Pixel Perfect

As travel photo tours gain traction in Asia, one writerembarks on her novice expedition to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with local hostUnusual Expedition.

- Kames Narayanan

THE PHRASE “doing it for the ’gram” is an oft-used expression that originates from the colloquial umbrella of terms coined by the millennial set. As the expression suggests, it connotes the engineering of a moment that later lives on Instagram forever. An observation of the cultural zeitgeist easily reveals the monumental influence of the social media realm on the day-today choices of the pedestrian: outfits are carefully considered based on how they photograph; food is plated to not only appeal to the palette but also the eye; and holiday destinations are sieved from an Instagram catalogue.

Amongst the extensive roster of industries that have been overhauled by the advent of Instagram, travel emerges high up in the ranks. These observations are further supported by empirical data gathered last year — American mass media company Condé Nast reported that 70 per cent of all Instagram posts are travel related content, while data collected by Expedia revealed that the photo worthy calibre of a destination premeditated the travel decisions of two-thirds of 18 to 34-year-olds.

Falling under the demographic, I too, add to the statistical count of travellers whose itinerary is heavily influenced by the motivation to pepper my Instagram feed with awe-inspiring landscapes. While the generations of the yester years fervently collected postcards from their travels, bookmarking these sights on Instagram is the millennial equivalent. Today, ‘If it isn’t on the gram, it didn’t happen’ is a widely acknowledged populist mantra. And in the domain of travel, a variant from the rudimentary, sharing is perceived as mandatory by most.