On Board

ON BOARD — A Photobook by The Macaronesian

Mass tourism has perfected the design of prefabricated paradises. Transoceanic megastructures conceived as a giant parenthesis, entirely detached from worldly tribulations—places where money is exchanged for high doses of serotonin, all centralized on a polyvinyl card.

ON BOARD is a critical and honest exploration of the reality behind cruise vacations.

The purpose of this campaign is to fund the printing of a self-published photobook; in short, to bring this photographic project into the physical world. The way I see it, an image captured by a camera does not truly become a photograph until it migrates onto paper. I resist the idea of my shots existing merely as a sequence of ones and zeros, destined only to end up on the screen of any given device.

As editor and photographer Rafa Badía beautifully describes in the foreword, the contemporary cruise ship resembles those science-fiction vessels launched toward distant worlds: travelers are more mindful of the journey itself than the destination. It is a floating city, a theme park where the real world remains on the other side of the glass.

Through three years of observation and multiple voyages, I photographed my own gaze. I couldn't stop until I felt completely saturated. The result is a substantial volume featuring over 114 photographs. The narrative thread of On Board aims to show the natural flow of life on these ocean liners. Passengers colonizing decks and sunbeds after long waits in endless queues, trying to find their own little corner—a sun lounger, a seat at the buffet... In essence, finding isolation in the middle of a deeply exhilarated crowd.

Interior and exterior spaces function as a runway where both natural and staged beauty inevitably unfold. An ecosystem where the feverish movement of childhood coexists with the stillness of gazes lost on the horizon.

We pay significant sums of money to secure a cabin in a floating city crowded with the exact same thousands of people we are trying to escape during our holidays. Perhaps because—consciously or not—we carry the certainty that we are vulnerable beings, condemned to an eternal need for tribal support.

PHOTOBOOK SPECIFICATIONS

-Format: Hardcover with section-sewn binding (smyth sewn).

-Dimensions: Large landscape format (30.6 × 24 cm).

-Pages: 169 pages printed in full color on high-density, silk-touch coated paper (170gsm), ideal for bringing out the depth of the images.

-Cover Finish: Special anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint matte lamination to ensure durability.

-Details: Colored endpapers and individual shrink-wrapping for protection.

This photobook is a fully self-published project. Supporting this Verkami campaign is the only way to secure your copy, as it will not enter mass commercial distribution channels.

To reward those who make this project possible, we have designed several cabin tiers:

-Inside Cabin (Early Bird): Secure your photobook with a real €10 discount (€30 instead of €40). Only 50 slots available.

-Oceanview Cabin: Get a copy at the standard campaign price (€40).

-Family Cabin: 2-book pack.

-Deluxe Cabin: A unique, unrepeatable piece. Only 10 numbered and signed units, including a premium A4 print (€120).

WHO AM I?

I am The Macaronesian, a photographer currently based in the Canary Islands. You can visit my website and Instagram profile to learn more about my work.

Web

Instagram

Anonymity is not a hiding place; for me, it is an indispensable artistic methodology. The goal is to prevent any personal filters from interfering between the viewer and the artwork, allowing the honesty of the captured moment to speak for itself.

HOW WILL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS BE USED?

Crowdfunding on Verkami works on an "all-or-nothing" basis:** if we don't reach 100% of the goal within 40 days, all contributions are refunded and the book will not see the light of day.** The funds raised will be strictly allocated to cover the actual costs of the process:

100%: Printing of the copies, packaging, and certified shipping to backers.

TIMELINE & PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

The three years of fieldwork, photo editing, sequencing, and layout design are already completely finalized. The project is ready to go to the printing house (La Imprenta CG) as soon as the campaign ends.

1: Verkami crowdfunding campaign development.

**2: Order placement with La Imprenta CG **right after the campaign ends. Once ordered, the copies will be ready in about a month and a half.

3: Shipping on October 2026.