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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirty Four: Photographing the tourist in all of us > Family photo ritual, Scottsdale Civic Center, Scottsdale, Arizona, 2011
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09-MAY-2011

Family photo ritual, Scottsdale Civic Center, Scottsdale, Arizona, 2011

Tourism and photography are inseparable. Visitors who seldom get to Scottsdale’s Civic Center will often act out the ritual of having their pictures taken while smiling in front of, on top of, and within the giant letters of the parks famous “Love”sculpture by Robert Indiana. These three tourists are apparently deciding how they want to look within the letters. I photographed them with a long lens from off to one side while a family member was making her own shot of them. I like the way the soft evening light plays on the brilliant red and blue letters, and the way each subject reacts to the camera in facial expression and body language from their respective nesting places.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
1/250s f/5.5 at 180.0mm iso400 full exif

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Phil Douglis18-May-2011 20:11
I am sure that the sculptor, Robert Indiana, saw this iconic work as an interactive medium. It meant to be enjoyed, and indeed "loved" by its viewers. To crawl and climb within it, and to photograph friends and family as part of it, fulfills its mission. You can read more about this sculpture here:
http://www.scottsdalepublicart.org/collection/love.php
Carol E Sandgren18-May-2011 18:25
I remember from some years back a similar shot of this sculpture that you made involving only one curious child peeking through the spaces of the letters. Apparently the child has grown and has brought his family with him to this iconic sculpture! The faces show that one can enjoy fun like this at any age. Another great image!
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