Photos of people having really rubbish holidays
- Text by Niall Flynn
- Photography by Laurence Stephens
Laurence Stephens was living in Barcelona when he stumbled upon his first bored tourist.
In a bid to escape the glare of the midday sun, the British photographer (new in town, and actively searching for a new project), decided to take refuge in the city’s cathedral.
As he wandered around, he began to notice countless, near-identical scenes unfolding in front of him: a revolving door of weary sightseers, united in their glaring indifference towards the whole thing.
“I had previously taken pictures of tourists around the city, but it wasn’t until I visited [the cathedral] that the project and the idea for the book came to me,” he explains, recalling the day.
“In the cool dark rooms, I quickly realised the humorous photographic potential that tourist hot spots like these could offer. Juxtaposed against the beautiful architecture was an array of bemused, disillusioned tourists, bored-half-asleep, unintentionally waiting to be photographed.”
That afternoon in the cathedral kick-started a project that would take Stephens across Spain and Portugal over the course of three summers, shooting holidaymakers having an overtly rubbish time.
Hopping from landmark to landmark, he quickly identified the jaded and downcast, documenting their obvious discontent with a wry humour. Today, those photos make up Bored Tourists, a book which operates as an all-encompassing portrait of the disappointing holiday.
“For me the book expresses something that is universal to the human condition – that in life, expectation can often lead to disappointment. I feel this is especially evident in tourism.”
“Wherever you go in the world, if a tourist experience is on offer, you’ll find people realising that it’s not what they’d hoped it would be. So in producing the work I set out to capture moments, which highlight for others an aspect of life that we are all subject to, wherever we come from.”
Bored Tourists is available now from Hoxton Mini Press.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The anti-tourism guides revealing Lisbon’s true, radical heart
We Hate Tourism Tours — The Portuguese capital sees millions of people visit a year, against a backdrop of political turbulence and a housing crisis fuelled by short term holiday lets. Jack Burke meets the crew subverting their city’s perception, while bringing lesser seen stories and monuments to light.
Written by: Jack Burke
Defiance and pride in Chicano Camera Culture
A Photographic History — A new major exhibition surveys Mexican American photography over six decades, platforming Chicano artists at a Chicano museum for the first time.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The art of paying attention: How Austria’s Alps reward slowing down
Lebensgefühl — With a growing movement of art and music rooted in the area’s mountains, trees and waterfalls, the region is showcasing the importance of the human relationship to nature.
Written by: Sophie Lou Wilson
Grainy, yearning memories of Europe’s ’90s free rave heyday
Never Alone — A new photobook from Cheyenne Clementi and Valentina Morandi presents pictures they made over seven years while touring the continent as part of the Tekno Mobil Squad soundsystem crew. It archives parties, people and a lifestyle largely consigned to the past.
Written by: Isaac Muk
Queer resistance & sun-soaked solidarity at the world’s largest trans pride march
Our Future, Our Fight — Over the weekend, over 150,000 people marched at the London Trans+ Pride, with the parade ending at Trafalgar Square for the first time in history.
Written by: Ella Glossop
In photos: Black Texas life since emancipation
Kinship & Community — A new photobook and exhibition showcases the rich culture, history and community of African American folks in the Lone Star State, whose existence in the region predates colonial Britain.
Written by: Miss Rosen
