I have a very unchangeable opinion regarding photography, mostly because I have learned from my mistakes. I was 16 when I first traveled to Italy, my first international vacation. I went with my high school Italian class. Our voyage took us from northern Italy all the way through Sicily. The trip lasted two weeks, and when I returned home I realized that I had accumulated over 800 pictures. For what?! When I look at them, sure they are pleasant memories to reflect on, but I do not remember these wonderful places as they are in the photos. I would say that 99% of the pictures you will waste time taking cannot come close to properly displaying the splendor of what you are looking at, and I feel that you are robbing yourself of experiences by viewing them through a lens.
I am not hating on every picture taken ever. Some pictures are well worth it, I treasure dearly a picture of my Dad and I sitting at McGills Pub in Ireland. If you are a photographer, take as many as you would like. I just feel that as a traveler, it dampens the experience. Having learned from my lesson, I took fewer than 200 pictures during our voyage to Dublin. Still way too many. The one photo with my Pops is worth all 30 pictures I took of Trim Castle and all 40 I took of Blarney Castle, plus all of the other random pictures that I felt that I needed to take. I take no more than 10 pictures of every city I visit now, that's it. If there are more than that, it's Jerry's fault. If you have to take a million pictures though, there is a story I want to share. When we were climbing the Duomo in Florence, about half way up I witnessed a man stop right in the middle of the walkway, stick his over-sized camera through a small ventilation window and lean in to take a picture of the view. While still in the way, almost as if in a trance he pulled his camera back to look at the picture, nodded in approval then kept walking. Did I mention he took the time to enjoy the view without his camera? No? That's because he didn't! So to all of you, I say that if you are going to take a picture of every amazing thing, do not forget to take the time to enjoy it as well.
I am not hating on every picture taken ever. Some pictures are well worth it, I treasure dearly a picture of my Dad and I sitting at McGills Pub in Ireland. If you are a photographer, take as many as you would like. I just feel that as a traveler, it dampens the experience. Having learned from my lesson, I took fewer than 200 pictures during our voyage to Dublin. Still way too many. The one photo with my Pops is worth all 30 pictures I took of Trim Castle and all 40 I took of Blarney Castle, plus all of the other random pictures that I felt that I needed to take. I take no more than 10 pictures of every city I visit now, that's it. If there are more than that, it's Jerry's fault. If you have to take a million pictures though, there is a story I want to share. When we were climbing the Duomo in Florence, about half way up I witnessed a man stop right in the middle of the walkway, stick his over-sized camera through a small ventilation window and lean in to take a picture of the view. While still in the way, almost as if in a trance he pulled his camera back to look at the picture, nodded in approval then kept walking. Did I mention he took the time to enjoy the view without his camera? No? That's because he didn't! So to all of you, I say that if you are going to take a picture of every amazing thing, do not forget to take the time to enjoy it as well. 
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