On a recent trip, a young PR professional introduced me to the term, plandid and it refuses to fade from my mind. You might turn back and ask “but what is a plandid or pladid travel photos?” I will come back to it in a minute. But before going any further let me clarify, I am a miserable flop at it!
I searched the net (only the first page of Google) and came up with some articles on plandid. The Urban Dictionary says- “When you plan to take a photo that is supposed to appear candid.”
And that hit me right between the eyes, it felt like all I see on Instagram (and other platforms too) are plandids! At times it feels like I am drowning in it. As I mostly look at travel photos, my observations are more about plandids in travel but I am sure they are everywhere, in food, in fashion and every other thing you can scroll on social media
So how does one takes a plandid? Bustle.com has some advice
“So, how are you supposed to plan your best plandid? There appear to be a few main points. First, take approximately a million photos, so you’ll have more choices later. If your phone has a “burst” function, use it. Second, whether you’re going for “happy lady with salad” or “philosopher atop a mountain,” put on your best emoting face and aim it away from the camera. Finally, don’t take it too seriously, or you’ll ruin the whole casual vibe — a cardinal sin in this case.
I cannot pose for one single photo properly, forget taking a million. But is this travel all about? Putting yourself looking candid against a great backdrop? How many times can I feel excited by the same look splashed all over my feed? If you scroll travel feeds and you will see a million variation of the same theme! And they do well engagement wise too
I also happen to travel with some people who do this most of the time. The trip goes something like this and I am generalizing, it is not true for any one individual.
There will be a lady dressed in an most unfriendly gown for coach travel! But that gown will look splendid against the sea! I met someone who would change her dress at every pit stop in dodgy washrooms to get that plandid look! I know they work hard to get that particular look but is this why we travel? And is this what we need to go gaga over, again and again? On one trip after the plandids were done everyone went to a cafe, leaving the place completely unexplored! Talking to the locals, or curiosity about anything local is far far from the radar!
I am the last person to talk about authenticity and sanctity of travel because I will do all things touristy at the drop of a hat! But I can certainly talk about being bored and the plandid trend getting on my last nerves of sanity!
PPS. It is me in the first and last picture! I fall in the #plandidfail category!
मैं भी यही सोच रहा था कि ये plandid होता क्या है और फिर shabdkosh.com से सर्च किया लेकिन उसे भी नहीं पता था कि ये क्या बाला है 🙂 और हाँ , ये सिर्फ आपकी पोस्ट का टाइटल पढ़ कर ही सर्च किया , बाद में तो आपने बता ही दिया !!
Ha ha to me plandid is something that leads to headache eventually! 😀
Hi, I can only view the 1st and the last Picture. Those is the middle are not coming up.
Ah that is a pity because I can see them all!
Ha ha ha ha ha. Don’t know what to say. Now good old travel is getting diversity treatment. Maybe to each his/her own.
Yes to each their own in the end! 😀
I wonder what my pictures are classified .. neither planned nor candid
Good shots, I will say 😀
That’s something new! 🙂 Beautiful shots!
Thank you 😀
I learnt something new! I found it funny and definitely not something I would do – but yes, something that I see all over Instagram.
I saw it all over Instagram and I had this vague feeling, till the young girl gave me the word to voice my feelings 😀 plandid indeed!
“plandid” is something like “chilax” ,did not have any idea about “plandid” thanks for sharing with this beautiful post.
Thank you Jyotimoy!
Hi,
I feel in general we adults in general will be plandidfails. Small kids succeed in being subjects of plandid pictures.
To each their own I guess 😀
Good to Know about this
My pics are neither candid nor planned
Even Nobody clicks my pics candidly
Ha ha same for me it is very difficult to have a decent pic of mine as I can’t pose 😀
Plandid is a new word for me. Earlier, I learnt the word “chimping’ from one of your posts. I understood that I have got a bad habit of chimping and now, I’m planning to have a #plandid… 🙂
Boy you remember chimping? You have some memory, I wrote that ages ago! I am getting better at chimping but plandid I won’t even try!
Okay! So that it what plandid is! A planned Candid photo. I loved your pics!!
Thank you Preethi, in travel you see them everywhere these days!
That’s such an honest and beautiful post! I love the way you are always yourself, Mridula ☺️ And thanks for introducing this new term ‘Plandid’ to us. Even though I never knew there’s a word for it but yes I tried joining the rat race by attempting at such so called candid pictures. I too failed miserably at it ? So, yes I fall under the #plandidfail category.
Thank you Anjali may our tribe grow who are #plandidfail
Still I didn’t get what Plandid is… I think, that’s fine unable to understand everything and it’s quite okay being ‘outdated’ to such things. I agree with you, traveling is not just for posing. If we don’t sense it, what else do we get?
Sindhu I am sure you will get it if you scroll travel photos on Instagram!
Interesting concept and pics!
Thank you Rajeev!