In this day and age, we’re accustomed to using our phone cameras for everything and having unlimited access to the pictures we take. Even though this can be gratifying in some ways, it doesn’t have the same charm as printed photographs. Disposable cameras are an amazing way to improve your mental health, especially when it comes to the avoiding toxicity that can result from taking too many digital photos.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to purchase a disposable camera, look no further. VALLEY is here to tell you why using disposable cameras can give you major mental health benefits.
Delayed Gratification
When you’re taking photos with friends or family on a phone camera, you’re given the instant gratification of seeing the pictures and being able to share them almost immediately. Although this can be satisfying, the delayed gratification of a disposable camera gives you something to look forward to. Nowadays, so much is handed to us instantly. We have access to so much information in the matter of seconds, which has resulted in us expecting everything immediately.
Using disposable cameras allows people to become more patient, and the excitement of having something to look forward to can be so beneficial for mental health. Even though they’re just photographs, thinking about the excitement of finally receiving them can help you get through a tough week of school or a bad day at work.
Lack of Self-Criticism
Let’s be honest, we’ve all experienced scrolling through our camera rolls and criticizing ourselves in pictures. Of course it’s normal to have insecurities, but looking at hundreds of photographs and picking ourselves apart is a toxic habit. When using a disposable camera, you are not able to see the photos immediately, which prevents any instantaneous criticism or reminders of your insecurities. It also allows you to live in the moment when you’re spending time with friends and family, since you are not able to obsess over looking through the images on your phone.
These pictures are not initially intended for sharing and posting on social platforms, so there is way less pressure associated with taking them. Taking pictures with a disposable camera has more of an excitement associated with it, since the images do take so long to develop. Due to the quality and format of these pictures, it is far less likely that you will be able to criticize yourself when you look at them, since they are not given to you in such large volumes.
A Memory to Keep
Now that we are deep into the digital age, it’s rare that people have physical items as keepsakes. Many of our memories are stored digitally, and there is no telling where they will end up years down the line. No one really knows if we’ll still have all our social media accounts or digital photographs in the future when we want to take a trip down memory lane, which is why disposable cameras can be so beneficial.
Just as you take photos on your phone when you’re with your friends or trying to capture a cute outfit, try using your disposable camera for a couple of pictures. Having a physical copy of your memories, as well as the digital copies, will ensure that you have access to these keepsakes in the future. They are also perfect for using as decorations throughout your living space, and you can print as many copies as you would like.
Disposable cameras can be purchased at almost any drug store or grocery store for about $13 dollars a camera. Developing the images is an extra cost that can vary depending on how many prints you purchase, but it can range between $10 and $30 at various stores.
Have you tried using a disposable camera? Tweet us at @VALLEYmag!
