about how a photo shows what someone values. People reveal their true selves more than they know with each photo they share.

        Liked by 2 people

        • 😮 that’s so bizarre!! I’m so sorry for the confusion ❤️ I found your blog through bossybabe when she featured you. Really excited to follow you! Just need to figure out where your follow button is 😬. I recently (as of December) began blogging again. I’m so thankful for the community that I’ve been discovering. I’ve blogged before but never really networked much with it or took the time to read others work. It’s been quite a wonderful new world.

          Liked by 2 people

  2. Wow! I am not sure I care enough about other people’s photos to hold such judgement. I have taken a lot of photography classes over the years. I know all the ‘rules’ and we are always taught you must learn the rules and only then are you free to break them. I love to observe what people photograph but I don’t critique. To me, most social media is so fleeting I rarely think too long about what someone cares to show. I am more aggravated by the constant onslaught of advertisements and political discord. I have a tendency to think people are drawn to those with similar interests, and that plays out in photos. If person A is a foodie, they may like other people’s foodie photos. Young parents seem to support the photos of other young parents. As far as selfies go, as a society we seem to be obsessed with presenting ourselves In a much different light, thus filters and pursed lips. I can scroll by so quickly it seems curious that anyone could be so bothered by what their friends post.

    Liked by 6 people

  3. Interesting topic Ms. Bean. I like photos of food – I enjoy recipe blogs but I rarely cook from them, I just enjoy the tasty pictures. But on the other hand, I can’t stand the cooking blogs that post a thousand pictures of the same thing in each post, making the blog forever long and slow. And often pretentious. I often just skip over all but the first photo or two.

    I don’t really get selfies. Well, I don’t dislike all selfies. But there’s a culture in social media that seems to have people trying to out-do friends and relatives with how wonderful their life is. It doesn’t feel real or genuine. I don’t think I’ve ever stop being friends with those people, but I also don’t pay much attention to them.

    Walks in the woods and cityscapes are fine with me.

    But what I really, really loathe are pictures of spiders. I have, in fact, unfriended someone who despite my asking and then telling her that I didn’t find it funny, continued to photobomb me on FB with big horrid spider pictures.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Zazzy, I have no real opinion one way or the other about photos of food, other than what you said about there being too many of them in some blog posts. But for some reason some people use about a gazillion of them.

      I’m with you about selfies. I see little purpose in them other than to garner attention, which maybe is a good thing for some people? I know what you mean about the feeling that some people are in a weird competition about who has the best. life. ever. I wish them all the happiness in the world, but I usually just scroll on by.

      Sorry about the spider pic thing. Unfriending was a wise decision.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Having chosen to be a non-participant in Facebook, Instagram, et. al., I’ve never seen any photos posted there by family or friends. I do come across photos of bloggers’ dinner plates or second cousins from time to time and generally click away without comment, unless what’s shown on the plate looks tasty and there’s a recipe connected.

    I laughed out loud at your friend C, who thinks every path in the woods looks the same. I’d love to take her with me on a walk like this. The woods are lovely, even when they’re not dark and deep, and they’re filled with treasure.
    Of course, I once spent two full weeks exploring rural Kansas on a vacation, and had a hard time explaining that to a friend who said, “We drive as fast as we can across that state. There’s nothing to see there.”

    Liked by 4 people

    • Linda, I’m not on FB so I don’t know what happens there. I am on IG, but haven’t found myself overly concerned about the three issues my friends fret over. Still it does make me smile thinking that these delightfully pleasant friends have their issues with certain types of photos.

      The thing about Friend C is that she knows in her mind that nature varies, but in her heart she just doesn’t care. Everyone has something they need to snark about. I like paths in the woods– although I’m not sure how long I could explore ones in KS.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. (I’m going to post a photo soon of my amaryllis, too!)

    Photos…….I cannot stand selfies. First, the stupid pose and second, the duck face. People don’t generally even look good when trying to extend their arm and look up at the camera. It’s just way too narcissistic for me. I doubt anyone knows, except for the fact that I will never *like* those photos. So, maybe there are some observant folks who realize my disdain. I actually don’t care what they think!

    I’m okay with food pics and enjoy chef creations, being a big fan of Top Chef. And I love any nature picture. Sure, some are not that interesting, but if someone is outdoors enjoying the scenery, I’m happy for them.

    I love your topics, Ally Bean! I think everything in life revolves around motivation, so yes, people are so fascinating!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Bijoux, you and Friend B need to get together and chat! She says the same thing that you do. I hadn’t thought about the duck face thing, but many people do that, don’t they? I usually see large gummy smiles.

      I like food photos, but my mother didn’t like them so Friend A’s complaint I’ve heard before. I like nature pics too, but then I am me. As for people being fascinating, you betcha! It makes life so much more interesting to pay attention to them.

      Like

  6. I’m don’t think I would say this bugs me, but I truly don’t understand it – why teenage girls and young women often photoshop the hell out of their selfies, to the point where they have nothing left of their faces but vacant doll-like masks. A touch up here and there is one thing, but they don’t look like themselves at all, and they are quite attractive in the first place! I asked my niece why she did this and she shrugged and said everyone does!
    I love paths in the woods, photos of food, and friends having fun. If it is something that annoys me, I just cruise right by!

    Liked by 4 people

  7. My biggest pet peeve is the sheer quantity of photos some moms post–especially of their kids.

    I’m not saying that you shouldn’t post pictures of your three kids apple picking or on vacation. What I’m saying is maybe, just maybe, you should curate them and pick the most interesting ones. Because 39 photos of the same people in the same place with marginally different postures and expressions is freakin’ overkill.

    I can’t figure out if it’s the lack of an internal editor or the narcissistic belief that your kids are so attractive and interesting that their every move should be documented that gets on my nerves.

    That being said, I can certainly scroll on by and not look at them. So I think it bothers me that it bothers me, too!

    Liked by 3 people

    • AutumnAshbough, EXCELLENT point. I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right. I’m all about editing my words + curating my photos but not everyone else is, to be sure.

      I don’t know why people do that either. No time to narrow down the photos, so share them all? A guess

      As for being bothered by certain types of photos– or how people share their photos– I think it’s human to acknowledge it, but perhaps not dwell on it.

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I don’t mind selfies in general. You’re at the Grand Canyon? Sure! Just don’t fall in. But the truly narcissistic people who post never ending mirror selfies for no other reason than receiving a flood of “you look great” compliments? Bye bye.

    Liked by 3 people

  10. What an interesting post, Ally!

    I don’t mind a selfie or two (I will occasionally take one, just to show that I actually do exist) but when I see an IG account that has nothing but? Non merci.

    I have a cousin who takes a bazillion pictures (puts me to shame and that is saying a lot). But she shares them ALL. Seriously, Dudette, I don’t need to see 89 pictures of your Thanksgiving get-together. Cull it down to, say, 5? Also, she had a romantic getaway with her hubs and posted herself in her negligé, right down the the floofy slippers – à la ’30’s siren! I had to speak up this time. I told her that, while she looked beautiful, maybe some things should remain between husband and wife… she surprised me by taking it down. (A couple cousins and sister had texted me saying did you see her photos? Good gawd! Which is why I, hopefully gently, advised her…)

    I’m an avid cook and do take pics of my food. Course, once upon a time, I had hoped to make a living somehow with food but that’s a story for another time. I even have (though it’s offline for now) a food blog. I cannot stand food blogs that take 17 photos of the same plate. Just gimme the recipe, K? You can give me a couple shots during the how-to but puh-leeze cut back on the same, same, same. I swear they all followed the same class…

    I am also a nature lover and take lots of photos. Again, however, I only share a few at a time.

    Jeez… Apologies. I may have gone overboard!

    Liked by 3 people

    • Dale, I hear you about too many selfies. Non merci, indeed. As for your Cousin Dudette, she who overshares, you gotta wonder. Does she need attention or does she think everyone is that interested in her? Food and family pics are one thing, romantic photos are a different conundrum.

