I recently finished listening to a really interesting podcast that got me thinking about how we document our lives—especially as someone who does it for a living. The show is How to Know What's Real and the episode is called 'Can We Keep Time?'. The hosts talked about the way we capture moments today, from social media apps like BeReal to the idea of journaling or keeping personal diaries. It really made me reflect on what I do as a videographer and how it ties into this larger human impulse to hold onto time.

One of the things they touched on was the idea of “hoarding memories” —taking endless photos or videos or journaling incessantly without ever really going back to them. There is nothing inherently wrong with this. Plenty of people do it and there's a larger conversation about connection when it comes to posting on social media to be had. But it made me think about the way people use their phones to capture every little thing, but never revisit those moments. It’s like we’re afraid of losing time, but at the same time, we aren’t truly engaging with those memories. As a documentary photographer and videographer, I try to avoid that hoarding mentality in my work. (In my personal life, it's a different story!) My job isn’t just to capture everything but to carefully choose the moments that tell a story—something that you’ll actually want to go back and experience again.

This sparked the thought about the difference between everyday social media capture versus documentary work. The prevalence of cameras over the last few decades has undoubtedly changed access to photos and the ability to document. But there is space for both, in my opinion. FLESH THIS OUT?

There was also a part where the hosts talked about reading old journals that stuck out to me. One of them asked if reading those entries felt like revisiting yourself or looking into someone else’s life. I found that fascinating because, in a way, I think it’s a bit of both. Memories change over time, and sometimes they feel distant, like they happened to someone else. When I create videos, especially for clients, I always wonder how they’ll feel when they watch it years later. Will they feel like they’re stepping back into that moment, or will it feel like watching someone else’s life unfold?

The podcast really made me reflect on the difference between everyday documentation, like what people do on social media, and what I do as a professional documentarian. Apps like BeReal are great for capturing spontaneous, ordinary moments, and there’s definitely value in that. But what I do is more intentional. I’m not just capturing moments—I’m crafting a story. Whether it’s a wedding, a personal project, or an event, I’m thinking about how those moments will feel in the future. My goal is to capture not just what happened, but how it felt—so that when you watch the video again, it brings you right back to that time.

Ultimately, the podcast reminded me why I love what I do. There’s something so powerful about being able to shape the way people remember their lives. I think we all want to hold onto time in some way, but the key is being selective. You don’t need to document everything—you just need to capture what matters. And when you do, those memories become something much more than just photos or videos—they become a way to keep time.