A little bit of the world

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | flickr photos

All my life I have wanted to help the world. It’s a big goal for a tiny person, but I haven’t given up hope. I completed my degree in medical sciences two years ago with the dream of designing much needed vaccines for the third world. After time in the lab though I realised it was more likely I’d end up confined to a sterile room going nuts studying things far removed from reality. I’ve now decided to change my path, but aim to somehow still help the world.
I think of travel photography as the holy grail of careers. My greatest passion in life is travel. It is all I save and plan towards and so far I’ve been lucky enough to visit various places in Europe, Asia and N. America. Most recently I spent two incredible weeks in the economically poor but environmentally and culturally rich country of Madagascar. I travel not to be just another tourist but to experience a cultural exchange. In my photos I aim to share both the amazing things that define a place and moreover, the simple stories that locals might find normal or mundane but which people here may otherwise never encounter.
I believe that visual communication can be an incredibly evocative medium, able to bring about greater understanding of different places, natural environments and cultures, thus promoting respect for them amongst the global community. Shooting rare wildlife in Bhutan would be a dream come true. I love nature and animals but just never seem to be able to get them to pose for me!
I bought my first P&S in 2007 and my NikkonD40 in 2009. I am a complete amateur but I love photography and have my camera in my backpack wherever I go. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m not afraid to work hard and I would definitely make the most of any chance for me to get my foot in the door.