Why do people strain so much to photograph the Pope?

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Sir2v4

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It makes me laugh to see so many people trying to get a picture of the Pope, when his image is so accessible in print (for a fee) and in digital (for free)

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I remember when Pope Francis asked such a man who wanted to take a picture of himself and the pope - “are you 14 year old?”
Because adolescence is our postmodern idol…
 
OldCAFMember said:
This question is a joke, right?
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Why would it be a joke?

I remember as a child being advised by a relative “don’t take a picture that you could buy a postcard of”

Having your own picture of the Pope, the crowd, from where you are standing can evoke powerful memories. But many, many people simply see it as flawed. Why have an imperfect, off-center, perhaps even blurry picture when you can have a absolutely perfect one? It’s a valid question for those who see photography as the art of beauty and not as the curaitor of memory.
 
Because the individual took it. And for the same reason that altogether too many people go on vacation, and have everyone line up, often in front of the scenery to the point of blocking out most of it.

A prime example: a friend of mine took pictures of the four gathered at a restaurant. Posed pictures of people sitting at a table.

Since the shot was going to be at a table, a more creative picture would have been to take one of several of them in conversation, preferably not even knowing the picture was being taken. Most people with little or no knowledge of photography have no clue. The same goes for taking a snapshot of the Pope; I would hazard a guess that maybe one in one thousand might be better; the rest only a memory, and one poorly presented.

And this is not particular to this Pope by any means.

As another example; after the Rite of Election there is a coffee and cookies time next to the cathedral, and the archbishop will go over and mingle among the Elect and their sponsors. Too many pictures with one standing next to the bishop and posing; a far better picture is one talking with the Archbishop, both ignoring the camera (or simply being unaware of it). Alas, most picture takers don’t get it.
 
otjm said:
Because the individual took it. And for the same reason that altogether too many people go on vacation, and have everyone line up, often in front of the scenery to the point of blocking out most of it.

A prime example: a friend of mine took pictures of the four gathered at a restaurant. Posed pictures of people sitting at a table.

Since the shot was going to be at a table, a more creative picture would have been to take one of several of them in conversation, preferably not even knowing the picture was being taken. Most people with little or no knowledge of photography have no clue. The same goes for taking a snapshot of the Pope; I would hazard a guess that maybe one in one thousand might be better; the rest only a memory, and one poorly presented.

And this is not particular to this Pope by any means.

As another example; after the Rite of Election there is a coffee and cookies time next to the cathedral, and the archbishop will go over and mingle among the Elect and their sponsors. Too many pictures with one standing next to the bishop and posing; a far better picture is one talking with the Archbishop, both ignoring the camera (or simply being unaware of it). Alas, most picture takers don’t get it.
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I dunno. I have a “posed” but imperfect picture with the Archbishop and my friends. I LOVE that picture. There are 4 of us once all in our early 20’s having a night out in the big city…now a nun, a priest, a mother and a father…a decade has gone by. You can see our faces and his, and we are all so happy. It was a great moment. No candid could capture that.
 
Sir2v4 said:
It makes me laugh to see so many people trying to get a picture of the Pope, when his image is so accessible in print (for a fee) and in digital (for free)
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There are people for whom seeing the Pope is part of daily life or, at least, a frequent occurrence. Even for those who work in the Vatican, it is appreciated to have photos with the Pope to memorialise a moment in time in their live – and also because Popes come and go

For a number far far more vast, being close enough to a Pope to photograph him is a once in a lifetime occurrence. It is very touching to see the impact that can have on a person. And such people can want a photo that captures the vantage point that was theirs in the moment when they saw him and were closest to him.
 
The Pope in Peru atm. Did you see everyone hugging him as he got off his plane.

You go, Holy Father! 🙏🕊️
 
Why do people miss out on the special moments in their life, a child’s First Communion, a friend’s wedding, their kid singing in a school play, because they have to get it on video?

Put the phone aside, live those moments.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
For a number far far more vast, being close enough to a Pope to photograph him is a once in a lifetime occurrence.
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I’ve been three times to the pope’s Angelus. Once in Castel Gandolfo (Benedict XVI), twice in Rome (Benedict and Francis). This past November, I had the good fortune to be at the Wednesday general audience with reserved seating at the same level as the Holy Father’s seat, and a stone’s throw away.

It was most certainly a unique experience for me and one I am not likely to enjoy frequently in the years remaining to me.

Needless to say, I took pictures! You hit the nail right on the head! Nothing beats, in such a case, a picture taken by one’s self. Anybody can buy a postcard, but to have the picture in your own camera… need I say more?
 
