Visual Studies - Year 3
The purpose of the travel photography used in tour operators' brochures is to sell the holiday as the prospect of paradise. The images are always posed, showing the destination in its best light and this in turn helps to boost the economy of the visited country.
Many tourists whilst on holiday spend a great deal of time capturing those same views that they have seen in the brochures through the lenses of their own cameras. Its seems that they are trying to capture the image to keep as a trophy. When they return home, this is reassurance that sights were seen and fun was had. As a result, the tourist is refusing the actual travel experience, allowing themselves only to experience the different culture through the act of taking the photograph. 'Point, click and move on to the next tourist attraction,' suggests that we are able to relax and leave our everyday work structures behind even when we are on holiday!
During February 2001 I went on an adventure group holiday with Explore Worldwide in Southern Morocco. The holiday was called the Kasbah Trail and through my travel photography I explored these two concepts. Firstly I made myself a structure by taking a photograph every hour that I was awake regardless of the location. Secondly I did not look through the view finder of the camera for any of the photographs; therefore none of the images are posed. The photographs were taken with a fixed lens compact camera and the angles of view ranged from; camera placed on the ground, on a nearby table, on a window ledge particularly whilst travelling in the landrover or pointing up towards the sky. My reasoning behind these unconventional views is that traveling particularly in Third World countries makes you see your life in a different perspective. For me these images represent the unseen travel experience where the adventure is in not knowing what to expect next and nothing is unacceptable.
