Nomad Megz

Photos: My Scholarship entry - Trekking the Laugavegurinn Trail

mkrauss — Thu, 6 Nov 2014 11:29:00 GMT

Next to photography, trekking through remote landscapes is my passion, but I have always found it difficult to convey compelling stories through photographs. I love capturing and sharing the beauty of the world around me, but have lacked the guidance to reach wider audiences. My goal is to express how inspirational and spiritual the outdoors can be in an effort to actively get more people outside. Following these passions has led me to a lifetime of amazing opportunities. Highlights include living out of the a van in New Zealand, snorkelling in the Galápagos’, trekking Base Camp Everest, driving ½ the circumference of Australia, and spending a month exploring Iceland. I currently call the Rocky Mountains home as I am a photography practicum participant at The Banff Centre. This mentorship program has enhanced my confidence as a photographer, but I strongly believe that current techniques should always be re-addressed. For example, I have gotten into the bad habit of over processing my images. If given this unique opportunity to accompany Jason Edwards to the Peruvian Amazon, one of my main goals would be to work on getting the image I want at the initial capture stage.

A Local Encounter that Changed my Perspective - Banff In the Interim

mkrauss — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:34:32 GMT

This place is so close to home, yet home feels so far away. I come from the prairies, a meager 10-hour drive away, and have made this journey countless times. With the music turned up, I have passed through brown barren landscape in the spring, made my way through fields of buttercup yellow fields of canola in the summer, and in winter, watched the bleak, but subtle beauty that prairie folk like myself admire when the landscape is lightly dusted in a powder of white snow pass by. But seemingly, the previous hours spent in the car drift away as the towering Rocky Mountains come into sight.

I’ve been here a year, yet being surrounded by the mountains still seems so elusive to a flatlander like myself. That being said, this place, in the interim, has become my home. The town site of Banff, nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, is specifically a special place. It has a way of enabling one to let go of past issues, heartache and burdens, as it is said to be a place of transition by the nomadic first nations people that once roamed these valleys. I have felt this sacred presence as its healing nature has had its effect on me personally, having recently endured a number of hardships.

One night, as the night train whistles, and the Coyotes howl, the noises make their way into a dream scape of mine. I drowsily awake, and as the mountain air grows quiet once more, I feel the presence of a dear friend whom has recently and tragically passed away. I quickly drift back to sleep into an obscure dreamland, which invades my subconscious on a nightly basis.

In the morning, I awake next to my most recent companion. It’s only been a year since my relationship with my best friend of 12 years ended. With this wound still fairly open, I can’t help but feel jaded in respect to the notion of love. If the two of us couldn’t make it work, then will it ever truly work with anyone else? Regardless, I roll over, kiss him, and attempt to live in the moment.

The snow is melting off of the snow-capped peaks, the smell of spring is in the air, and the rivers and lakes that are thawing keep calling my name. This place has mysterious ways, and as the canoe slips silently into the water in the morning light, the reflection of the mountains in the water resembles glass. With each stroke of the paddle, I am granted temporarily relief from my recent burdens, and as the sun slowly rises and hits my face, I can feel the

Photos: Winter Wonderland

mkrauss — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:42:00 GMT

Feeding my soul as a photographer has always been about capturing and sharing the beauty of the world around me. A love of the outdoors, traveling and experiencing new things, has amplified my passion to share these images. Growing up in the Canadian prairies, I obtained my first camera at the age of five and have been documenting my life ever since. I went on to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in fine arts, which sealed my fate. I would make photography my career, knowing full well that I would be giving up many luxuries in my life to do so. This being said, the sacrifices I have made following my dream to become a professional photographer has led me to a lifetime of amazing opportunities. Highlights include living out of the a van in New Zealand, snorkelling in the Galápagos’, trekking Base Camp Everest, and driving ½ the circumference of Australia. I currently call the Rocky Mountains home, as a workstudy at The Banff Centre. This mentorship has greatly enhanced my photography skills, most significantly in portraits, which causes me great cause anxiety. If chosen, my aim is to rid other anxieties allowing for more opportunities in the profession.