If you think your shot of the Leaning Tower of Pisa sitting precariously “atop” an ice cream cone is clever, think again. The Instatravel photo compilation below is proof our travel photos may not be as creative as we think.
Vimeo user Oliver KMIA aggregated and uploaded the video, “Instravel — A Photogenic Mass Tourism Experience,” following a trip to Rome. Oliver was irritated and disgusted by the number of tourists forming huge lines take photos in front of monuments. However, he was also aware of the irony—he was part of the tap-happy contingent snapping travel photos on his trip, too.
In the vein of Hiérophante‘s “Clichés” music video, he decided to comb Instagram‘s public posts and create a tongue-in-cheek compilation of his own. You can watch the video for yourself below.
“There is a new trend that consists of taking pictures everywhere you go to share it on social networks,” Oliver explained in the description of this video. “During my trip, I felt that many people didn’t really enjoy the moment and were hooked to their smartphones. As if the ultimate goal of travel was to brag about it online and run after the likes and followers.”
Sounds about right.
Watching the video is a good reminder of how trite many of our photo uploads can be. When you’ve traveled thousands of miles, spent a lot of money on a trip, and are faced with a long line before you can get that perfect Instagram shot, perhaps you should just skip the shot, walk around, and enjoy the moment instead.
No matter your thoughts, Oliver’s video is a fun look at our modern Instagram culture—but it’s especially entertaining if you’re guilty of capturing one of these travel photos or using one of these hashtags yourself.
H/T The Verge