I think he was aiming more at living life rather than being a photographer. Experience listening to your kids sing in a choir, rather than experiencing being a semi-pro photographer at a school while the kids make noise or something while you're trying to compose a great pix. Or experience being on a nature trail, which is pretty cool, rather than experience being a photographer on a nature trail, which is kind of a PITA to haul all that stuff then miss the cool experience because you have camera time instead of nature time.
It drives my wife insane when I buy a professionally taken and professionally printed postcard for a buck instead of trying my hand at cruddy homemade pix, then again I get the last laugh because I'm having more fun and get more memories out of the experience...
Obviously if you are a pro or semi pro photographer or serious wanna be, you have to look at that as a job and disregard my suggestion. However if you can't experience life because of your "job" you should still find some way to experience life at an alternative time and place. Like if you miss one sister's wedding because you were there but were a photographer instead of a sibling, try to avoid being a photographer at the other sisters wedding or whatever, so at least you get the experience one time instead of missing out on both. Life moves fast, don't miss out.
I'm not sure he was to be honest - at least it's difficult to be sure from such a terse response. Also I was speaking purely from a photographic perspective.
But your point is definitely valid. With concerts probably being the worst example of this. It's depressing how many people are just staring into their screen trying to capture the moment, instead of experiencing it.
Huge YMMV on this one, obviously. I don't feel particularly moved to believe that you can know whether or not you're having more fun than someone else and "getting more memories" out of an occasion because you forgo the chore of taking photos.
It drives my wife insane when I buy a professionally taken and professionally printed postcard for a buck instead of trying my hand at cruddy homemade pix, then again I get the last laugh because I'm having more fun and get more memories out of the experience...
Obviously if you are a pro or semi pro photographer or serious wanna be, you have to look at that as a job and disregard my suggestion. However if you can't experience life because of your "job" you should still find some way to experience life at an alternative time and place. Like if you miss one sister's wedding because you were there but were a photographer instead of a sibling, try to avoid being a photographer at the other sisters wedding or whatever, so at least you get the experience one time instead of missing out on both. Life moves fast, don't miss out.