Visions of encouragement from Southern Africa

Abstract

Since the invention of the camera, travel and photography have become S)11Onymous with each other, and today most people include their cameras when going on a journey. Faroff places arouse curiosity in people and as photographers document adventurers, they share their experiences with others. This research project investigated the relationship between the Phatic Function and encouragement in travel photography. This relationship is discussed in order to clarify whether imager)' will attract the eye of the viewer, so as to lay emphasis upon encouragement. The successful photographer is one that has managed to marry the aforementioned functions. The marrying of these aspects is achieved through the use of formal elements which include light, composition, space, colour, shape, line, and perspective. The application of any combination of these elements is the decision of the photographer, who applies them according to what best suits the particular situation, so as to achieve the best image possible. This project focuses upon how these formal elements, when applied to an image, result in the Phatic Function, and how this creates images of encouragement. Through a practical component, forty images will be produced. The author depicts these images from her o\\n travels, which applied formal elements interpreted into her o\\n style.