Welcome to 2016!

A time of technological advances the likes we never knew possible…like self-lacing shoes and the smart fridge that opens when you approach (seriously).

However, with great power comes great responsibility. As photographers, from professional to smartphone-using amateurs, we all need to take a moment to ease up on some of those habits and compulsions brought on by the social media-obsessed world.

Here are 5 resolutions (from a curmudgeon and a photographer):

1. NO MORE THAN one selfie per day…for your health!

Honestly, there have been more selfie-related deaths this year than SHARK ATTACKS. C’mon, people.

If you insist, do the civilized thing and ask someone else to take your photograph. They’ll be happy to help!

2. No more incessant foodgramming…

…for your waiter’s sake. Unless it’s literally the BEST thing you have ever eaten in your whole entire life, everything you consume does not need to be documented.

3. Be present!

Put the camera phone down during events. Having a screen constantly in front of your face, digitalizing your view, makes you removed from your surroundings versus immersed. Instead of constantly shooting, take a moment to be a part of the whole!

4. No Instagramming while in nature

No matter how fascinating and unique that LEAF you saw was, your entire following could live without it.

5. Create a real-life, hold-in-your-hands photo album!

Why not print those lovely photographs and put them in an album! Nope, not a Facebook album, an actual Photo Album like they did in olden times. That way when company comes over, you’ll have a coffee table book worth oggling!

If you have a CURMUDGEONLY RESOLUTION you’d like to add, put it in the comments BELOW…I would love to hear it…