International Nomad

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Kenya | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 | 5 photos

A place can be seen a million different ways through different sets of eyes. Masaailand, Kenya captured me not only for its stark beauty, but more so for the way the heart and spirit of the land was reflected through the eyes of its children. In these photos, I tried to capture the sadness, joy, innocence and simplicity of life in the eyes of the children I had the privilege of working while volunteering.
I was born and grew up during the waning years of the South African apartheid, moved to study Psychology in California, and am now on a backpacking trip. My name is Graham and I have had my own way of seeing my world since I was about knee height -through the lens of a camera. I have always been fascinated with the idea of capturing a moment in time and allowing somebody to see the moment as I saw it.
My friends think I am insane for wishing to be stuck in a remote location, in a hide or tree, waiting to get that one shot. But for me there's not much that compares to the idea of being able to capture and share an emotion or experience through an image I created.
With the pressures of student loans and the ever encroaching "real world", I decided to take a chance on my passion for photography and travel, and set off for a few months on a backpacking trip through Asia and Africa. It has been the most liberating feeling to take the photos I want to take and be able to share not only my experience through my photos, but also the connections and stories of those I have met along the way. My skills are a little rough around the edges, and though I enjoy the trial-and-error learning, I really hope for the opportunity to develop my skills with some real guidance and support, and to be able to continue sharing the amazing beauty and stories I am lucky enough to encounter.