In school, at work, or at lunch. Walking through the grocery store, sitting in a waiting room, or laying in bed. In that any setting that you walk into today, an electronic device will most likely be lighting up the face of at least one individual.

Technology is amazing and we have advanced so far with it, but the positive effects of it have overshadowed the negatives. Have you ever been having a conversation with someone who didn’t look up from their screen? You have probably felt ignored in this circumstance, right? What about when you’re sitting and watch television with your family? Someone is usually on another electronic device while “watching”. We have neglected real communication and our surroundings in exchange for our technology.

Photographer Eric Pickersgill took the following photos and then edited out the smartphones and tablets in them. These people are everyday people just like you and me. Many of us can point to a picture and say, “That looks like me and my family/boyfriend/friends!” That is the sad and disturbing truth to these photos; they are so realistic.

These photos are a prime example of our world today. Is this how you want to be seen?