      I enjoy reading a little bit about how putting a recipe went for someone, but overall if you show me food I’m ready to read the deets. I agree with you about too many food photos of the same plate or all the ingredients featured one-by-one– just get to the recipe.

      Thanks for stopping by to comment. I wasn’t sure how this topic would hit, but after the third friend started venting I figured this topic might be relevant to many people.

      Liked by 1 person

      • She is very proud of her large family. But still. You don’t have to share the whole bloody album.

        Same here. But when I get a cramp scrolling down to the recipe? Bugs me. I love that many food bloggers now include a click here to go to recipe, because they know that some of us aren’t interested in the story of Aunt Ida’s sauce…

        Methinks we could go on for a bit on this subject!! 🙂 Great choice.

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Lovely photo of your amaryllis. 🙂
    WP is the only social media I’m on, so I don’t know what my friends are posting on FB for instance. I like photos, especially landscape photos, so paths through forests are attractive, especially if I get to walk on them. 🙂 Agreed, the whys are always interesting. I don’t have problems with pictures of food or selfies (although people can seriously overdo those). I agree with earlier comments that social media is so fleeting that it doesn’t really stick. Here today, gone tomorrow, I guess, including my own photos! Cheers.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Lynette, that amaryllis is just the best little flower that ever was. I’m not on FB but am on IG. I don’t take any of what happens there too seriously, but I get the impression that some people do. I like nature, I like food so those sorts of photos don’t bug me either. As for selfies, I just scroll by when I see too many of them. I’m a shy person so they kind of unnerve me when I see too many faces staring at me.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. I’m not on FB, IG, etc., so I don’t have to scroll through many photos of food, pathways, city streets, or selfies.

    I do get an e-mail from my niece every Monday on Qeepsake with photos of our Grand Nephew. I love ALL of them! 😀

    Liked by 2 people

  13. I like pictures of objects, nature and food much more than pictures of people. I like pictures that are artistic and beautiful.
    When it comes to pictures of people, I dislike anything that seems too superficial, or bragging. No, I don’t want to know about how much stuff you have.
    I like genuine happy pictures, not the fake happy one.

    Liked by 3 people

  14. I used to be quite envious when others shared trips, new cars, and other such things on social media, but it no longer bothers me. (Probably because I’m no longer on Facebook, ha!)

    On Instagram, I enjoy seeing foods I would never try; I enjoy getting ideas for nature paths I might try, and if you enjoy taking selfies, congratulations. I’ve gotten good at just scrolling by the things I don’t care for.
    If your friends don’t like any of it, may I offer them some advice? Get rid of social media. It’s been life-changing.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kari, you know I AGREE WITH YOU about FB. Delete FB and you’ll live a much happier life. Thinking about my friends, two I know for sure are on FB so I wonder if there’s something about it that has got them all snarky?

      I like what I see on IG, but I’m also able to just scroll by whatever doesn’t interest me. I also think there’s not much to Instagram so I approach it with a light heart.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Oooh! I don’t like photos where people’s faces/body’s have been filtered/photoshopped out of recognition. I want to see YOU. I mean, sure, take the photo in good light. Put it in black and white or fancy sepia tones or whatever. Hide the pimple on your forehead if you must. But if you tamper with your face/body, I am not going to love it.

    Let’s see. WHY? I don’t know! I like at least some authenticity in what we portray online? I try to be REAL, although obviously I definitely curate the things I do/don’t share… but what I DO share, I want to be sincere. And so I guess I want/hope/expect that from others???? Not the Kardashians. But from people I care about.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Suzanne, I’m with you about not liking the overly photoshopped photos that leave me wondering who I’m looking at. Be yourself, as my mother used to tell me.

      I also approach photos with a desire to be authentic. I don’t share many pics but the ones I do are what interested me in the moment, not ones in which I try to manipulate people into believing I am someone I am not. You’re onto something with the Kardashians and their influence. They changed to way in which people share photos online.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. I don’t like selfies. Mostly I don’t like waiting for someone to take 100 selfies before moving away from the view/artifact/statue etc. When we were traveling a young guy asked us to take his picture. In return he offered to take ours. We said no thanks. And he replied ‘how will your friends know you were here? They’ll think you took your pictures off the internet’ I guess it allowed me to inderstand one of the reasons people take selfies, but not the requesite Kardashian 100 shots. Great post! Maggie

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Just before visiting you, I posted a photo of a pot of tulips my house guest gave me yesterday. As it fits into my “tulip” theme tomorrow, I posted it on FB as a teaser.

    I’m aware that Facebook-ers curate the photos they post, and I probably do the same. My adaptation to the dilemma: Use Instagram MORE since it’s set up for photos. Use Facebook LESS because it is a time suck for me if I want to get the next book published before I die. Ha!

    I guess I’m sort of like Writer McWriterson. Good questions, Ally! 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    • Marian, I love tulips. They’re my favorite flower until I see daisies and they become my favorite flower. Then I see sunflowers and they’re my favorite flower. I am fickle with my flower love.

      I’m not on FB but I know people assure me it’s a time suck like none other. You’re wise to use IG for your photos. I see your logic– and look forward to tomorrow’s post.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ally, I don’t do friends at all on Facebook but find it very helpful for local groups & info. Not only do I find out things there of local interest to me but I learn them faster than from other potential sources.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Colette, I know FB has its good points. I was on it a long time ago, but I dislike the idea of contributing to Mark Zuckerberg’s success so I steer clear now. When FB’s monopoly is broken up into pieces, I’ll be there to join into the bits I like. 🤓

          Liked by 1 person

  19. I have always been a lover of photographs, even before social media! I have the photo albums to prove it! With the introduction of the digital camera & then social media, picture taking took on a whole new meaning. I still love photos but I would suggest everything in moderation. I love looking at pictures of your beautiful child, your family, your forest, your streets, your buildings & your food, I just don’t need to see 300 of them at once. Just my two cents worth!💕

    Liked by 4 people

    • Lynn, your two cents worth are my thoughts, too. I like how digital photography has freed people to snap more pics, but like you said I do not need to see all of them. It’s the quantity of pics that is sometime the turnoff more than the subject/composition of the photos.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Oversharing too many pics of the same thing (and yes even walks in the woods can be overdone) or altering your selfie to make it glamorous but it doesn’t look like you at all. Mostly I don’t care and just scroll on by. I refuse to like dumb stuff. I had a neighbor that posted a new selfie several times a week. I always thought she was fishing for compliments as people would comment “beautiful.” Bitch that I am, I scrolled by without comment. Whatever floats your boat.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kate, you said it. WORDS TO LIVE BY: “I refuse to like dumb stuff.” I don’t understand a multi-weekly selfie obsession either. I imagine you’re right about fishing for compliments. Or proving she’s still alive and kicking.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Donna, I’m with you. I have limits on what I’ll look at, but then I don’t know anyone who’d ever share trashy stuff so I am saved from it. What has entertained me about my friends with their strongly held opinions about some types of photos is that the photos are quite innocent. But there you go!

      Like

  23. Late morning here Ally Bean so perhaps someone has already noted this, but…when I read drivel about social media responses (not your writing by any means, but the actual noted reactions of others) I have to wonder how many people out there don’t have any life at all if those things are what they focus on.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Deb, yours is an excellent question. I know what you mean. I’m more than able to drop in and out of all social media, but some people are there all the time. And maybe it’s a function of messing around in FB & IG so much that leads someone to intensely dislike certain photos because they see them all the time. No answer, but I bet you’re onto something with this idea.

      Liked by 2 people

  24. I enjoy a pleasing image – regardless of whether it’s a snap, or someone has put a lot of effort into making it look nice. Of course there’s a difference between staged photos and snaps – but each has their own purpose, and I’m happy with seeing and taking either or both. I don’t use photoshop myself, but I have cropped & tweaked the colour and/or exposure from time-to-time. My preference is to get it right in camera, but I’m not sniffy about using available tools.

