Our Technology, Ourselves

Earlier this month, reporter Ellen McCarthy scouted around town with washingtonpost.com photographer Hunter Wilson and caught people in the act of being themselves electronically. Here's what they were doing and why they said they were doing it.

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Back from a long night of Fourth of July partying, Sreya Mean of Rockville waits at Union Station for her brother to pick her up. He, however, has become slightly lost. So Mean, 26, uses the cell phone option on her BlackBerry to guide him in.

"It's just so important. If I didn't have this phone, I don't know how anyone would get in touch with me," Mean says. "A lot of my friends have this, too, so we just talk back and forth on e-mail."

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The Taylor family -- Robert, 40, Christine, 32, and daughter Kelsey, 12, of Nutley, N.J. -- aren't just looking for a few snapshots for posterity's sake. To fully capture their week-long visit to Washington, the Taylors are using a 35mm film camera, a single-lens reflex digital camera, two digital point-and-shoot cameras and a Sony video camera.

"We brought everything we have, so it's a much heavier load to carry, but it's a much more enjoyable experience," says Robert Taylor.

Back at home after the week-long trip, Christine is filtering through hundreds of pictures the three hobbyists took to compile a scrapbook of the vacation. Best shot? An early morning view of the Korean War Memorial with a slight reflection of the Lincoln Memorial.

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Waiting for a train back home to New York, his iPod music player transports nonprofit worker Sean Hamilton back to the good times he had at a wedding two years ago. The loving couple gave each of their guests a CD of their favorite songs -- including more than a little Stevie Wonder -- that Hamilton downloaded onto his music device. The collection has become a personal favorite.

"It entertains me, keeps me occupied," says Hamilton, 36. "It pacifies me."

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