Does taking photos enhance or detract from experiences?

Mindful photo-taking can increase enjoyment of and memory for experiences, but a social outward-focus can negate these effects (Diehl and Zauberman 2022):

• Taking photos enhances enjoyment of positive experiences when photo-taking increases engagement with the experience (Diehl et al 2016). This is less likely when the experience itself is already highly engaging (Diehl et al 2016), or when photo-taking interferes with the experience (Diehl et al 2016; Nardini et al 2019).
• Taking pictures with the intention to share them with others reduces enjoyment of experiences due to increased self-presentational concern during the experience, which can reduce enjoyment directly as well as indirectly by lowering engagement with the experience, especially among people who are more self-conscious and who are intending to share the photos with acquaintances rather than close friends (Barasch et al 2018).