    It is fascinating to learn what riles people though, isn’t it? 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Sarah, HA! I hadn’t thought about feet, but you’re right there are lots of those photos. Oh you made me laugh out loud with this one. Agree about duck lips BUT will admit that duck feet are kind of cute. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  26. I love photos of food, selfies, AND paths in the woods! I just like food (although I don’t love meat-related food photos), I like seeing people’s faces, and I like nature. I guess the only thing I don’t like – other than meat, but I’ll give it a mild pass – is photos of injuries or stitches. I don’t want to see anyone’s dislocated toes or broken bones.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nicole, yes, I don’t want to see those sorts of photos either. I hadn’t thought about pics of injuries or health problems. I’m not here for that. As for all the other types of photos mentioned, I am able to view them happily enough, but I tell you friends have other ideas. Gotta laugh.

      Like

  27. I’m not on fb or Insta, so I’m not subjected to a barrage of photos from friends and family unless someone shows me a bunch of snaps on his/her phone. I’m always interested in food photos, especially if it’s creatively plated. My mother has a terrible habit of saving EVERY SINGLE PHOTO ANYONE SENDS HER VIA TEXT MESSAGE. Because she has Alzheimer’s, she saves them multiple times, so I often have to go through her iPad and clean out her photos.

    LOL about your friend’s objection to Path Photos. I happen to like them. Maybe that speaks to my “I’m on a continuous Journey Of Self Improvement” philosophy.

    Liked by 2 people

    • nance, I don’t hang out on social media enough to have strongly held opinions about photos, but some people do. It’s funny about your mother’s photo collection via text messages. Actually it’s impressive that she knows about texts and uses them. My MIL won’t even touch a cell phone, although she knows there are photos in them.

      The path photo complaint is the one that has made me smile the most. I like them, but prefer that the paths have steps or stones. Now how fussy is that? My steps toward self improvement need to be very sturdy!

      Like

  28. Well I must admit I do take selfies but mine are more for a “once a month” project that I do to notice changes as I age/lose weight. It has been something to observe. However, I don’t post them all. I am not allowed to post pictures of my kids without their permission. I am not a big cook so the food photos don’t really attract my attention. Nature photos do and I can kind of understand the statement of friend C but if you look closely, you can usually spot some clear differences in paths and trees. I am on FB and Insta but my mindset is that if I don’t like looking at (or reading) something I just scroll on by. It is not worth my time to be bothered about trivialities like that. 40+ photos of someone’s vacation? No thanks. When I post the photos I take at concerts, I curate them and only post a few. I think because I do scroll rather than read it all, my feeds lately have been more of advertisements than friends posts. Happy Tuesday to you!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janet, I understand your reasons for taking your selfies. It makes sense to me, as a form of documentation. Also you don’t post one a day, so that’s good. I suspect that Friend B might be dealing with a daily serial selfie-taker.

      Friend C’s dislike of paths is probably the one that has made me smile the most. I know what she’s implying, but like you I find that if you pay attention to nature you can see differences.

      I’m with you about just ignore that which you don’t like. Many things related to social media aren’t worth my time, too. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  29. Since I am on social media so rarely, I don’t have much of an issue with any photo people post, because I don’t see them. 😄 But whenever anyone asks, “Did you see my photo?” as if I didn’t know any other friends or faux friends who posted photos Ion social media, then I get annoyed.

    Liked by 2 people

    • L. Marie, your approach to social media is a winning one. I can’t say that I’m into social media photos on a daily basis, but I have friends who are. And they have opinions, oh yes they do. I don’t think anyone has asked me, “Did you see my photo?” Perhaps they just assume I haven’t and don’t bother to ask!

      Liked by 1 person

      • The opinions they seem to have (based on your posts) are hilarious and annoying! But yes, I have friends and family who ask, “Did you see such and such a photo?” I have had to say, “I know people who post on Facebook every fifteen minutes. My feed is full of their photos. So no, I didn’t see your photo.”

        Like

        • It’s difficult to know what do about people who are ALWAYS posting a photo in social media. Some people flood my feed to a point where I have to intentionally seek out someone whose photos I want to see, so that I can say “yes, of course I saw your pic.” I need to mute more people, don’t I?

          Liked by 1 person

  30. I have to admit I find it obnoxious when people just hate a certain type of “benign” photo for their own twisted reasons. That said, I don’t like photos where women and girls overly sexualize themselves. The WHY of it is that I’m a bit of a prude and a lot of a feminist. But I do love that none of your friends said they hate photos of people’s cats. Because, well, because I have to keep posting my cats.

    Liked by 3 people

  31. Ally, I do not do social media at all anymore (unless you count reading blogs as social media). It’s not so much because of the photos, it’s because of the hate and divisiveness social media engenders. I used to love to see photos of friends’ grandkids, pets, beach vacations, etc. I don’t mind selfies (although I do feel self-conscious taking them) and I love to see photos of paths through the woods (makes me want to run on them), but I am with friend A about the food photos. Not because I am afraid they will make me fat, but because (to me) they are boring! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Laurie, I don’t think of blogging as social media. As you know it takes too much effort to write and maintain a blog for it to be merely part of social media– which I think of being FB & IG & Twitter. But I take your point about not being on social media because of the vitriol. It’s there, to be sure. I’m no longer on FB, case in point.

      Now that you say you find food photos boring I have to wonder if that’s part of Friend A’s logic, too. She doesn’t like to cook. She did get me in stitches laughing as she explained her aversion to food photos, though.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. I don’t like photos that have been heavily filtered or colorized. I don’t mind any of the pictures that your friends object to. People I know (especially former students) in stages of undress or trying to be sexy make me uncomfortable, but I simply scroll quickly past.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Margaret, good point about the filters and extreme colors. They often detract from a photo. As for sexy photos of friends or acquaintances, I find them tedious so I just ignore them. I sense they’re not there for me to begin with.

      Like

    • [Margaret, I’ve been commenting on your blog but my comments go *poof* & disappear. It’s happening again. It’s probably something wrong on my end of things, but I don’t know what it is. This is just so you know.]

      Like

  33. I don’t take exception to many photos, but I want to tear my hair out if people argue about one. This goes way back to our extended family tradition of sharing photos while waiting for midnight on New Year’s Eve. There was one couple that almost always showed places they had been. They thought to use their camera only on vacation, not for family gatherings or events. There were never people in the landscapes and rarely anything memorable. They sat and discussed where they might have been when the photo was taken and rarely came to a conclusion. We had to waste time on that when there were fun shots of relatives wading in a mountain stream or a child showing his new skill of hanging by his knees. If that landscape was not memorable for them, why did they inflict it on us??? Grrr!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Anne, I’m laughing here. I understand your frustration. While I try to not include people in the photos I share online, I do know where I’ve been and what it was I took a picture of. I’d go bonkers too waiting for this couple to decide what they were sharing.

      [I’m reminded of Christmas cards that people make using a landscape photo, then don’t tell you where the photo was taken. That seems nutty to me, too.]

      Like

  34. Applause to the Amaryllis! Your three friends are lucky women if those are the things that they concern themselves with. Photos on social media are like tv channels – if I don’t like them, I change it. Being on the beach does make me laugh when I see someone park, walk to the water, turn around, take a selfie, and leave. Fake news/stories/posts from social media annoys the heck out of me, and I need to let that go too. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Judy, I knew you’d like my go-getter Amaryllis! I agree that my friends’ issues about photos are insignificant in the overall, but they bother them so I listen. Plus I’m fascinated by how/why anyone comes to the decisions they do. Perhaps in another life I was a mental health therapist!

      People go to the beach to only take a selfie in front of the water? Oh, that is weird behavior. You’re at the beach for crying out loud, walk on it for a while. Gaze at the ocean and absorb its good energy. Don’t use it as a backdrop. 🤨

      Liked by 1 person

      • You made a good point here. Friendship is about listening so if it is important to them we at least listen and try to understand. Yes, backdrop – that is the perfect word for it. I’ve seen one young woman and one young man at different times come with a man with a camera on a tripod to capture a video, then poof, they’re gone. They don’t know what they’re missing by not staying a while. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        • While I adhere to a ‘live and let live’ philosophy about people who are doing things that hurt no one else, I think the tripod/camera/beach frolic is PECULIAR. You gotta wonder why recording the experience was necessary in the first place. 🤔

          Liked by 1 person

  35. I know people who post at least two selfies a day and I just don’t get them. Even when I was young and didn’t break cameras, I didn’t like to have my photo taken closeup. Maybe from a mile away but not up my nose.

