Travel

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

I am someone who started with the belief in the power of the written word. I studied political science and journalism, and my intention was to find a job in print journalism when I left college. Instead I landed in broadcast news, and there I absorbed the power of images to tell a story. Over the years I've shifted my goal to sharing more personal stories. And the creating of unforgettable images has become part of that passion.

Travel has been a big part of my life. My parents are from two very different countries (Pakistan and Germany) and I grew up visiting both places numerous times. As I got older, I did the summers abroad programs in Europe, but even then I knew I wanted to go further afield. Being in places wildly different from anywhere else I've ever been is what excites me now. Watching a bull-jumping ceremony in Ethiopia. Seeing orangutans in the wild in Borneo. Capturing a polar bear feasting in the Arctic.

I would love my photography to be able to convey those unique and amazing moments to a wider audience. That realization hit me while watching the aforementioned orangutans. I felt like I could stay for as long as it took to get a great shot, one that really connects with people. Focus, stamina, and patience seem to me to be the bedrock qualities of a great photographer, combined with technical knowledge, a keen eye, and a creative mind. Developing those qualities and skills is the direction I want to go with my photography. Not an easy goal.

But the combination of what I've learned, and what I've seen, in the world so far would make me grateful to be given that challenge.