Nomads

My Photo Scholarhship 2010 entry

Mongolia | Monday, October 18, 2010 | flickr photos

Place, passion, and perspective -- as an avid traveller with a passion for photography, an insatiable desire to learn and a belief in contributing positively to the world, I would relish this dream opportunity to develop alongside a world-class professional.
The story depicted in my photos is that of Mongolia’s nomadic people. On a scholarship with AusAID (Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development), I worked for a newspaper in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. But my adventurous spirit led me into the remote countryside; fascinated by the nomadic lifestyle. The interdependent relationship between man, nature and animal was profound. Out of my comfort zone and confronted with the nomad’s freedom, I felt myself decompressing in the vast spaces and opening up to new viewpoints.
With a camera in hand I am energised and taking photos feels instinctive. Combining this with a genuine passion for travel, writing, people, and discovery has inspired me to visit many countries and build a career in journalism. My hunger for learning means I absorb ‘all things photographic’ and I continually practise the art. This year I was voted second place at the Walkley Foundation’s Slide Night in Sydney.
It is a privileged position to travel into a country and eyewitness its culture. My experience is that sharing this view sensitively through images increases awareness of how others’ live. I also believe it fosters greater global understanding and a richer appreciation of life, ourselves, and our interconnectedness with each other as well as the planet on which we live. This is my hope for the travel photography exhibition (‘Freedom’) in which I’m currently exhibiting. Money raised from the images is being donated to international organisation Stop the Traffik. My vision is to be an ethical and constructive contributor to how we portray less-developed regions in the media.