The Sick and Dying
North of Chiang Mai, Thailand there is a little village that gives the refugee Karen people a chance to make a living simply by opening their homes to prying tourist. At first I thought this was really invasive, to have a complete stranger walk through their homes and take a picture of them doing their daily chores. But then as I thought about it and spoke to some of the residents, my opinions changed…to a point. This set up provides these people a safe haven and constant income and helps keep their traditional way of life alive.
There is a downside for me and I think for other globe trotting photographers, it also gives every Jane, Dick or Harry a chance to be a “Travel Photographer” and get that exotic image. Thus, the unique perspective of the hard to get to place is gone forever. The exotic image is considerably less exotic. It makes the journey more like a trip to Epcot rather than a true adventure. I had been feeling this for sometime. But when I saw one of the same faces I had photographed at this village in Thailand in someone’s else’s Blurb book I realized it was true. Yesterday David duChemin summed it up in his blog entry Travel Photography is Dead. I could not have said it more eloquently.
It may have changed but I think you’re making cultures live in ways the average tourist could never do. Imaging history as well. Those cultures will eventually change. People in centuries to come will be curious about them. Guess what I’m trying to say here is, your images will be a documentary of the past and saught after. When David Roberts painted his pictures of The Holy Land, I’m sure he never thought people today would be so captivated by those. I would never underestimate the message or the poetry of a powerful photograph. Best Wishes.
Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying there is no room for images like mine. But, the market is being flooded by poor quality images by insensitive photographers.
From the personal side of things, there is the adventure that so many of us dreamed about as children. We watch National Geographic specials on Saturday night TV and only dreamed of going to places like that. Then, once you finally get there, there is the feeling that you are visiting and photographing where few have gone. This “journey”, this “adventure” is no longer difficult to obtain, thus the excitement and mystery is less. With todays cheap travel and digital imagery, everyone is a travel photographer. And if everyone is, then maybe no one is. So, the challenge is to be the best and to shoot the story rather and the scene. Thanks for your comments.
Hi again, nice of you to reply. I know what you mean. I was influenced as a child by the writer Freya Stark. So, I worked in Iran when I grew up. Much later in the Holy Land, working and living with the Palestinians. Their story became my story. That was the adventure, experiencing the culture through their eyes. What you see in the people, I see in your images. Much thanks for that unique perspective.