Hiker stops inviting influencer friend Cora, who turns every trek into a photoshoot session with constant poses and tripod setups, complete with outfit changes and complaints: ‘She said we were “ruining her content flow.”’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Dec 9, 2025 12:00 PM EST

Most of us are pretty much glued to our phones most of our waking hours. That's nothing new by now. And that's why, if you ask me, our time away from it: hobbies, habits, whatever activity we do without it is kinda sacred at this point. For this woman, it's her weekend hike.

Once a peaceful escape from screens, it now doubles as a behind-the-scenes documentary for one woman's influencer dreams. The organizer just wants to enjoy the forest, breathe the air, and maybe share some trail mix. Enter Cora, whose cardio begins and ends with finding her light. The first hike was tolerable. She posed with trees. She adjusted her hair. She crouched dramatically near a rock. By the third outing, she brought a tripod, platform sneakers, and a full commitment to method acting as someone who hikes.  

Every five minutes, the group halts while Cora records herself "walking naturally in nature." The result is a hike that takes three hours longer than scheduled and generates more frustration than endorphins. The hikers start moving ahead. Cora sulks. When told to plan her own photo day, she claims suppression of her creativity. Apparently, the woods exist not for wildlife but for her engagement metrics. 

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  • AITJ for no longer inviting my friend on hikes after she kept turning every outing into a photoshoot?

    Woman taking a selfie on a sunny mountain trail beside a bold quote about constant photo stops: "She stopped every few minutes to take perfectly posed photos"
    via Boryana Manzurova

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I love hiking. It's my stress relief. My friend "Cora" asked to join me a few months ago and I was thrilled because I enjoy company.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • Except she doesn't actually hike. She treats trails like runway sets. The first time, she stopped every few minutes to take perfectly posed photos.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • The second time, she wore platform sneakers because "they photograph better" and slipped twice. The third time, she brought a tripod and insisted we wait while she filmed herself "walking naturally in nature" over and over again.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • Woman taking a selfie on a scenic mountain hike in athletic wear under clear blue sky
    via Boryana Manzurova

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Meanwhile, the rest of us just wanted to enjoy the outdoors. Last weekend she got irritated because we didn't slow down for her filming breaks.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • She said we were "ruining her content flow." Afterward she texted me saying she felt "excluded" and asked me to let her know next time so she can "plan her outfits." | told her that hikes are not photoshoots and that if she wants to go for content, she should pick her own day because the group isn't interested in stopping every few minutes.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • Woman taking a selfie on a scenic mountain hike in athletic wear under clear blue sky You said: ChatGPT said: Woman posing for a selfie on a sunny mountain hike with wide scenic valley views
    via Boryana Manzurova

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • She said I'm "punishing her for having creative goals." AITJ?
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • CallingThatBS Cora needs to get with the program, she isn't wanting to hike. She wants to appear to hike and have an audience, while she makes content. The hiking group wants to actually hike. She can either hike with the group or be left behind.. She isn't being punished, she was expected to join for a hike not exploring her creative photoshoot ideals. Oops... forgot NYJ! Personally I love to hike but I also love to take wildlife pictures. I hike alone because others talk make noise and you mis
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • III-Veterinarian4208 She's punishing all of you with her content goals.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • bartpieters NTA her goals don't align with the rest of the group
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  • Resident Health NTJ. But she definitely is.
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  • NTJ Baby_In_A-Trenchcoat
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • Former_Storm_716 NTJ at all. Cora is the jerk here! Hiking with friends # being unpaid camera crew. If she wants a photoshoot, she can go do it on her own time, not hijack group hikes and guilt-trip everyone for not catering to her "content flow." You set a completely reasonable boundary: "We're here to hike. If you want to stop every few minutes to film, pick a different day." That's not punishing her. That's protecting the activity you enjoy from being taken over by someone else's entitlement.
    via Legal-Focus-8683
  • u399566 > I'm "punishing her for having creative goals." Yes this is correct and you have my OK to continue doing so until her ridiculous conduct ebbs off. Unbelievable behaviour. But I feel her platform sneaker experiments will teach her what can be done on a hike and what better not to pull off.. NTJ, obviously.
    via Legal-Focus-8683

  • The truth is simple. Not every hobby needs to be content. Some things lose their magic the moment a lens enters the scene. Cora can’t see that normal people go outside to leave the internet behind, not to restage it in 4K. The hiker didn’t exile an artist; she reclaimed her weekend. Peace and quiet deserve just as much respect as creative goals, especially when the only thing nature asks for is that you stop treating it like a set. The mountains will survive without another cinematic outfit change.

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Hiking friends influencer mean girls entitled people
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