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Pingback: Some Photo Questions From The Desk of Ally Bean 2-15-2022 – Sparks From A Combustible Mind

    • Melanie, you make me laugh. I don’t see a lot of value in the current trend of photographing yourself all the time. But selfies have caught on in a big way. I blame it on the Kardashians, pretty much because I don’t like them, so why not? Thanks for linking to this post.

      Like

  38. I don’t have any strongly held opinions on other’s subject matter of photos although I often think they could have been cropped or posed differently to make the subject “pop” better. If someone has a strong opinion on a type of photo (or anything, for that matter), an opinion whose emotional weight seems to be too heavy for the triviality of the subject, it does make me wonder what is behind said strong opinion. Like you, it leads me to wonder WHY is this person so heated about something that doesn’t warrant it (in my opinion). Clearly there is something else going on, as you have deftly proven with your examples.

    Deb

    Liked by 3 people

  40. Hmm, Generally speaking, I don’t care enough about most pictures or really snaps that friends and family post. Selfies are boring to me, mainly because I don’t feel I am photogenic and I really don’t care to see someone I know someplace – show me the place, not yourself – I know what they look like. Food is always a good topic, I’m overweight and enjoyed every mouthful. BTW you will not find me at McDonald’s – I got the best ahi tuna salad the other day. Finally, show me a path in the woods and I am on it (I enjoy hiking and backpacking). Also, I am a bit of a photo snob, I took a class a million years ago in high school.

    Liked by 2 people

  41. I have a high school friend who is always posting pictures on Facebook of her when she was young (over and over…). I find it sad that she seems to be stuck in the time before wrinkles and gray hair. As far as Instagram goes, I’m so disappointed in the way it’s morphed into another version of Facebook. It use to be where people posted interesting, artsy pictures they wanted to share. Now it’s Food! Me! (selfies), Ads, etc. I hardly look at it anymore.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janis, it seems a little unhinged to post almost exclusively old photos of yourself when you were young. I agree that seems sad to me, too. I wasn’t on IG before FB took over so I don’t know what it used to be like. I often forget IG exists, then remind myself to get over there. I like to do some artsy photos so maybe I’m an old-school Instagrammer and don’t know it.

      Liked by 1 person

    • YES!! I have a couple of home town friends who are the same in posting old photos from their under-30 years. How sad that they seem to think their lives peaked 45+ years ago. I prefer to think I haven’t hit my stride yet.

      Liked by 3 people

  42. A while back I saw a question posed about where did the billions of questions (searches) a day on google go before google. That really made me wonder: did we have fewer questions in the olden days? (Nah, curiosity was alive and strong in days of yore, maybe even stronger than it is today 🙃) Did we just live in constant frustration of not knowing? Did we make things up? There are so many (other) possibilities.

    And why am I bringing this up? Because that was a thought-provoking post: where did all these “Kodak moments” go before we had so many venues to share them? We had elaborate meals before, had portraits (less self-ones, admittedly 🤓), had winding paths in woods (I wonder what the hobbits would think about all paths being the same 😁) and towns. Is the cost of posting 420 mediocre photos so much lower than taking one spectacular one, that friends A, B, and C would thirst for?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Endless Weekend, I was curious before Google [or AltaVista or Ask Jeeves] but I saved my questions for trips to the library. I know that for me the advent of Google has meant that I ask more questions because I can get my answer stat. So I keep asking.

      I remember Kodak moments but while they were charming in theory, the pictures were often a blurry mess. And you had to wait so long to get your photos back from processing. I like the ability to take a clear photo in the moment, but I don’t always feel the need to post it. That may ultimately be the dividing line about sharing photos now: do you need to stick all your photos out there immediately or do you wait until you feel it’s the right one and time to share it? A rhetorical question 🤔

      Like

  43. Let it go! Don’t look if you don’t want to. Be kind and unwind! Some people complain too much these days. Calm down! Thank you for letting me get that off my chest…😜

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ellen D, I’m with you. Just scroll on by if you don’t like what someone [presumably someone you have intentionally followed] shares a photo you don’t like. But you know, I have to admit that learning more about WHY these friends dislike the photos they do was interesting.

      Liked by 1 person

  44. In theory, I’m all about story telling. So, if the photo tells a story (even if it’s about food or a selfie) then I’m ok with it. Say for instance, today I posted a selfie (again) of myself (again) but in my defense, I had a beagle on my lap and I was trapped. Hence, I see this as a relatable story in which people with pets understand the idea of being trapped by said pet and since there was nothing left to do but take a selfie with said pet on my lap then that’s that. MEANING, if another person posts a selfie and tells a story with that selfie (via the selfie, not so much the words) then I will be just fine with said selfie.

    Do I make any sense?

    Wonderful original unique post. 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    • Writer of Words, I understand what you’re saying. I have no problem with a selfies in general, but Friend B does. I like selfies that suggest there’s more to the story than just the actual photo so one with your dog, who you obviously couldn’t move, seems good to me. As with most things photographic it’s all about the context. Thanks for stopping by to comment.

      Liked by 1 person

  45. I saw this post this morning, but I was taking 4 littles downtown to the aquarium I didn’t get a chance to read it till now. Ah, sweet nap time.

    I’m not on FB much and don’t do other platforms, so I don’t have much of an opinion. I think the thing that bothers me the most is when someone posts EVERYTHING. Enough already. The offender that I am thinking of is not someone I see regularly or someone that I am particularly close with, so I don’t mention that I’d like her to limit how often she posts. I don’t really care one way or the other about selfies. Whatever floats someone’s boat – but I really only use FB when I’m looking for a babysitting job on a local mom’s FB page that’s set up for mom’s in need of sitters.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Ernie, I know what you mean about people who post everything that happens to them. I don’t enjoy knowing that much about my own day, let alone anyone else’s. I don’t know if someone like that is just pressed for time so they can’t curate their photos or if that person thinks they’re so interesting they must share them all? There’s a WHY in that behavior. Like I said, my job isn’t to fix people it’s to report what I see going on. I’d never tell that person to do less, but I might think it.

      Like

  46. Ally, with this post you’ve served us another interesting slice of life. I bet you are great at dinner parties 🙂

    But I didn’t realize you knew my husband. I’d recognize him anywhere in your description of Friend C 😆Do I need to mention I have dozens and dozens of forest photos?

    Liked by 2 people

  47. Hum…This question made me stop and think. I like most photography, but bad food images, and I’m guilty of posting a bad food image or two myself, 😮 and staged studio portraits but, only because people photography really isn’t my thing. I still look at them and try to figure out the lighting if it’s interesting, but if not I skim through the images like that pretty quickly.

    I love leading lines! Forest paths, wooded paths are great leading lines and usually have me wanting to follow them.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Deborah, I don’t think I’ve seen any bad food images, but then I like food very much. I don’t photograph people often either. I am not good at catching their essence with a camera. I know my limits. I can describe a person with words better than I can show them with a photo.

      I like paths, too. I’m keen on steps but all paths intrigue me. However Friend C thinks otherwise and respect her opinion.

      Like

  48. I can’t say that I’ve ever stopped to consider which photos I like or dislike. Well, I love nature. Your flower on top makes my soul happy. Okay, fine, I’m not overly thrilled by food photos mostly because it’s kind of cliche at this point. Otherwise, people can post whatever they darn well please, including their food. Sometimes the food is interesting, actually. I’m always open to trying new things. Now I’m just contradicting myself. But one thing I know for sure is this line is my favorite: “murmur nondescript soothing sounds of understanding.” 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    • Betsy, until these conversations with friends I’d never thought about which photos I preferred. You gotta have friends, ‘ya know? Still not sure I have any preferences.

      Good point about food photos. They’re cliche but I like to eat so maybe I am immune to the cliche-ness of them.

