Free like the wind in the desert

National Geographic scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Thursday, October 6, 2011 | 5 photos

Over the past 12 years I have traveled extensively throughout different parts of the globe touching many countries and hopefully enriching peoples lives as they have mine.
The most recent adventure was a 9 day tour of Bali. I have always liked to take the road less traveled and Bali always seemed a destination like the slogan “I’ve been to Bali too”. But like photography the experience you undertake is different for every individual. How I document my travel and capture the memories of that journey is expressed in a different light than any other. I believe sharing travel tales bridges understanding and learning of the lives of others.
I love photographing and experiencing the depth of a new culture, learning about their customs, the spiritual heritage of the people , music, tasting new cuisine and using my senses to absorb the place I ‘m in, it triggers a feeling like looking at an old photograph.
Often I am asked my favorite destination, which is difficult to answer as every country has its own uniqueness. In 2008 I spent 5 months traveling West Africa, documenting it’s diverse culture. It was a very rewarding and challenging experience. I would love to have the opportunity to document another part of Africa.
I teach Art to students, their project is photographing humanity. Our aim is to raise money for the East Africa famine.
Having a mentor to learn first hand the skills I need to capture quality images would be a dream come true. I would love to take my photography further, to be a National Geographic photographer, or plan B to create my own series of inspirational images to be published. Even if you are not a traveler photography helps expand your horizons and embrace the diversity even in your own culture.