OraLabora said:
I’ve been three times to the pope’s Angelus. Once in Castel Gandolfo (Benedict XVI), twice in Rome (Benedict and Francis). This past November, I had the good fortune to be at the Wednesday general audience with reserved seating at the same level as the Holy Father’s seat, and a stone’s throw away.

It was most certainly a unique experience for me and one I am not likely to enjoy frequently in the years remaining to me.

Needless to say, I took pictures! You hit the nail right on the head! Nothing beats, in such a case, a picture taken by one’s self. Anybody can buy a postcard, but to have the picture in your own camera… need I say more?
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I trust you know that the papal photographer would have shots from the audience you attended.
 
Name any other person on earth - beside Christ - whose image instantly and automatically represents Christianity. Except for “bible Christians” he is the symbol of Christianity to the entire world.

What are they supposed to do, photograph bibles or something?
 
Hey, I was thrilled to pieces when I got my very own picture of Pope Francis about 10 feet away in his Popemobile on my own little phone camera after sitting in the rain for 3 hours and then waiting an extra hour or more after the public speaking part of his audience while he talked to all the VIPs, brides and grooms, etc. before finally coming down to the Popemobile. All the rest of my tour group had left to go eat lunch.

When you travel a very great distance to go to Rome and see the Pope, it’s very exciting to have him that close for a photo, given security and all. I realize people who live there and see him all the time are probably used to it, but the last time I saw a Pope (John Paul II) it was from the upper seats in a sports stadium, not 10 feet away.
 
TheLittleLady said:
Why do people miss out on the special moments in their life, a child’s First Communion, a friend’s wedding, their kid singing in a school play, because they have to get it on video?

Put the phone aside, live those moments.
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I got to see a favorite singer live and I know he’s sort of tired of seeing people taking pictures and video instead of being in the moment. So I tried but I’m glad I took some video and that someone took video of the whole concert. I wish I’d have done the same now. Some of us have poor recall and if I didn’t have my videos or watch the vids taken by someone on the other side of the stage I would only recall what I felt, some of what I saw and only a little what I heard.
 
It is human nature to place great significance on sites and people that are special to us and that can elicit bold actions that might be seen as foolish by another.The Roman Coliseum, the ancient burial place of a saint such as St Martin de Tours, the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, etc., or of a living soul such as the Pope or somebody visited while they are still alive, such as the case with St John Vianney or St Padre Pio among others.

This question reminds me of Chapter VI in St Therese of Liseaux’s Story of a Soul and her zealous behavior during her pilgrimage to Rome, a chapter that left a particularly strong impression on me:

"I was finally gazing upon that arena where so many martyrs had shed their blood for Jesus. I was already preparing to kneel down and kiss the soil they had made holy, but what a disappointment! The place was nothing but a heap of ruins, and the pilgrims were expected to be satisfied with simply looking at these. A barrier prevented them from entering the ruins. No one would be tempted to do so. But was it possible to come all the way to Rome and not go down into the Colosseum? For me it was impossible! I no longer heard the guide’s explanations. One thought raced through my mind: get down into the arena! Seeking a workman pass by carrying a stepladder, I was on the verge of asking his advice, and it was good I didn’t as he would have considered me a fool. In the Gospel, we read that Mary Magdalene stayed close to the tomb, and every once in a while she stooped down to peer inside. She finally saw two angels. Like her, while recognizing the impossibility of seeing my desires fulfilled, I continued to look towards the ruins into which I wanted to descend; I didn’t see any angels, but I did see what I was looking for and I cried to Celine: “Come quick! We can get though!” We crossed the barrier where there was an opening, the fallen masonry hardly reaching up to the barrier, and we were climbing down over the ruins that rumbled under our feet.

Papa stared at us, surprised at our boldness. He was calling us back, but the two fugitives no longer heard anything…"

[pg 130]
 
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Thank you to all who replied. Well, I’ve not been to Rome, so I don’t know how I would act there, but I’m sure there are lots of tourist places to get tons of photos of everything in Rome and the Popes, as much as one would care.
 
You are right. I was fortunate enough to attend a papal audiencea year and a half ago. I just HAD to take pictures. I get to go again in a month and a half, and this time the phone/camera is staying in my pocket.
 
Queen has been touring off and on the last several years and for some time now Brian May takes video of himself and the audience using a stereoscopic selfie stick. I think he’s heard the grumblings of people who question taking selfies or using selfie sticks and he has explained to the audience that people who take these selfies do so for the memories and that is why he does it.

LOL I just checked and he has them all uploaded to his Youtube channel. Here’s one:

 
If you have a picture of him that you yourself took then you can remember the moment; every time you look at that picture you’ll be reminded of it.
 
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