A family taking a selfie in front of their car (Photo by Monkey Business Images on Shutterstock)
NEW YORK — The average American whips out their phone to take a photo six times each day. A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults reveals that camera rolls are flooded with group photos with friends (66%) and family (69%). This also includes photos of friends (63%) and family (58%) without them in it. Selfies (58%), pet pics (52%), and scenery (43%) also top the list of frequent photos.
Respondents are likely to take photos at events such as graduations (45%), weddings (44%), vacation (40%), and at sporting events (37%). On these occasions, the average person takes nearly 23 pics per event.
Following the event, respondents will look back on those photos a little more than once per month or 13 times per year. Respondents admit they spend nearly 40 percent of the event on their phones taking photos. This may be because 45 percent feel like they need to take pictures in order to remember the event in detail.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Mixbook, a photo book brand, results also reveal that the average person has nearly 3,000 photos (2,795) in their camera roll. Of those, people would like to print out more than one-third of them (34%).
Despite 70 percent of respondents intending to print out the photos they take at least sometimes, only 19 percent “often” do so, while 22 percent “rarely” get around to it. Most commonly, respondents keep the photos they take to themselves (61%). Others look back on them to relive the memories (55%) or post them on social media (53%).
However, respondents’ favorite photo on their camera roll seems to be more personal than an Insta-worthy selfie. Those include “a picture of myself and my three great-grandchildren,” “my cat that passed at 23 years of age,” “the ones of my mother,” and “my cat and dog playing with each other.”
“Photos have this magical way of freezing moments that might otherwise slip away. Each snapshot captures a chapter of our lives, a cherished memory that ties us closer to our loved ones through shared experiences,” says CEO at Mixbook, Andrew Laffoon, in a statement.
When asked how photo-taking habits have changed over the last five years, 31 percent say they take more photos, and 26 percent take fewer. Of those who take more photos, it’s most commonly attributed to a desire to share them with friends and family (75%).
On top of that, respondents want to look back on them later (68%), memorialize what they look like now (62%), and remember everything (56%). On the flip side, those who take fewer photos blame a lack of memory on their phone or camera (59%), not knowing what to do with the photos they take (57%), and having fewer things to take photos of (53%).
When it comes to scouring their camera roll for certain photos from the past, most respondents (54%) find it to be overwhelming.
“In today’s digital age, our camera rolls have become digital black holes where the stories behind our photos are getting lost. This makes it tough for people to hold onto the memories that truly matter,” adds Laffoon. “We help customers not only organize the photos but also curate the important, photo-worthy moments. This way, they can transform them into keepsakes that celebrate the people and moments they never want to forget.”
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Mixbook between August 15 and August 16, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
