Digital Photography has changed the way we socialize.

Seriously, I was watching a novela (soap opera) a few weeks back and there was a scene in a bar/club. There were 2 main couples (in the show) who had gone to this bar together. Part of the scene in the novela included the four characters taking pictures of each other and immediately looking at the camera to see if the photo turned out, laugh at a crazy face, or gush over how beautiful one of the others looks in the photo. After this brief segment of the scene, the scenario of the novela continued (in the bar/club), and the camera was put away. The picture taking portion didn't really have anything to do with the plot.

It made me think: Digital Cameras have changed how we interact with each other.

'NO LOOKING AT THE PICTURES UNTIL SUNDAY ON THE WAY HOME!'
My friend Diane established this rule Friday night of a recent Girl's Weekend. I have to admit we were all a bit resistant; however, we complied. It was not easy at first, but by Saturday afternoon we were no longer thinking about immediately turning the camera around, pushing the the play button, and looking at our pictures. We accepted that whatever crazy photo might surface on Sunday could discreetly be deleted later if necessary. We also agreed that if we missed the really great shot because we didn't know it turned out the first time, it wasn't meant to be.

Remember having to wait for the film to be processed? Picking up the prints from Walgreen's, shuffling through the stack sometimes still a little sticky from the chemicals used. In a roll of 24 or 32 you may have ended up with 10 decent shots, and you had to pay for all 24 or 32 regardless of how blurry, dark, over-exposed they might be. There are benefits to only printing the 'good ones'. And we must be doing the Earth a favor by printing and discarding fewer pictures.

But I was thinking about the feeling of anticipation. The pleasure of receiving the pictures after so much waiting. How that is somewhat character building. We are able to be instantly satisfied, appeased by looking at our shots seconds after they have been taken, which is GREAT! At the same time, Sunday's drive back to Rio after the "no looking girl's weekend" was quite entertaining as we recapped our weekend adventure while scrolling through the pictures together for the first time. Try it the next time you have an afternoon, evening, weekend get together. Apply the no looking rule and observe the difference in the behaviors of people.