Is Travel Photography is dead?

Well, with the invention of digital image taken by digital camera with various of kind and source. Some photographers name them as a photographer without labeling what kind of photographer they are. It’s a good hobby and it is very good to have such interest like taking pictures and smile for a moment or get frown with the result. You may skip below intro if you want too.

Taken in Kg. Nahaba, Kota Belud, Kuai's village.

[intro]

I like photography when I was a kid, but I am not a predictable girl as well. So I stop learning photography after a while and in 2008, I start it again, and this time it’s serious. I start to like photography when I do travel. When I said I do travel, it’s not like I travel to international places, but I travel to explore my own country first starting from my state where the best places in Malaysia. Why? Only Sabah has the highest mountain in Malaysia where u can climb from Timpohon Gate or Via Ferrate and our Sipadan Island was nominated under the list wonders of the world in the year of 2009, it just that we do not enough vote and we could not make it to the top. At least, our Sipadan Island of Sabah Borneo made it into the list. Sorry, I’m just too proud to be Sabahan.

Let me share some of the places I have been. I have not been to Semporna of Tawau and in West Coast Islands. I enjoy mountains and clear water but I am not good in swimming and it could be why I am not go into these places yet. My late father was a hunter before, so I enjoy my life in a jungle and deal with mosquitoes and centipede. Warning, don’t expect me to be wild on bed I could be dangerous! LOL. I visit Kuching, Sarawak a few times and I am planning to visit the other town in Sarawak as well. I saw hang tuah foot in Melaka, taste the original lekor in Kemaman, Terengganu, Graduate in Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur but I never thought Singapore was a great get away last year. First trip in April was alone, and I brought my mom and Eleanor the next trip in June where we ended blister on our both foot. All because of we were lost. I wonder if we lost in a jungle? I must have enough battery to capture all the sign in the forest. *big grin* Enough of the self-compliment.

[end of intro]

Let’s talk about the Travel Photography. Is it dead? How you define a travel photography? I saw this lines from Wikipedia, Travel photography is a subcategory of photography involving the documentation of an area's landscape, people, cultures, customs and history. The Photographic Society of America defines a travel photo as an image that expresses the feeling of a time and place, portrays a land, its people, or a culture in its natural state, and has no geographical limitations. So, if you were taking landscape, people, cultures, customs and history you are Travel photographer? There are some complication on how we define what actually means by that nowadays. We would capture Malaysian culture in USA too. For example, when traveler visit Kota Kinabalu, of course they will visiting the mountain or the island. And in a year, we cannot count how many photographer or people who will took the same angle, the same photos with the same weather too.

However I found an interesting articles way back 2007 by David duChemin a world and humanitarian photographer and I think it's good to share his thought here. I love his lines from his post Travel Photographer is Dead *updated* which sound like this "What people heralding the death of travel photography mean is that it’s a market that’s lost its goods. They’ve lost scarcity, the market is saturated, and anyone who wants an image of Taj Mahal can go to Flickr and find 100 photographers who’ve shot the same shot from the same angle on the same camera, and they’ll fight for the chance to give the image away in hopes of garnering a publishing credit. Coffin closed. Eulogy over. Dirt flung. Tears cried." For me, it is 100% true. This is reality. But, it doesn't mean that it's the end of the world. You may read his post on Travel Photography is STILL dead: A rant. Here, you will understand what he want us to see.

Who is the David duChemin?

David duChemin is a world & humanitarian photographer, best-selling author, and international workshop leader. David uses his powers for good and not for evil. This is his blog.

Experience: David is an assignment photographer based in Vancouver. He has extensive international assignment experience on 5 continents.

At 38 years old, David duChemin’s idealism doesn’t seem to be fading any. In fact, it looks like it’s settling in for the long haul. He still wants to use his powers for good (and not for evil); he still wants to save the world and be a resource to others that would do the same.

David specializes in creating compelling images that are both aesthetically and emotionally moving. If you need a photographer who shoots from the heart, has a strong work ethic and will go the extra mile for his clients, David’s your man. Killer bees in Africa? No problem, he’s done it. Mongolia in -30C weather? Bring it on.

David has shot for a growing list of commercial and non-profit groups and is the author of the best-selling Within The Frame, The Journey of Photographic Vision. David is sponsored by leaders within the photographic industry.

Languages: English, French.

Citizenship: Canada and U.K.

*obviously I copy and paste from his blog.. you may go and see all his portfolio.

So, is Travel Photography is Dead?