      I’ve no doubt that you’ve murmured your share of “nondescript soothing sounds of understanding.” It comes with the being a nice person. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

      • I do enjoy being a nice person, at least. I wonder how it would feel to be mean. I don’t think I’d like it. A friend told me that he decided to be an a-hole to this jerk who was always bugging him at the gym. He finally said, “I don’t like you. Don’t talk to me anymore.” He said it felt really good. I’d feel awful afterward, personally, and would probably have to apologize. Darn it!

        Liked by 1 person

  49. I’m tempted to be a smartass and say I only like R-rated photos of feet, but I’ll be good. Honestly – and this is going to sound weird – but I really like to see photos of the inside of peoples’ refrigerators. You can really learn a lot about a person based on their refrigerated contents. Whenever a blogger asks for photo requests, I always ask them to post one of their fridge.

    Or their feet.

    Liked by 1 person

  50. I’m given up FB almost entirely and I don’t do Instagram or other social media. So the only photos I really see are those on the blogs I follow. I don’t understand the obsession with selfies because I want to look at and photograph what I’m seeing and I don’t understand why people think posting photos of themselves all the time is interesting to others, although evidently it is to quite a few people. Then again I don’t understand the obsession with actors, “famous” people, influencers (and I don’t even know who any of them are), etc. I have a friend who likes to take selfies with other friends and I’m okay with her doing that with me once in a great while. But really, who wants to see zillions of photos of me? 🙂 j

    I think the think with selfies is that so many people who take them seem to be interested only in what’s behind their phone and not whatever’s around them. They miss so much.

    janet

    Liked by 2 people

    • Janet, I’m no longer on FB, but I do jump into IG occasionally. I agree with your conclusion. I am so much more interested in living my life around me than taking selfies of myself as I live it. But that might be more about my introverted personality than my ability to relate to what is going on. I don’t get influencers either. If I don’t know you in real life, why would your ideas influence me? Still that seems to be a thing…

      Like

  51. This is reason 942 why I am SO glad I’m not on social media. At all. Does that make me sound lame and very, very old (I’m not, I am actually very, very early middle-aged…)?

    I LOVE photography, but mostly just pictures that involve nature or my kids. When I tally up my smartphone screen time for the week (geek alert), I remove any time spent taking pictures/editing photos in the Photo App because I genuinely love taking pictures.

    I started a blog this year and post pictures each Friday of the week’s events but, again, feel so, so thankful to not be pressured via Instagram/Facebook.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisabeth, I hear what you’re saying about FB & IG. I’m not on FB but do occasionally check out what’s going on in IG. Most of my friends are into FB so the issues they’ve mentioned seem to start there, but I see those photos on IG too.

      I like to see most photos and I enjoy taking the few that I do. I don’t keep track of my smartphone screen time but if’n that makes you happy, then tally it any way you want. You do you, boo.

      I’ll visit your blog soon. I like your approach to sharing pictures. Blogging is way more fun than FB or IG: less groupthink, more freedom to do whatever you want to do in your own way.

      Like

  52. I was only on Facebook for a few weeks and that was years ago. People used it for a place to whine and complain even way back in the early days – no thank you! I was on Instagram for years and really loved it, until recent years anyway.

    I’ve always enjoyed taking photos and seeing other’s photos but not in excess. Moderation is the key. One or two of anyone’s best shots of something is plenty. On blogs, I don’t mind photo heavy posts, but I don’t want to see a bunch of different shots of the same thing (and please leave the blurry ones out).

    I don’t mind seeing an occasional selfie, but seems in general people either don’t do it or do it all the time. I can’t help but think those who do it constantly are likely conceited and are fishing for compliments. I could be wrong but it’s just the impression I get.

    I dislike photos of feet, injuries of any kind, insects, food that doesn’t look appetizing or food (such as a sandwich) that already had a bite taken out of it. Why? Because those things are all gross!

    I’ll shut up now that I’ve practically written an entire post in your comment section lol. I hope you are having a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Martha, I’ve been on FB too and found the same things as you did. I left because I cannot take that much whining. People. grow. up!

      I agree with you about moderation when it comes to photos. I’m big on editing words, so the same principle applies to sharing photos. Less is more. I wonder about fishing for compliments, too. I’m not one to do that, but it does seem to be a thing.

      I think everyone has certain photos that they don’t like and that’s normal. It’s all about preferences. Who among us isn’t human?

      I hope you’re having a good week too. It’s only Tuesday, but so far all is well. Can’t ask for much more.

      Like

  53. I don’t think most guys spend too much time thinking about any of this. If someone posts selfies all the time, I’d wonder why they’d need the constant reinforcement, and if I were single (I’m happily married for 35 years) this would be the kind of woman I’d avoid. If someone has prepared the food themself, then taking photos of food seems fine to me. I do find it a bit comical when someone posts a picture of their food in a restaurant. Do I really need to see your burrito before you eat it? 😂 Do people take pictures of their garbage bags before they put them in their trash receptacle?😊

    Liked by 2 people

    • Pete, you may be right that there’s a gender variable at play in this conversation about which photos you like. Although I once knew one man who disliked photos of pets, but he’s a curmudgeon at heart so no surprise. On IG people often post photos of their food in a restaurant and I don’t know why. Maybe to look back fondly on what they hope will be a delicious meal? I do like your idea of taking a pic of your garbage bag before you take it to the curb for pickup. It’d add some balance to images of plated food. Yin and yang

      Liked by 1 person

  54. At the risk of being petty, I will admit to making snarky comments about some food photos. I think it’s rather difficult to take photos of food that look good, and extremely easy to take photos of food that look just terrible. But, I just make the comments to my husband, and they don’t go anywhere beyond that, and they don’t change my view of the posters at all.

    What has really bothered me is a person I used to work with who posted videos/photos of their child when the child was upset. The images were posted for laughs (as in, “look at how ridiculous this behavior is!”). And what bothered me almost as much as the original post would be all the comments providing validation for the original post. Perhaps this is the modern equivalent of the frustrated parent yelling at their kid in the grocery store (which I never see any more…?), and it’s borderline so you don’t know if you need to intervene on the child’s behalf or mind your own beeswax. But I really didn’t like it.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Rita, I hadn’t thought about the production values of photos of food. You’re right, food is difficult to photograph and make it look pretty.

      I’ve never seen anyone post images like the ones you mention. I don’t like that in principle. While I realize kids melt down and it’s frustrating/funny as a parent I also think that kids deserve some privacy online. And that image is going to be out there forever. Seems unkind to me. Just a ploy for the parent to get some attention– or pity?

      Like

      • I don’t know about motivations, but the privacy issue is what bothers me the most. I regret that I shared as much of my kids as I did when they were younger. It was all so new then; if I’d known at the time what I do now (which I couldn’t have), I would have made some different choices. Live and learn, I guess. But also: yes, unkind. I agree with that.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Good point. Decisions made in the thick of things can sometimes seem wrong later. But you do what you do to the best of your ability in the moment. At least most good people do. That’s my philosophy.

          Liked by 1 person

  55. Many of the friends I made when we lived overseas still live overseas, and I haven’t seen them for 20 years. So I like to see a photo of them now and then and perhaps of their family and their neighborhood. My good friend when I was in Vanuatu lives in Rotorua, New Zealand, a place I’ve never been. So I like photos of her, of her darling granddaughter, and of her walks. I like seeing the new paintings of another old friend.

    I don’t like selfies of people who stick out their tongue or make a silly face.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Nicki, I’d like seeing the types of photos you mention. THAT’S what I want to see, in fact. I can learn about where you live and who you’ve become along the way since we last saw each other in person. I have a friend who sends me photos of her recent paintings and I love it.

      Selfies are a slippery slope. Some are delightful, but many are just attention-seeking nonsense meant to show me that… you are silly… or you are not old yet… or you are active & dynamic…? I rarely know what to make of them.

