Sierra Leone

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Monday, November 7, 2011 | 5 photos

I'm a young marine scientist and love to travel, learn about new cultures, and do my part to help the oceans along the way. One of the best ways to communicate struggle, environmental impacts, and the beauty of nature, I've learned, is through photos and film. If I become a better photographer I can communicate the immediate need to take a stand and help protect our ocean resources, even when the person I'm trying to educate has never even heard of the place I'm working, or of the fish species that's in trouble. That's the inherent beauty and power of photography. I'd love to take better photos that I can use to create compelling photo essay about a place and environmental challenge. I'm self taught in photography but have found I have a decent eye for setting up a photo - so in spite of great equipment and formal training I've been able to pull off some decent shots to date. I am already a trained scientist and travel, I'm just missing the technical photography skills to get to where I'd like to be!

The photos I've submitted here are from a remote village in Sierra Leone, Africa, shot in late 2010. I was staying with an ecotourist venture, Tribewanted, and learning about the fisheries there in preparation for submitting a grant application to work in the area. It's one of the poorest nations in the world, with 70% of the population living on $1/day. However, their nation is rich in natural resources, that can help this country develop if managed properly. These photos convey the close relationship between man, the sea, and nature. My absolute favorite is the one of the barracuda on the boat with a group gathered around another boat that has just arrived on shore. There are so many things happening in the photo you see more and more the longer you look at it. I fell in love with Sierra Leone - the beauty, people, ocean and jungle are stunning.

(In case you need to contact me I'll be in Africa back in this village for several weeks, please contact me at mboyle.travel@gmail.com)