Fjällen i flödet : En kvalitativ analys av Svenska Turistföreningens visuella kommunikation på Instagram

Sammanfattning

This study aims to gain an understanding of how human activities in mountain environments are represented in the Swedish Tourist Association's (STF) visual communication on Instagram. The purpose is to investigate how humans are depicted in these settings and how these representations shape our perceptions of visiting mountain environments. The study uses a qualitative visual content analysis and a semiotic analysis of 75 images based on classical and social semiotic theories, including Halliday’s three metafunctions. Key findings identify a dominant theme in the images: One single person performing an activity in good weather. The results show that STF primarily portrays mountains as grand, untouched, and accessible, focusing on individual performance and personal experience. These narratives feature individuals equipped with technical gear, signalling competence and expertise. The conclusion of the study highlights a tension in STF's visual communication. While the idealized representation of good weather makes the mountains appear attractive and accessible, it simultaneously withholds possible risks such as rapid weather changes, potentially impacting the safety of inexperienced visitors. The conclusion also highlights the emphasis on achievement and specific equipment that reproduces norms about who belongs in the outdoors. The study demonstrates how “visual grammar" on social media does not only reflect reality but actively constructs norms and expectations regarding nature and mountain environments.