The big picture: Ibiza before the boom

In 1976, Ibiza, where this photograph was taken, was on the cusp of a major tourism boom. For a couple of decades the island had been a refuge for hippies, artists and writers seeking to wind down. It was still relatively below-the-radar in the mid-1970s, but change was afoot. Pacha and other future superclubs had opened for business. Before long, Ibiza would become synonymous with package holidays, parties and no-holds-barred excess.

It was during this moment of transition that the German photographer Walter Rudolph arrived on the island with his square-format camera and rolls of Kodak film. Rudolph, who hailed from Munich, was hired by Iberia and other airlines and tour operators to travel the world capturing up-and-coming destinations for promotional purposes. The target audience for his Balearic pictures – collected in the new book Walter Rudolph: Ibiza 1976 – would have been stirred by the sight of whitewashed houses, sun-dappled coves and bronzed men and women accessorising the seafront in barely-there swimwear.

The two men in this photo are less scantily clad than many others in the book, but there’s still some skin on view as they cruise the streets of Ibiza Town, soaking up the rays and any attention that might come their way. The taller man’s shirt, tied at the waist, is an original design from Paula’s in Dalt Vila – “the boutique in the 1970s and 80s,” according to the book’s publisher Emma Salahi (Freddie Mercury was a regular customer).

This and other images in the book provide a nostalgic view of Ibiza before mass tourism. The beaches are half-empty, the streets lined with tiny Fiat 600s and Citroën 2CVs. “The 1970s was a simple time,” says Salahi. “It was very relaxed and definitely captured more of the essence of Ibiza than now.” But with his sun-baked images, Rudolph played a small part in Ibiza’s transformation. Back then, visitors arrived on the island in a trickle. Last year their numbers had swelled to 19 million.

Walter Rudolph: Ibiza 1976 is published by Agony + Ecstasy gallery and will feature at Photo London from 14 to 17 May