When you travel, do you take lots of photos or do you prefer to just live the moment?

B Natural answer

On most trips, I do both. I’ll capture the view when I arrive somewhere beautiful, but I don’t keep my camera out all day. A few photos are enough for me, because if I’m always taking pictures, I stop paying attention to what’s in front of me. I usually take some time to put the phone away when I’m walking, sitting in a café, or talking to local people. That’s when the trip starts to feel real. Later, I like being able to remember how it felt, not just what the place looked like. So I don’t think photos and living the moment are opposite. I think the best trip is the one where you do a bit of both, but you stay present for most of it.

Key phrases in this answer

• capture the view — take a photo that shows a nice scene or landscape“I stopped to capture the view before the sun went down.”
• put the phone away — stop using your phone and keep it out of sight“I like to put the phone away when I’m walking around a city.”
• remember how it felt — recall the emotion or experience, not only the facts“The photos help me remember how it felt to be there.”
• take a few photos — take a small number of pictures, not many“I usually take a few photos at the start, then I put my phone away.”
• live the moment — enjoy what is happening right now instead of thinking ahead“I try to live the moment when I’m somewhere new.”
• preserve the atmosphere — keep the mood or feeling of a place“I try to preserve the atmosphere by not taking photos all the time.”