Postcards
While attending an academic conference in Hong Kong we heard much about the way that the smart phone has revolutionized the way we enjoy and share our travel experiences. It used to be the case that we took pictures of what we saw, then when we got home the film was developed and we shared our experiences with family and nearby friends. Photos (whether paper or slides) were primarily our own memories – the capture of a moment that we witnessed. These days, pictures are taken on a phone and then immediately shared via social media with people worldwide.
After the sessions had finished one day I visited the Garden of Stars. This is a must for any fans of Hong Kong films. I am not a fan myself, but I had a great 30 minutes of “people watching”. In particular, there were a couple of friends who were displaying so many of the standard fan behaviors relating to photography. First I watched them engage in a more “traditional” type of photography, albeit using a smart phone. One friend held the phone/camera, while the other posed in a director’s chair.
