What has become of us all?

[tezzasmall]

New Yorker documentary, "Has Taking The Perfect Photo Ruined Tourism In The Spectacle?" Behind a paywall, I'm sure. But worth watching if you can.

Has Taking the Perfect Photo Ruined Tourism in “The Spectacle”?

Yasmin van Dorp’s short film depicts beautiful destinations—and the crowds of cell-phone photographers who inundate them.

www.newyorker.com

Reading the article is behind a wall, but the short documentary of the same name is available for FREE on Youtube:



Terry S

 

[pentaxuser]

Photography at beautiful destinations should be banned.

Does that apply to photos of "beauties" as well?

pentaxuser

 

[Saganich]

I'm in favor of ruining tourism.

 

[warden]

Reminds me a bit of Koyaanisqatsi.

 

[Chuck1]

There are news stories about someone falling off a cliff (or into a hot spring) while fully absorbed by getting a selfie.
It's funny or sad...

 

[Pieter12]

There are news stories about someone falling off a cliff (or into a hot spring) while fully absorbed by getting a selfie.
It's funny or sad...

A few years ago, I was in a National Park where a Ranger was giving a talk. When asked what he did when he was not giving tours, he's said search and rescue. And that most of the people needing rescuing fell while taking selfies.

 

[ooze]

The film was very painful to watch for me, as a significant portion of it was shot in Capadoccia in Turkey (the balloons). I've visited Capadoccia regularly from the 1990's onwards and I've witnessed the changes and finally the scenes in the film first hand. It was also touristy in the 90s, but within bounds, and none of those balloons and ATV's. Then with the rise of the smartphone and social media it devolved into the absurdity of what you see in the film. A wonder of the world is being actively destroyed in the name of tourism. It's utterly disgusting!

 

[snusmumriken]

It is always worth picking up a tour book of the country one is in. If something is in the guide book, avoid it.

Furthermore, if you find something good, don’t tell anyone about it. No-one.

 

[Sirius Glass]

A few years ago my wife and I visited Yellowstone, she'd never been, it was totally different than when I had last been. What a difference, everyone was watching their phones, not the geyser blasting into the air in front of them l

Same thing at the Mona Lisa.
Same thing in Paris.

People do not see with their eyes; they see with their phones.

 

[BrianShaw]

People do not see with their eyes; they see with their phones.

That's the very nature of photography, isn't it?

The outrage here seems to be the tourist hoards and their asinine antics rather than photography itself, in any of it's forms.

 

[CMoore]

.

People do not see with their eyes; they see with their phones.

Oh-Man ................... well said

Reminds me of 7 - 8 years ago.
In the usa, the NFL Team that won the Super Bowl had a parade in their home city. Lots of players sitting in open top limousines.
I remember seeing some of the players filming the parade with their phone.
I thought, My God, you guys are THERE, IN The Parade.
You "should be" soaking it in with your eyes and body, not your phone
I suppose times change.
Perhaps their way is just as good

 

[BrianShaw]

Does that apply to photos of "beauties" as well?

pentaxuser

It depends. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder then it's relative. And since it's relative, that depends on if that beauty is a blood relative or more distant.

 

[Pieter12]

Travel/tourism photos become a substitute for the experience. Unfortunately, some forgo the experience in order to get the photos.

 

[Sirius Glass]

That's the very nature of photography, isn't it?

The outrage here seems to be the tourist hoards and their asinine antics rather than photography itself, in any of it's forms.

When people have their noses stuck in their phone, the mess up the flow of foot traffic.

 

[Vaughn]

Furthermore, if you find something good, don’t tell anyone about it. No-one.

That was our family‘s rule camping in the 1960s. As an American boomer, I am very lucky to have experienced much before iPhones and the Internet advertised every place. I spent six months bicycling in New Zealand before the Lord of the rings, thankfully. No one else would be in the Alabama Hills. And so forth.

But looking at it in a different way, I still photograph in Yosemite Valley, though not in the summer. All the valley icons have been photographed by masters by tourists and by everyone else. In all kinds of light in all the seasons and at all the times of the day.

So I appreciate the challenge of seeing the light in the valley and making it my own.