Marty Stano Marty Stano is a filmmaker, photographer, traveler, learner, and teacher.

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

Chile | Friday, July 5, 2013 | 5 photos

I live a happy healthy life by keeping things simple. I am happy with few possessions and a backpack. I like change, mobility, freedom. I like to move myself and be moved by new people and ideas. I feel best when I’m physically active in nature and mentally active in a new learning environment or culture.

I studied film at University of Michigan but have little formal experience in documentary and travel journalism. However, I’ve come to realize that my passion for life can meet my passions for storytelling through a career in travel journalism and photography.

While living and travelling in Chile for nine months, I enjoyed how travel photography challenges me. I was fascinated with the street dogs when I arrived because they were my first friends when I didn’t know any Spanish. I began to photograph them. Later, as my interest and language skills developed, I found myself visiting shelters, clinics, and interviewing staff, in Spanish, at volunteer organizations.

Travel photography encourages me to go beyond my comfort zone to learn and understand. I hope from this scholarship I can develop my technique and realize how to make travel, photography, and learning a way of life.