Why take photos of ourselves traveling?

Travel Photos

“Did you ever get lonely?”

“No. I mean I always found people to travel with.”

And I did last year as I was traveling around the world. I almost always had someone around me as I traveled around the world solo.

In Thailand I went through a two girls who were returning home two days later, a Dutch couple, a British Boy, a Belgium Boy, and finally a California girl. I don’t remember every being alone.

So it was great for safety, sharing the bills, but also for photos.

Never thought of that did you? Well I did. It’s so awkward initially to ask people you just met to take your photo. I felt shy, indulgent, overzealous, silly, but I would still ask.

I wanted photos of myself in these new places.

Now I recently finished a month traveling through Europe. I didn’t have  a hostel to camp-out in to try and meet people. So I was basically on my own.

It was lonely, tiring and I had to take photos like this one above. Photos were are arm’s length.

And the worst part is I like to keep photos as my memories. They are cheaper and lighter than those souvenirs bought in a store.

But my question I pose in this random Sunday post is: does it matter if I am in them?

I don’t know, quite honestly. If you are traveling solo does it matter if you are in the photos? Aren’t photos supposed to remind you of events? Do you want to remember a time when you were on your own?

It’s something I have been thinking about. Does being in your travel photos matter?

I spoke with an artist today, actually, who said he tried to keep people out of his photos. He finds they date the photo with their clothes, hairstyles, etc…

It got me to thinking. Is this why we put ourselves in the photos? And by that I mean why take a photo of just me in Thailand? Is it to prove I was actually there? Does it add to composition?

Or is it a totally narcissistic venture that we indulge in?

I wish I could say I have the answer to these questions. Or maybe I don’t. Perhaps this is a post to think on. Or maybe it’s not that deep. Maybe I am simply wondering: Why put ourselves in our travel photos?