A Study of the Use of Picture Postcards

Abstract

Being a social being, man is constantly in relationships with others. From the time when the media did not proliferate, maintaining relationships by exchanging cards with friends can be widely identified. Picture postcards, which were popular for a period of one and a half centuries from the beginning of British colonial rule, are far from being used today. The purpose of this study is to find out why this visual medium, which carried Sri Lanka's archaeological value, contemporary culture, people's lives and environment abroad, has been lost in today's society. Although there is a trend in exchanging cards in modern man, the problem of losing the use of picture postcards and whether this visual media can be socialised in a new dimension with modern technology are examined here. In this study, 200 respondents were surveyed through a questionnaire in order to investigate the current social trend towards the use of picture postcards and to identify the interest of the users for the same. The collected data from the questionnaire given to a selected sample was analysed separately with the variable of living area, age, and gender dynamics, and it was possible to identify the opportunities for the use of picture postcards nowadays where the use of photos is widespread and active human relationships are abundant. According to the responses, it was found that there is a greater demand for handmade designs in the Sri Lankan community. Contemporary environment and cultural identities should be taken into account more when uploading photos, while photos of ordinary people and small children are found to appear more realistic. It was also revealed that there is a willingness to use soft copies of picture postcards, which are available free of charge.