[Pete_Pittock]

No pictures, but there is a recent study by Fairfield University that says when we constantly take pictures our memory of the experience is impaired.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/10/stop-taking-so-many-pictures-all-the-time-because-its-ruining-your-memory/

What are we missing when we documentwith as enough pictures we could start a photo tour? The nuances which make a course good or great? It seems total immersion is the best policy.

[BHoover]

Obviously a photo tour can never capture everything there is to know about a golf course. By the same token, the written word cannot capture all details either. Although a photo may not be perfect, I'd rather see a photo than not. There's a reason I haven't even attempted to follow the non-photo tour of Olympia Fields.

The best of both worlds is a complete photo tour and effective writing.

[RJ_Daley]

Peter, I think it is dependent on who is taking the photo.  I think there is a such thing as the 'drive-by serial golf top venue seeker'.  I think some people are so focused on showing off where they played, that they may become so enthralled in the photographing effort that they miss the essence of the course design.  That may happen even more at a course of reknowned beauty like an oceanside course with beautiful backdrops.  

But, when it comes to most of the photo tours found here on GCA.com, when combined with good commentary describing what is seen in the photo, I think the idea of memory being hampered by the photo taking process is less likely to occur.  I think most GCA.com folk get the idea of golf design features, and have seen enough examples of fundamental design ideas to both take the pic and describe it latter.  And, for those that play a good number of courses per year or over time, the photo's jog the memory of hole sequences and other aspects.  At least, the pics help me remember things.  I can't really say if any of the photo's or tours I've presented here on GCA.com over the years had caused me to miss something obvious, while at the same time, photos or none, one always misses nuances and even designer intended aspects of their work, with only one or a few plays.  

So long as the photographer isn't distracting other people's round, I think better to snap away.  

[BCowan]

''Wang what's with the camera, it's a parking lot''!

[Jason Thurman]

I think Pete's original post is really asking what the PHOTOGRAPHER misses about a course while he's snapping pictures of it.

I'm a total immersion guy, personally. I've snapped photos of a few courses I've played in the past, but I don't do it anymore (I'll photograph courses that I'm not in the process of playing, or courses that I'm already very familiar with, but not a new course as I play it). I've never been a big picture taker in any context for that matter. I get really sad for the people that I see at concerts who spend the whole night looking through their digital camera and trying to capture memories of the night. They're so afraid of losing the memory that they give up the whole experience just to preserve some tiny shred of it.

I'm sure there's a happy medium somewhere that allows for a photo or two here and there but still doesn't hamper the ability to perceive the experience in the moment. For me though, I'd rather maximize the experience.

Although I'll admit that I do like to look at photos that others have taken after I've played a course. As RJ says, they jog my memory a bit and help me notice things I might have missed.

[Pete_Pittock]

Jason,
  Exactly right. There have been a number of non-golf occasions when I've been so involved in taking the photos all the other senses are stunted and I will never know what I missed because I was autofocused.
  I'll be scaling back with my on course photography. Maybe I'll be a better player and a better playing companion. I'll still have senses to know when a photo op arises, such as the Old Head photo on the picture of the year contest.
  The photo tour analogy was just to express the amount of photos taken.
  And if you are a photographer plus a course rater, what is the outcome?

[Tony_Muldoon]

I saw that article and my initial thoughts were similar to Peter's, but I can also see a counter argument that applies to some.


I've done a few photo tours on here and I do think there's a way in which taking photo's can enhance the experience.  


As a tourist I find myself almost constantly trying to keep out of Joe Schmo's vidoe or snaps of the building we've both come to see (this is distracting enough!). I'm amazed at how many photo's some people seem to take or how long they leave the video running.  Do they really look at them all when they get home?  7 days on a tour bus and thousands of snaps to watch when life has resumed it's normal course?  Some will and their experience will IMO be richer for it.  I'm just guessing here but the ones who are more selective in what they picture, who have either some idea of what it is they are trying to capture and take a moment to compose or select the right image can return to those images and enhance their experience and understanding with photos.


Then of course there are those who travel to find the great image they can capture.


However I do rarely take the camera with me these days.  Having one less thing to worry about generally allows me to enjoy the golf more.

[Brent Hutto]

The Vacation

Once there was a man who filmed his vacation.
He went flying down the river in his boat
with his video camera to his eye, making
a moving picture of the moving river
upon which his sleek boat moved swiftly
toward the end of his vacation. He showed
his vacation to his camera, which pictured it,
preserving it forever: the river, the trees,
the sky, the light, the bow of his rushing boat
behind which he stood with his camera
preserving his vacation even as he was having it
so that after he had had it he would still
have it. It would be there. With a flick
of a switch, there it would be. But he
would not be in it. He would never be in it.

Copyright ©2012 by Wendell Berry, whose most recent book of poems is New Collected Poems, Counterpoint, 2012.

[Josh Tarble]

I've heard a quote and it really stuck with me (not sure if this is verbatim or who originally said it)

"The memory paints a more vivid picture than any photograph"

But, I also enjoy taking the occasional picture.  Multiple per hole would be too much for me.  I'm sure there are others that love to take photographs and that adds to the experience.

[BHoover]

So I was obviously mistaken.  My bad.  In that case, I do agree that you probably miss a lot if you try to do a good photo tour while also trying to play a round.  Personally, I care more about how I'm playing a course than about trying to take good pictures of it.  The memories are more important to me than any photograph.  But, I do like to take a few pictures when playing a new course.

I think that if I was going to do a complete photo tour, I would prefer to do it by walking the course on my own for the specific purpose of taking photos, rather than while playing.

[Richard Choi]

I call BS.

First, the study is based on 28 students. Deriving anything meaningful from such small sample is ludicrous.

