Animals and Tourism
This postcard checks all the boxes in regards to appealing to tourists. It is made to look vintage to match the aesthetic of ancient Egypt. The animals here are being showcased as tourist attractions. They are placed in front of some of the most famous monuments in Egypt. The lack of detail on the faces of the people riding the camels suggest that focus is meant to be solely on the animal itself; more specifically, a camel ride.
On this postcard, the camels and people really stand out. The blue blanket draws in the viewers' eyes immediately. Perhaps because the focal point is meant to be on the man riding that camel. This image showcases different styles of wardrobe that imply the man riding the camel on the left is a tourist. The other man beside him appears to be riding a donkey. The difference in the tourist’s animal compared to the tour guide’s serves to emphasize the importance of experiencing “Egypt’s image”. It is crucial to ride a camel when going on an exhibition because they are what most tourists think of when they picture Egypt. The other people surrounding the two men on animals are dressed in Egyptian clothing and appear uninterested in the activities around them.
This postcard’s main focal point is towards the people sitting on the rocks. The writing on the card asserts the image to be of Arabs waiting for tourists. The interesting thing about this picture is how far away the camel is from them. When tourists are in the presence of camels, they are taking their photos with them and spending time close to the creatures. Instead, the Arabs see the camel as a means of transportation and are utilized for work purposes. This postcard on the other hand, demonstrates how locals act in this environment. Their poses are casual and they are on top of some sort of structure. It is hard to tell if what they are on top of is some sort of ancient ruin or not. Also, many of their clothes are white and they don’t appear worried about getting dirt on them. The details in this postcard demonstrate the difference in how tourists vs locals view Egypt.