Playfulness, immediacy, spontaneity, simultaneity and sociality: Towards an understanding of smartphone photographic practices by younger generations of (Chinese) tourists

Abstract

This interdisciplinary study aims to investigate the younger generations of tourists’ (That is, those who were born either in the 1980s or 1990s) photographic performances other than taking a selfie. In order to achieve this aim, the innovative research method of visual autoethnography is employed. Based upon the empirical research undertaken amongst Chinese younger tourists in the UK, this study unpacks that, for Chinese younger tourists, who appear to be becoming postmodern, the smartphone has potentially become a “toy” and photo-taking a means to fulfilling their insatiable desire for hedonism in travel. Notably, in the fieldwork, the Chinese respondents were identified to play an interactive game of photo-taking and photo-sharing, casting the focus of their gaze on each other and engaging with the destination in the child-like fashion. In so doing, the playful, immediate, spontaneous, simultaneous and sociable characteristics of tourist photography in general might have been reinforced further. Also, the life-span for smartphone-based digital snapshots is found to have become much shorter, and smartphone-based digital snapshots have potentially become a kind of artifacts more suitable for instantaneous consumption than a part and parcel of representation files useful to stage myths for tourist places.

Keywords:

• Chinese tourist
• postmodern
• smartphone
• photography
• playing

Public Interest Statement

Taking and sharing photographs today have already become an unthinkable ritual both in people’s travel and in their everyday life. To study how and why tourists take and share photographs is very important, because it reflects how they engage in their travel and interact with the destination they are visiting. This study has focused upon the younger generations of tourists’ photographic practices. Specifically, based upon the research with 6 Chinese respondents, it is found that the younger generations appear to be becoming postmodern. For them, the smartphone camera has potentially become a “toy” and photo-taking a way of fulfilling their desire for fun and pleasure in travel. In the fieldwork, the Chinese respondents were identified to play a photo-game. And this kind of photo-game enabled them to engage with their travel playfully and creatively. Also, digital snapshots are found more like fast food, suitable for instant and spontaneous consumption.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohan Li

Mohan Li is a Postdoc at the School of Tourism Management, Sun Yat-sen University (China). He was awarded his PhD at the University of Central Lancashire (UK), where, together with Professor Richard Sharpley and Dr Sean Gammon, he formulated the conception of the Chinese tourist gaze, encapsulating what the Chinese tourist prefer to see in travel, and manifesting how their gazes are socially, culturally and technologically fashioned. Mohan’s research interests include smart tourism, urban tourism, tourism mobilities and the visuals and visuality of tourism. And currently he is researching the relationship between Augmented Realities and the tourist practice of walking in the urban context.