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Travel Photography Scholarship 2012entry

Iraq | Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | 5 photos

I am a 30 year old, semi-nomadic writer/artist, born and raised in Canada. Since being possessed by the Djinn of adventure in my early 20's, I have made it a priority in my life to wander to places around the globe that beckon me, usually off the beaten path. In the spring of 2011 I made my first solo trip to the Middle East, visiting Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq. Despite it being at a rather precarious time, -right in the middle of the various "Arab Springs", those few months changed my life and cemented my love of travel and my passion for experiencing other cultures, particularly Islamic culture. The photos I am including in this application are from the Northern Kurdistan region of Iraq. Being able to see a place that most westerners only know by stereotypes in the news, was surreal and eyeopening . I think I should be chosen for this scholarship because of my passion for traveling to unusual places (I would love to see Oman), as well as my love of gritty, street photography. I have never been able to afford an expensive camera, but what I lack in fancy lens', I think I make up for with my genuine guts and an eye for detail.Thank you for your consideration.