Before the pandemic, sharing images and photos of our everyday lives was normal. Instagram stories and Facebook posts were constantly being uploaded to show off our day’s events, from selfies to our travel adventures. Once Covid-19 hit and we entered a year of lockdowns and restrictions, our photo sharing habits quickly ceased.
With the UK gradually coming out of another lockdown, Clickasnap take a look at how our photo sharing routine has changed and what it looks like now we’re nearing some sort of normality.
A new flurry of activity
In recent days, social media has slowly become alive with activity again. As restrictions have eased and shops and outdoor hospitality have reopened, people have found themselves being able to plan things for the weekend. Whether it’s a haircut, meeting up in a beer garden or getting vaccinated, we have begun to enjoy doing something that is newsworthy.
Last year didn’t amount to much when it came to opportunities for great photos, as many of us stayed at home for so many months. Socialising and travelling were incredibly limited, instead meaning that many of our captured memories were of walks at the weekend and sitting in our own gardens.
Now that we are in a period of restrictions being eased, it’s clear that society feels much more comfortable sharing photos again. Previously, many were wary of posting anything for fear of being judged for not following guidelines or for fear of being insensitive to any going through a tough time.
Photo sharing becoming a tool to bring others together again
Starting with the motif of a rainbow during the pandemic for the NHS, photo and image sharing is becoming a way of bringing communities back together again as we hopefully emerge from the effects of the pandemic. Many outlets have released photos of cities and people throughout the course of the pandemic, which is something that will be remembered for decades to come.
Using imagery to document these unique times, photos across the world have been shared to show the impact of lockdowns and closed businesses, as well as highlighting how countries have come together in the fight against the virus. Now, these images are gradually being replaced by people coming together again in new ways, in beer gardens, vaccination centres, shops and salons.
Our new photo sharing trends
The return of photo-worthy moments has been a huge milestone for many. From meeting friends to attending smaller weddings, we are beginning to see life spring back into action.
There has also been a change in how we share our photos too, with many opting for a ‘photo dump’ whereby multiple photos from previous weeks are uploaded in one go, instead of one or two in real-time. This is perhaps a nod to nostalgic photo albums and creating a bank of memories. Whatever your photo sharing habits, it’s certainly been refreshing to see images of people enjoying life again.