Visualizing The Archipelago: A Critical Analysis of Drone Photography, The Vertical Gaze, And Tourism Representation on Pulau Tuba

Abstract

The increasing use of drone photography has changed how tourism destinations are visually represented and consumed. This study examines how researcher-produced drone photographs construct the visual representation of Pulau Tuba and the extent to which they reproduce, or challenge established island tourism conventions. Six photographs produced in 2025 as a research-based portfolio were analysed through Rose’s compositional approach, focusing on viewpoint, framing, spatial organisation, colour, horizon position, and subject selection. The analysis is informed by the Tourist Gaze and the concept of the vertical gaze to examine how aerial perspectives position the viewer and shape destination representation. The findings show that elevated viewpoints, environmental emphasis, blue green colour relationships, and limited human visibility contribute to a scenic and visually coherent representation of Pulau Tuba. While agricultural landscapes, settlements, infrastructure, boats, and maritime environments provide some variation, the photographs reproduce established tropical tourism aesthetics more strongly than they challenge them. The study contributes by demonstrating how specific compositional decisions connect aerial visuality, the vertical gaze, and destination representation.