The Road to Huacachina

My Scholarship entry - Huacachina, Peru

Peru | Saturday, November 22, 2014 | 5 photos

I've been an aspiring photographer since the day I started traveling. I was thirteen at the time, headed to Amsterdam with my mother. On arrival, I used a disposable camera to photograph a dismayed immigration official. He waved his finger at me, so I hid behind my mother and stole another photograph while he wasn't looking. Since then I've learned to ask permission before taking pictures. Or to bring a telephoto lens. I've also learned exactly what equipment I'm strong enough to carry while hiking at 15,000 feet. I've learned how to run and take pictures at the same time. I've learned that I can use my body as an umbrella if I'm trying a long exposure at night in the rain. And, perhaps more than anything, I've learned to chase opportunities to practice my craft. I've previously been a Fulbright scholar in fiction and photography to Egypt, a Glimpse writing and photography correspondent, and had my photography published in magazines like Esquire and The Sun. Now I want to take my photography to next level, with help from someone who has already turned their craft into their career. It would be both a joy and an honor to join Jason Edwards in Peru, a country I love.