Snapshots by the way: Individuality and convention in tourists’ photographs from the United States, 1880-1940

This essay compares amateur and professional tourist photography in albums and published books from 1880-1940, paying special attention to similarities and differences between these two categories of images in terms of appearance, subject matter, and modes of circulation and use. Although the influence of commercial travel photography on amateurs is undeniable, this essay also reveals that tourists taking their own snapshots attempted to individualize them through a variety of means. A comparison of the books and albums discussed in the first part of the essay with new modes of sharing travel photography online will uncover significant differences. However, it will also reveal historical continuity in the public’s desire to use photography as an impetus for social interaction.

► Early American tourist photographs show both standardization and individualization.
► New photographic technology created the potential for self expressive travel images.
► Tourist snapshots often mirrored visual conventions of commercial travel photography.
► Kodak publications influenced the look and uses of early tourist photography.
► Historical practices of tourist photography help us understand contemporary ones.