Our Saga Golden Triangle Tour of a lifetime to the Taj Mahal did not turn out the way we’d planned.
Instead of warm winter sunshine we faced cold weather, experienced dust and pollution, endured a number of all day excursions that started before dawn and are still suffering illnesses that have lasted over a month.
A holiday to remember alright, but not one I’d rush to experience again.
However, despite all the bad parts of the holiday (or should I say Endurance Test) we did get to see some amazing sights. And take some amazing photos.
Which leads me to a chat I had with my friend Graham. I was telling him that we’d taken some lovely photos that make it look like we’re having the time of our lives. You just can’t hear the hacking coughs or see the shivering. And that’s without resorting to retouching or photoshop.
So the idea that the camera never lies is definitely a myth!
The Taj Mahal
It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”.
‘The camera cannot lie’
This phrase dates back to the mid 19th century and refers to the fact that a photograph faithfully represented a scene more than a subjective painting could. However, even early photographer found they could manipulative images during the developing process.
Also , a Victorian photograph may appear to be of a woman in black, but may actually be a portrait of a woman in pink, or yellow, or red. With that knowledge, the history a photo records takes on a different hue.
Gaby Wood suggested in The Telegraph that “recording a slanted version of reality isn’t the same as lying. It’s just another way to tell a story…….The great achievement of photography is neither truth nor fiction; it’s not even art or commerce. It’s magic. For 175 years we have known how to trap light and freeze time.”
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Hello. My opinion is this: There must be a clear distinction between the word camera and the word photo. Camera cannot lie, but photos yes. So simple! 🙂
Happy and safe travels!