Second, each set of groups were given different tasks. One was told to OBSERVE paintings at a museum, and the second group was to told to take a photo of paintings. It does not surprise me at all that the first group had better recollection.

The second study says zooming in on the object actually increased memories of photo takers. I would argue that it was just random fluctuation of using such small samples.

I wouldn't change your photography behaviors based on such flimsy study.

[John Kavanaugh]

I wouldn't change your photography behaviors based on such flimsy study.

You don't need a study to go to a concert and realize that the people who watch through their phones are missing the essence of the performance.  Some of you guys view a golf course the same way.  Come on, it is idiocy in a vain sweater.

[Rich Goodale]

Rounds of golf can be special things, even epiphanies, for most golfers.  All of our rounds, however, are diminished when we (or any of our playing partners) interrupt them with technology--whether it be through taking a phone call, postiing a selfie, looking at your wrist-Gramin rather than at the shot before you and its context, or just taking a photograph.  That being said, rounds of golf infected with technogies are still great experiences, but not as great as they would be if you and all your playing partners focused on your own senses, your comrades and the green lying in front of you.

[Stewart Abramson]

I get really sad for the people that I see at concerts who spend the whole night looking through their digital camera and trying to capture memories of the night. They're so afraid of losing the memory that they give up the whole experience just to preserve some tiny shred of it.

I don't think the concert example is a good analogy to the golf course. No one that I know spends their whole round looking thruogh the lens. On average I take about 40 photos per round. About a quarter of those are on the tee when other guys are hitting their shots. I take the others while walking to my ball. I rarely wander to places I wouldn't go on the course if I wasn't taking photos. I use a fully automatic camera. I probably have my eye on the eyepiece less than ten minutes during any round. I think the other 3 hours and 20 minutes (+)  on the course gives me plenty of opportunity to get the real experience without being diminished by taking photos. I find that when I later return to a course that I've photographed  I almost always have a better recollection of its features as compared to a subsequent round on a course that I haven't photographed.

[Joe Sponcia]

Stewart,

I have had the same experience.  As the designated photographer on most trips...I find everyone wants to look at the pictures, but few want to take them.  If you are walking, the task is pretty simple and unobtrusive.  While in a cart, I have been asked, 'why do you keep stopping to take pictures, can't you just enjoy the round'?  Of course, I rarely point out that when in a cart, 3/4 of the experience is already diminished, but those who insist on playing cart golf seem more interested in the check mark they award themselves for playing in 3:05 than the experience.

[John Kavanaugh]

Everyone enjoys attending events where picture taking is banned.  Photo whores have made it all or nothing.

[RJ_Daley]

Everyone enjoys attending events where picture taking is banned.  Photo whores have made it all or nothing.

Everyone?  From all the photos of you at events on this site over the years, you must have been positively miserable in the company of all dem hooares.  

I also feel more like Stewart's example.  

[John Kavanaugh]

RJ,

I was speaking of all of life's events beyond golf such as fine dining, plays, movies or that all too rare occasion where we have a true personal interaction with one of God's creations.  As soon as the camera comes out it turns to shit.

When four Stewart's get together and take 40 pictures per round each who gets first right to show these pictures that everyone is dying to see?

I am currently struggling with the demons of selfish and rude.  I can no longer tell them apart.  Am I being rude for wanting to not live constantly under camera surveillance or are the photogs being selfish wanting to document every aspect of their lives.  Or am I selfish and they are rude?  From what I can tell I am the one at fault for not letting everyone do whatever makes them happy.

[RJ_Daley]

Well, at least you are asking and perhaps answering the important questions, almost single handedly....  

[Pete_Pittock]

While playing, there is a difference between taking pictures and looking for pictures to take.

[John Kavanaugh]

My wife and I can be out to eat with another couple having a lovely time until the entree's are served. Much like in golf one of our dining partners discretely removes her phone and takes a picture of her and her husbands food. It does nothing to spoil the taste of my food or delay the rest of our evening. It still sucks.

[Joe Bausch]

My wife and I can be out to eat with another couple having a lovely time until the entree's are served. Much like in golf one of our dining partners discretely removes her phone and takes a picture of her and her husbands food. It does nothing to spoil the taste of my food or delay the rest of our evening. It still sucks.

Why anyone would want to take a picture of the great food at the House of Como while with the K's astounds me. :-)

[Stewart Abramson]

When four Stewart's get together and take 40 pictures per round each who gets first right to show these pictures that everyone is dying to see?

...I am currently struggling with the demons of selfish and rude.  I can no longer tell them apart.  Am I being rude for wanting to not live constantly under camera surveillance or are the photogs being selfish wanting to document every aspect of their lives.

The only person who looks forward to seeing the photos I take is me.

I can see your struggles from your posts. How does a photo of a golf hole have anything to do with surveilling you? Perhaps the struggle is with paranoia rather than selfishness and rudeness. I don't see the relationship between the hobby of taking course photos  and "documenting every aspect of [anyone's] life".

Fortunately, since you don't take any photos, three Stewarts would be the max you'd have to endure, and at least one would likely be a Stuart.  In all my rounds, I've only played rounds with another person who takes course photos three times, two of which were this year with a friend I met through this website. I never realized it was an issue. Now that I know that taking photos on golf courses and restaurants "sucks", perhaps you can provide an exhaustive list of places that should not be photographed

[John Kavanaugh]

If you multitask your hobbies you most likely fail at both. Why not focus on one and not bore the world with the other. I personally love the world of human powered vehicles and golf but never mix the two. It would be like ball room dancing and chess or archery and taxidermy. When one foot is not put before the other you may find yourself stuffing your partner.

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