      Liked by 1 person

  56. Ally, I’ve got thoroughly caught up by your post and the in-depth discussion! 😀 To your friends A, B & C with all their issues of certain images surely the best solution would be for them not to be on social media in the first place and thus avoid the images! I’m only on Twitter and amused by the lengths some go for a ‘natural’ selfie! As for path images I love these myself and am guilty of sharing these on my posts … hope they don’t aggravate anybody! Oh, food pics are always fun and can be inspiring! On Twitter I seriously dislike aggressive and political messages … very disheartening. A fascinating post offering insight to our social media pics likes & dislikes!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Annika, it seems that everyone has an opinion about photos they see in social media. I love that you said: “To your friends A, B & C with all their issues of certain images surely the best solution would be for them not to be on social media in the first place and thus avoid the images!” I’ll admit that this idea has crossed my mind, too. 🙄

      You’re right about Twitter. It can be a hostile place. I don’t engage with anyone who is there to stir up trouble, is fabricating untruths. Very few people I follow on Twitter post personal photos, usually sharing a GIF instead. Hadn’t thought of that until now.

      Liked by 1 person

  57. Hi Ally. Interesting post and seems to have got people talking. I’m not on Facebook or Instagram so I don’t have any views on what I like to see and I don’t see photos of me posted by family and friends. Since I am photoshy, I doubt there are any photos of me posted there anyway. If I was on these social media sites, I would blank pictures of dogs, cats, restaurant food, and show-off selfies, However, I do share photos of family and friends on Whatsapp groups but these wouldn’t include anything I could take exception to as my family and friends are not show-offs and don’t post rubbish. They know I am happy to see photos of them and where they go.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Paul, thanks for joining in the conversation here. Who knew this topic was so popular! I don’t know how things go on FB or WhatsApp because I’m not there. I have heard things, obviously. It seems to me that when it comes to photos anywhere in social media, all you have to do is scroll on by. I am a pragmatist after all. I do know what you mean about show-offs and their photos. Those don’t irritate me as much as they make me sad for the person who shares them. “So needy,” I think to myself.

      Like

  58. Oh my goodness, this is fascinating! I find it fascinating and bemusing because it’s becoming clearer and clearer and clearer (as mud sometimes) that everyone is perceiving something different. Your looking to the *why* of personalities is a new perspective for me. I can sometimes see that Person A is posting all nature photos (because she loves nature) and Person B posts only their dog (cuz they’re in love with their dog) and Person C just posts random stuff (because they’re a random sort of person) but I need to think more about the *why* sometimes. Thanks for the insight. Although maybe I do it already and just haven’t thought about it. Musing too long here on your post and heading to the kitchen to make apple crisp!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Kathy, you’re right that everyone sees things differently; I think that’s part of the joy of having friends because too much sameness is stifling. Of course this leads me to wonder WHY my friends think what they do. I respect that they have their reasons, but will admit that I’m [sometimes] amused by their opinions on relatively benign things, like the types of photos I talked about above. Your apple crisp sounds delicious. I haven’t made one in ages… an idea whose time has come!

      Liked by 1 person

  59. I can’t think of any type of photo that bothers me. Selfies are okay – within reason. If someone posts nothing but selfies, that is someone I won’t follow. I guess my age is showing but I don’t understand how being an influencer is even a thing. Why are people “famous” for basically doing nothing more than posting selfies?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, YES! I’m with you about the concept of an ‘influencer’ and how stupid it seems. I don’t know why I’m supposed to care about someone, a stranger, who lives their seemingly shallow life in front of a camera. I don’t get it. 🤷‍♀️

      Like

  61. Of course, I’m not on any social media nor do I have a phone to take pictures willy nilly… so I really can’t participate in this discussion other than to observe that the main issue that ties all three of these scenarios together is the obsessive need the camera phone + social media has introduced into our culture to take pictures of things just because we can. Probably 95% of all photos taken with a cellphone are of subjects that nobody would have seen a need to photograph prior to about 15 years ago. There is a glut of food photos on social media….. why? Everyone posts countless selfies of themselves online….. why? Everyone wants you to see where they’re walking….. why? All three whys can be answered with, “Well, duh, I have a cameraphone and social media account to upload them to, so why not? Even people who are guilty of this themselves likely tire of seeing the same old same old from others they follow…

    Hopefully that kinda makes a point. If not, it wouldn’t be the first time I rambled on about nothing that made any sense!

    Liked by 1 person

    • evilsquirrel13, yep, you nailed it. With the ability “to take pictures of things just because we can” people have become less discerning about what they take a photo of. And many people feel pressure from social media accounts, so they share many photos, often with themselves in the foreground.

      I don’t do that, but I seem to be immune to social media mores, partly because I don’t strive for status, and partly because I’m lazy. I don’t even know where my phone is half the time.

      Like

  62. I like this post. I don’t mind any specific type of picture but i do think if someone’s feed is mostly made up of selfies, we probably don’t jive.

    I love the Eeyore quote BTW. My brother always says “don’t yuck my yum” and I love that too.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Katie, I know what you mean about too many selfies from one person. It makes me wonder about them, why they need to have other people see them so often. I just scroll by selfies but Friend B has issues with those selfies, oh yes she does.

      I like you brother’s saying. It seems spot on to about everything anymore.

      Like

  63. I don’t post any photos of myself or any family on social media. I used to but read a murder mystery the name of which escapes me but it dealt with that in the plot how easy it is to manipulate a photo and it scared the hell out of me, so I deleted the few I had on facebook etc. I don’t take selfie’s myself, but if someone else wants to post them that’s their decision. Being a foodie I do like food pics…

    Liked by 2 people

    • Joni, I’m with you about not posting photos of myself or family on social media. There may be nothing to worry about, but it seems too personal to me to share them online. I don’t care if people do selfies, but I think there’s a limit to how many an adult needs to post. There’s a good chance you look the same today as you did yesterday, so cool it with the pics of yourself. 😑

      Liked by 1 person

      • As I recall from the book I read and it was several years ago, the protagonist sees a picture of herself on a dating website. Someone had stolen a photo of her at a wedding from Facebook and used her face – it was one of those psychological thriller books, but it creeped me out so much that I removed the few pictures I had. I never take a good picture anyway, so no big loss!

        Like

    • Arlene, other commenters have mentioned feet, too. I don’t see many pedicures among friends’ photos, but in some circles it must be a thing to take a pic. I see LOTS of Wordle score photos, though. I do Wordle but my scores are a secret! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

    • I admit I have done that but when you put it in writing…yeah, feet are gross. And now that you mention it, I don’t understand the whole “Wordle Score” thing either. I mean you either get the word within the six guesses or you don’t and then you play again. Maybe I am missing something? I get most of the words by the third section. Anyhow, Arlene, I must agree with you!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Feet I don’t see too often, usually it’s feet inside shoes which is much less foot-y. I see lots of Wordle squares. I’m pleased people are using their minds, but I don’t need to know how brilliant your mind is! Still, what I want and what I get are two different things.

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  65. Hi Ally, I read your post a couple of days ago with a smile, yet not had a chance to respond. Read it again this morning and another smile.😊 The “what” and “why” is a great point. Then I see “paths in the woods” and think, ‘is she talkin’ about me?’ Following each other on Instagram? Egad…I need to up my game…😊We allow people to come into our space and I do find I gravitate to a certain type…Thank you for the food for thought and my smile.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erica/Erika, there’s no subtext to this post. I’m not calling anyone out. I just found it interesting that three very different friends each admitted to me that they disliked certain photos and they each had their own reasons that made sense to them.

      People do what people do.

      In fact, I like photos of food and paths in woods. Selfies are okay in moderation, so I’m a bit less enthusiastic about them. I agree with you that we all gravitate toward certain things, and therein I believe is the spice of life– and a few smiles.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I realize you were teasing, Ally, and we are often on the same wavelength of constantly observing and curious about people…I believe photos emit a certain energy from the person taking the photo – I can ‘feel’ the fun, joy, excitement, awe….(without being woo woo)💕

        Liked by 1 person

        • Good point. You’re right that photos do emit an energy that we pick up on consciously or subconsciously. I’d not thought of that before, but I’m sure that energy influences which pics we like and which we dislike.

