{"id":{"repo_id":"tamu","oai_identifier":"oai:oaktrust.library.tamu.edu:1969.1/1598172"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/tamu/oai:oaktrust.library.tamu.edu:1969.1/1598172","repository":{"repo_id":"tamu","name":"Texas A&M University","base_url":"https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Lost in the Frame Photography, Tourism, and the Rise of Hyperreal Iconography","abstract":"This dissertation explores the relationship between tourism, photography, and iconography, focusing on how images shape tourist experiences as well as destinations. At the core of this study is the concept of hyperreal iconography, which examines how this specific type of photography constructs an idealized vision of destinations, often making them feel more real in images than in direct experience. This framework is applied through a case study of Cobh, Ireland, a location whose visual identity has been profoundly shaped by social media imagery. By analyzing historical and contemporary tourism practices, this research traces how photography has evolved from a tool of documentation to a mechanism of expectation and meaning-making. The study identifies key paradoxes of hyperreal iconography, revealing how the pursuit of authenticity often leads to the reproduction of idealized and staged imagery and highlighting the unintended consequences of this phenomenon, such as the transformation of once-hidden locations into mass tourism hotspots and the shift in tourist behavior toward image-driven experiences. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this dissertation situates hyperreal iconography within broader discussions of media representation, digital culture, and the commodification of place. Findings demonstrate that photography not only influences how destinations are perceived but also dictates how they are consumed, reinforcing cycles of visual repetition that shape tourism trends. The case study of Cobh illustrates how a location’s photographic identity can become central to its touristic appeal, affecting both visitors’ experiences and the local community’s engagement with place. By critically examining the mechanisms behind tourism iconography, this dissertation offers insights into how digital photography constructs, amplifies, and sometimes distorts the relationship between travelers and the places they visit.","abstract_html":"This dissertation explores the relationship between tourism, photography, and iconography, focusing on how images shape tourist experiences as well as destinations. At the core of this study is the concept of hyperreal iconography, which examines how this specific type of photography constructs an idealized vision of destinations, often making them feel more real in images than in direct experience. This framework is applied through a case study of Cobh, Ireland, a location whose visual identity has been profoundly shaped by social media imagery. By analyzing historical and contemporary tourism practices, this research traces how photography has evolved from a tool of documentation to a mechanism of expectation and meaning-making. The study identifies key paradoxes of hyperreal iconography, revealing how the pursuit of authenticity often leads to the reproduction of idealized and staged imagery and highlighting the unintended consequences of this phenomenon, such as the transformation of once-hidden locations into mass tourism hotspots and the shift in tourist behavior toward image-driven experiences. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this dissertation situates hyperreal iconography within broader discussions of media representation, digital culture, and the commodification of place. Findings demonstrate that photography not only influences how destinations are perceived but also dictates how they are consumed, reinforcing cycles of visual repetition that shape tourism trends. The case study of Cobh illustrates how a location’s photographic identity can become central to its touristic appeal, affecting both visitors’ experiences and the local community’s engagement with place. By critically examining the mechanisms behind tourism iconography, this dissertation offers insights into how digital photography constructs, amplifies, and sometimes distorts the relationship between travelers and the places they visit.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Avnaim Hamou Regev, Yael 1988-"],"institution":"Texas A&M University","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Communication","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Crick, Nathan"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Villanueva, George Allen","Crider, Jason","Mercieca, Jennifer"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-08","date_published":"2025-08","updated_at":"2026-08-21T16:48:40Z","subjects":["Mass Communications"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/1598172","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"source_record":{"url":"https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Aoaktrust.library.tamu.edu%3A1969.1%2F1598172","prefix":"dim"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Crick, Nathan"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Villanueva, George Allen","Crider, Jason","Mercieca, Jennifer"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Avnaim Hamou Regev, Yael 1988-"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-02-04T22:00:03Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-08"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Texas A&M University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Mass Communications"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/1598172"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This dissertation explores the relationship between tourism, photography, and iconography, focusing on how images shape tourist experiences as well as destinations. 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Through a multidisciplinary approach, this dissertation situates hyperreal iconography within broader discussions of media representation, digital culture, and the commodification of place. Findings demonstrate that photography not only influences how destinations are perceived but also dictates how they are consumed, reinforcing cycles of visual repetition that shape tourism trends. The case study of Cobh illustrates how a location’s photographic identity can become central to its touristic appeal, affecting both visitors’ experiences and the local community’s engagement with place. 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