Dan's World Nomads journals

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Monday, September 13, 2010 | flickr photos

When you read an interview with a National Geographic photographer, they are inevitably asked "How do I get your job, traveling to exotic places and photographing interesting stories?" The answer, more often than not, is "start in your own backyard". Vancouver’s Grandview district used to be the Italian neighbourhood and Sorrento Barbershop is one of the few original businesses left that caters to a primarily Italian clientele. I started getting my hair cut at Sorrento’s 3 years ago because I liked the banter back and forth between the barbers, Joe, Mino and Vincente, and the old Italian men who came in to pass the time. I couldn't understand a word of it, but Mino would sometimes translate what was being said. I decided to begin making photographs there and my entry for the 2010 World Nomads Bhutan Photography Scholarship is the result.
My photography can best be described as the intersection between environmental science and documentary photojournalism. My education however, is in geoscience, not photography, and I am a geographer in the broadest sense - I am intrigued by the social and natural world around me, and enjoy communicating my view of it through photography as well as science.
I am a contributor to Aurora Photos, which represents some of the world’s best adventure photographers. Although Aurora has licensed some of my images, I don’t make enough money from them to be classified as a professional. I am a geoscientist, and use photography as a tool although I would very much like to pursue both interests professionally. I think the opportunity to travel to Bhutan with Jason would assist greatly in my efforts to develop my career as an environmental photojournalist. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Also, I would make a kick-ass assistant.