There is a reason why most people’s eyes glaze over when asked if they want to see their neighbor’s, coworker’s, or in-law’s vacation pictures. For many travelers, their idea of a good photo is one that they, or their traveling companion, are in.
So the pictures become a parade of someone standing in front of a scenic view, building, or monument smiling at the camera…or waving at the camera…or pointing at the scenic view, building, or monument, to make sure the viewer understood the point of the photo.
There is certainly a place for the keepsake snapshot. But if that’s the only type of picture in your photographic repertoire, it becomes if-it’s-Tuesday-it-must-be Belgium monotonous.
Photos are merely visual representation of how we are viewing any given environment. So it’s helpful to designate two types of photos that can be taken when on as trip: vacation photos and travel photos.
Vacation photos, in essence, are all about the travelers. The Eiffel Tower in the background or the glimpse of Cozumel’s snow white beaches is of secondary emotional interest. These photos are primarily taken to capture idyllic moments in time so they can later prompt or recapture how it felt to experience a new place; the camaraderie shared; the freedom of being away from the responsibilities of daily life. The focus of these photos is the person, not the place. They are very uniquely personal which is why others lose interest after the first half dozen shots or so.
This is not to downplay the bonding value of vacation photos between the couple or family that took them. Shared memories and experiences are powerful emotional connections and looking pictures that captured the antics of loved ones on a trip makes the photos invaluable keepsakes.
Travel photos can be just as powerful and compelling but for entirely different reasons. The point of travel photography is to capture the essence of a place or its people. At their best, travel photos immortalize the human condition or a universal emotion. They tell a story that each viewer interprets differently based on their own experiences. This is why people are captivated by the pictures in almost any National Geographic magazine. We are fascinated with remote island tribesmen even though they have absolutely nothing in common with us – except their humanness and spirit which transcend the lack of modern technology.
Travel photography evokes a place and time visually, the way a writer’s does with words. The best travel pictures bring the location alive. While the snapshot of Dad in front of the Great Pyramid is a great sentimental value, a photo of the pyramid set against the rising sun speaks to the age of Egypt and the human quest for immortality, even if just in stone monuments. Taking a picture of Mom atop a camel trying not to fall off will be cherished by family members but a shot of two camels munching on their breakfast, curious eyes sizing up a stranger, says a lot about the differences in our cultures.
A picture of the kids standing at the water’s edge in Mexico will tug sentimentally when they are grown while the photo of the local girl selling her wares offers a glimpse into a different kind of future.
Combining both perspectives will create an album that everyone will want to browse through time and time again.