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  66. I love the synopsis you posted for the three friends. I would have to say that there aren’t pictures I necessarily like or dislike but I find that I wonder why people post them, like your friend with the paths. I do like food photos because it makes me want to try new recipes. Selfies….I don’t know how I feel about them. I mean if it is because you got a new hairstyle or something I get it, but if it’s just you taking a picture of yourself taking the picture in the mirror…what’s the point. I guess people want to know if other people think they are attractive.
    I don’t post any personal pictures really anymore. I have found that it comes to bite me in the ass by one of my “wonderful” relatives who all of a sudden found a reason that I have done something “wrong”. Not sure if that makes any sense at all but I just can’t be bothered and honestly I don’t think anyone really cares to see my pictures. Once in awhile I will take a beautiful shot of something in nature and post it, because I think I got a good shot.

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    • Christine, I had to laugh when each of these friends told me which photos bugged them. I don’t know that I have a strong aversion to any of their hated photos, but to each his own. I agree with you about the selfie in the mirror phenomenon. I’m at a loss as to why anyone does that, but you may have nailed it– they want to know if anyone else finds them attractive.

      I don’t post personal photos either. I occasionally post one of me but not often. I’ve heard other people say that they don’t share group photos anymore because some relative is upset– so why bother when you know you’re going to get grief. 🤷‍♀️

      Liked by 1 person

      • Apparently back in August I must have written something here on WP that I was getting married and my sister called to ask why I never told her I was getting married. I told her I wasn’t going to tell anyone until after because I didn’t want drama. She texts back “well, then don’t write about it on your blog”. I told her I didn’t and she snapped back that “yes you did, I read it!” Oh…sorry…my bad…! Lol. Now I don’t write much unless it is okay for anyone to see!

        Liked by 1 person

  67. What a lovely amaryllis; the gift that keeps on giving.

    I had a giggle at your three friends, especially the one with the food aversion.
    I don’t think I mind any of those photos and I do enjoy when people share what they like, even if it’s themselves. I mean, unless it’s ALWAYS about themselves then, I’m all *meh*.

    Perspective is a funny thing.

    The only thing I can think of that bothers me seeing is this one friend of mine who shares a lot of food pics; I don’t mind the food part, but he uses paper plates most of the time and that just gets under my skin. Why? I suppose it’s just wasteful in my eyes and since there are only TWO of them eating, it’s not like a lot of washing is happening.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, the thing about my friends and their opinions is that they’re pleasant people who just happen to dislike one particular thing– over and over again. I smiled too when I heard each complaint and WHY.

      I’m with you about using paper plates all the time. It’s wasteful. The only time the two of us used paper plates daily was years ago while our kitchen was being remodeled. Then it made sense. It takes almost no time to wash two plates, so I don’t get it either. That’d bug me a little bit too.

      Liked by 1 person

  69. I have a friend who posts Facebook 3-5 times a day with stupid one-liners and those cartoon meme people that are supposed to look like the poster. Not exactly a photo but far more annoying than selfies.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jean, I take your point. I don’t know anyone who does what you mention and for this I am grateful. Too much from any one person can be tedious on social media. In real life, too– but more pronounced on FB or IG.

      Like

  70. My daughter-in-law posts overly-candid photos of my granddaughters. They’re not necessarily endearing, but rather random, spontaneous snaps – quick takes when the kids aren’t looking in an effort to capture the moment. I’d be okay with this tactic if she’d also occasionally throw in a few “smile for the picture” pics. Nope, just random activities and random expressions where they’re never looking at the camera. Can’t really explain it.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dave, I’ve not heard of that before. I agree with you that some candid photos plus some smile at the camera photos would be a nice balance, but only ones about random moments? Kind of different. No harm but… WHY?

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  71. What a can of worms you have opened, Ally! I actually agree with the three friends in your post, and with a lot of commenters, especially AutumnAshbough, who’s particularly irked by people posting too many photos of their kids doing the same thing / in more or less the same pose.

    If you combine the three scenarios you described, however, that might be ok (a person taking a selfie in a forest with food somewhere). Alternatively, add an animal in the photo – dog eating food, selfie with cat, or bird in forest, for example.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Pistachios, you’re right that this is a can of worms! Until my friends started talking about their photo preferences, I’d not given the topic much thought. From what I can tell there’s more or less a general consensus here that too many photos of the same thing, whether it’s kids or selfies or any hobby, are not wanted. It seems like many people have friends + family who flood their social media accounts with lots of photos to a point where no one cares about the person sharing the photos. Instead of getting attention for something joyful, the person is being shunned.

      I like your conclusion about how to combine the three types of photos into one acceptable photo. Made me smile with that. You are clever.

      Liked by 1 person

  72. I do have an Instagram account but am rarely on it, so I don’t see an abundance of posts with food photos, but I am on Facebook and only follow the posts of three friends – the rest of my FB reading material is news or nature sites. So, two of the friends post incessantly about what they cook and how to make it and they take pictures – why? The other friend posts not only what she cooks, but what she eats. All. Day. Long. I have no interest that you just had eight cashews and a glass of water. I tune it out. I don’t have friend posts in my Facebook feed, as I turn them off and I just check their “Wall” to see what they’ve posted that day … a litany of food-related posts. Enough already!

    I don’t have a smartphone, so I’ve never taken a selfie. I sure don’t want to sound like a dinosaur in my comment about selfies, just because I don’t indulge in same, however, I have seen plenty of selfies on social media and I don’t “get” the fascination with them. Also, I first notice the eyes … they are never normal looking, either downcast or one is wandering ever so slightly. Noses look bigger, faces contorted – why do you do this to yourself? Have someone else take the picture and let it at least be flattering.

    I’ll step down off my soapbox now.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Linda, I love you on your soapbox. You speak words of wisdom. I’m not on FB but I have no trouble believing what you say happens there with photos of food. You and my Friend A need to get together for a chat! I know that some people want to be known for being foodies, so I suppose they overdo it with the pics while aiming for that goal.

      As for selfies, I’m not into taking them. I’ve tried a few times, but with varying results. If the lighting isn’t right and the angle you hold the phone isn’t right, you don’t look right. Plus I’m just too lazy to want to take a pic of myself. Who cares what I look like? But some people can’t stop taking them. We all know this.

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      • Friend A and I are soulmates for sure. I had a fellow blogger comment “why don’t you use a real picture instead of that silly cartoon you use as a profile picture?” Really?! I don’t use a photo of myself on any social media accounts.

        Liked by 1 person

        • Someone criticized your cute social media icon? I LOVE your profile pic because it’s easily discernible among all the photos of faces. I use a *brand* icon on all my social media accounts for the same reason: I’m easy to find. Can’t imagine what that person would have to say about my facelessness. Don’t really care.

          Liked by 1 person

          • Yes – I thought it was rude TBH. Thank you Ally – glad you like it. I like using it as it matches the blog header and like you said, you can see the entire profile picture. I haven’t tweaked my blog theme since I set up the blog in 2013, but I’m sticking with that photo at any rate. Your icon is easily identifiable as well.

            Liked by 1 person

  73. Another interesting study in the human mind, Ally. Thank you. I like all kinds of photos…well, not all but most…so I’ll start by telling you my favorites: any photo with one or more of my grandchildren in it. Why? I love them and just the sight of them makes me smile. Plus it lets me know what they are up to, when I am not with them. I also enjoy beautiful photos of nature: sunrises, sunsets, the ocean, the mountains, flowers…you name it, I like it. Why: natural beauty brings me peace, reminds me of what is good in the world. I enjoy vacation photos. I like seeing people having fun, and it may give me ideas of places I want to go. I’m okay with food, paths, and a limited number of selfies. I don’t care for filtered photos. Let me see you or your subject as it is, flaws and all. If your feed is full of closeup selfies, I’ll scroll past it. Why? I’m not sure. I guess it feels pretentious and self-absorbed. And there is my very long answer to your question, Ally. Thanks for listening.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Christie, I never thought about this topic until friends said things to me. When the third friend mentioned what photos bugged her I realized this topic was blog fodder. I like all the photos you mention for the reasons you mention– especially seeing people having fun. I’m not convinced that selfies are interesting in general, but in the specific I do like to see a friend’s smiling face once in a while. Of course, I’m a sloth when it comes to posting to and looking through photos in IG, so no strongly held opinions from me.

