Famous man-made objects and landmarks are seen repeatedly in photos, whether in professional publications or social media selfies. I can understand why because no matter how many times we see those iconic masterpieces, we’d still like to snap our own angles and variations – especially if we or someone we love is part of that preserved memory. 
The concept seems so wonderful and splendid until a certain reality hits very hard. The reality is that everyone else has the same idea. You see, I’m the type who just wants to spend about 30 seconds to snap a few angles and move on. I’m an amateur photographer and not a perfectionist. However, I’d still like some basics to be in order to get something I’ll be happy with. That would include being free from the obstacle of a wall of people in the way who are also taking pictures. Does that sound selfish?
Clearly, not everyone shares the same “in and out in 30 seconds” approach which I adhere to. For example, some teen girls will spend 5 or 10 minutes taking a selfie. Yet, it’s actually many selfies of what looks to me like the exact same pose and smile. Poor girls, it must be agonizing to have to decide which of those 50 nearly identical photos to post on Instagram.
Then there’s the family with spoiled kids. Sadly, not every kid is well behaved and cooperative. This can cause serious delays when families are posing for photos. And if one or more of the kids starts crying and screaming, it makes waiting for my turn even more excruciating.
But probably the worst scenario is when an army of obnoxious amateur photographers shows up. I’m talking about a tour group with members who act like they are doing professional photo shoots. Okay, maybe they’ve invested in expensive cameras and have tripods and a bag full of camera accessories. But unlike the young teen who repeatedly takes essentially the same pose, they take many different poses of an individual. Then that individual is joined by another poser and the process starts all over. And while there’s all this solo and duo posing going on, there’s also mixing and matching of tour members for a variety of group combo photos. And just when you breathe a sigh of relief thinking they’re about done, in steps another tour group!
If you’re like me and your time is precious and limited when travelling, one solution is to get up early enough to beat the crowds. Of course, most people want to sleep in on vacation and this would really require discipline. But, an extra benefit is that nothing beats the soft early morning light when taking photos. The exception would be taking those “magical” and stirring shots at night when the moon and stars are shinning. And don’t forget the city lights which transform the atmosphere with their various hues. But again, some famous landmarks can be crowded at night – and sometimes things can get crazy. Just google the brawl over a selfie spot at the Trevi Fountain in Rome in August 2018.
Regarding obnoxious amateur photographers, what has your experience been like? Do you have any thoughts or advice?
I too am an amateur photographer who takes multiple shots while trying to capture an experience. Sometimes I will hold the camera above my head to eliminate some of those multitudes who are ahead of me. While taking many quick shots in a row, I will usually get at least one or two that are good. I learned that technique from a former professional photographer that I worked with. He would take multitudes of shots and then when back at the office, would review diligently for the best shot to use. So far, your pictures all seem to be successful … so just keep up the good work! 🙂
Will definitely try using that technique – thank you!