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  74. I don’t dislike anyone’s photos, Unless there’s blood or dead things in it. Other than that I think everybody is an artist and it meant something to somebody and if I don’t happen to think it’s pleasing that’s OK. That’s why God gave us fingers, to scroll on by.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dawn, ha! I’m with you about scrolling on by, but apparently some people are not inclined to do that. This has been a fascinating conversation about photos. I had NO IDEA there were so many opinions about them.

      Like

  75. Why are we taking so many photos? Seems to be a bit topical to analyse this at the moment. Once photos were rare documenting a moment in time for eternity. They documented and halted time, so we could examine the details. When we dealt with reels of film, photos were still special and sometimes worth the wait, but now photos have become disposable. Technology has eliminated the skill in setting lighting etc – we just point and shoot our phones at will and there are so many photos taken that the global servers cannot hold them all. As for types of photos – I scroll past a post that has little words and just way too many flower photos, unless like your Amaryllis there is a story behind it. Btw: Love the phrase: murmur (ing) nondescript soothing sounds of understanding. A great Ally Bean phrase.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Amanda, you’ve nailed it. Once it became easy to snap a pic, people started doing it all. the. time. They’re much less of a documentation of a significant moment in time and more of a belief that the taker of the photo is infinitely interesting. You’re also right that there’s little skill involved in taking a pic, then with editing software at hand almost anyone can create a nice photo.

      I can guarantee you that in my life I’ve murmured many a nondescript soothing sound of understanding. I’m a good listener, don’t you know!

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  76. What? Someone dislikes photos of paths in the woods? Eeyore is right. Personally I cannot stand superficial glamour selfies but I never comment on them. I agree with Friend B. I have mixed feelings about food photos. Some people seem pretty smug about their superior food choices, which turns me off, but others are enjoying a meal and can’t resist sharing their experience, which I can appreciate. When I see a photo I really like I make sure to let the person know in the comments.

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    • Barbara, I admit that Friend C made me laugh the most. Since I posted this two other people have told me they don’t like photos of paths in the woods. It amazes me, but there you have it.

      I hadn’t thought about WHY people post photos of food, just about who didn’t like them. I agree there are some food photos that seem smug while others [most in my experience] seem to be just a photo taken in the moment because someone could take it.

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  77. I only dislike photos under a specific set of circumstances. – Landmark, interesting building or scene including a selfie, but only when it’s the only picture offered. Show me the a nice scene by itself AND one with you in it, I’m fine. If you only show me the one with you in it…not so fine.

    Liked by 2 people

  78. I’m glad to know I’m not alone. I don’t like your average selfie. When deciding whether or not to follow someone, I check their posts. If that’s all that’s there, I’m not going to follow them. It’s hard to take a selfie that gives context, that shows what you’re doing. If someone else takes a picture of you climbing a wall or riding a bike, cool. But just the same face over and over? I don’t get it. I like pictures of food, on food blogs but not in my IG feed. If I was following a chef for recipes, that would be different. But that’s not what I want on IG. But if you make cookies with your grandkids, you get a like. I want to see that path in the woods, cool architecture, nature, kids, animals, people having fun, and gardens. Gardens. More gardens. Funny or meaningful quotes. For me, IG and FB have to uplifting.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Annie, hear, hear. I like your list of what you want to see in a shared photo, something uplifting. I feel the same way. The context of a photo is important. You’re right about how selfies that include context are great, ones that don’t are insipid or baffling. Yet there are people who live to take selfies.

      Liked by 1 person

  80. What an interesting topic!! Yes, I hear similar criticism from friends about posting photos on social media. For me, I try not to criticize others because I, myself, change my opinions and my perspectives occasionally. Sometimes, I want to post about food, a trip, a family gathering, and each time I post, I have different reasons, while other times, I just don’t support the former me who was posting regularly! 😁
    I think everyone has their reasons for posting such stuff. Different life responsibilities, stressful working environment or family relationships. This all make them vent out differently. 😊

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    • Chaymaa, you raise an excellent point about how we all change along the way, suddenly liking what we didn’t like before– or vice versa. Our perspectives change as our daily lives do. I agree that everyone shares photos for their own reasons, often not even clear to them. I had to smile as my friends told me their dislikes. They needed to vent and guess who they chose to listen. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  81. Yes, you are right! The most difficult person to deal with is the changeable me 😎
    So, I understand somehow!
    Maybe because you are a good listener, they chose you 😁

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  82. I love that quote, that’s perfect for this post. Your flower that keeps on growing is beautiful and deserves three cheers. I feel compelled to ask, what is considered a photo? If the photo is any image shareable on IG, then that complicates the answer in my book. I shall remain a mystery to my friends – I only hop on and off of IG long enough to scroll for 1 minute or less, so if their post isn’t in my scroll feed at that time, there isn’t the opportunity to like much at all. Speed liking requires me to recognize the person’s name before I click the little heart. 💕😆😁🤔🦥🦌

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  83. I like seeing other people’s pictures but I hate it when they share pictures of a two year old event. Sharing a memory on Facebook is OK but sharing a picture that you took 2 years ago I dont like that

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  84. Interesting post. I have heard people say they do not like seeing selfies, probably because of the same reason you identified. In general, I find I enjoy Instagram compared to Facebook, which I do not use, because there is less information or things I can do. I just mainly look at photos that I like, which are often plants and cozy spaces.

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  85. I’m a little late in answering your questions, but here goes:
    1) I have calmed down greatly in posting food photos on FB, but I tend to be asked for the recipe by at least one person, so…
    2) I hate my own selfies, thus the cat profile photos on FB. If I do take a selfie, I have my sunglasses and a hat on. I simply don’t like photos of myself.
    3) Geez, your friend would not like some of my biking posts. Lots of wooded paths. :-p
    4) I am currently annoyed by everyone’s Wordle score on FB. Please keep this to yourself. Thank you.
    5) My close friends (family is not on FB, Instagram or Twitter) know I am a cat lady and have a weird sense of humor, so sometimes they share funny memes or cute cat videos. Other friends probably roll their eyes at my many photos of Gibbs the cat and summer bike rides.
    6) I tend to not tell FB friends if I don’t like a photo that they post. It’s their page, after all. If they want to share photos of their dog, grandma, food, or a muddy puddle, I’m okay. I can scroll past.

    There you have it, Ally. More to know about me and thanks for adding me to your blogroll. That was a lot of work, so I appreciate it and will be checking out some of the unfamiliar bloggers.

    Like

    • Mary, I like knowing about your photo preferences. I can’t say that I have a strongly held opinion about food photos, but Friend A does [and so did my mother actually]. I don’t like my own selfies, too. I just scroll by photos of other people when I feel they’re overdoing the selfie thing. There cannot be too many photos of Gibbs. Impossible. I never tell anyone if I don’t like a photo they post. It’s not my business what they share, but I won’t *like* something I don’t like.

      The blogroll turned out to be a good thing, but a labor intensive thing. I didn’t anticipate how many bloggers would want in on it. Like I said in my post introducing the blogroll, this was a one-time offer. 😵‍💫

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  86. Pingback: True Confessions In A Snap: Some Photos You Dislike, Some Photos You Like | WilliWash

  87. My friends and family know I absolutely hate being in photos. I am always disappointed at how I look based on how I think I look lol even with pictures of Charlotte.. I have thousands just-her pics and then I have hundreds of pics with her and my husband but pics of me with her? Probably a sad handful… I know I honestly shouldn’t care much but some reason I do… even though none of it is ever posted on social media bc I actually don’t have any social media … *sigh…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Jen, I understand your aversion to photos of you. I’m the same way. I hate photos of me, always have. I didn’t like them as a kid, even. I’ve said that I must have been Amish in another life because I won’t let anyone photograph me. You’re right that I shouldn’t care about how I look in pics, but I do. Let’s just call ourselves quirky, and get on with it!😉

      Liked by 1 person

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