Australia

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Wednesday, August 24, 2011 | 5 photos

After years of coveting and months of pestering, I have finally bought my first DSLR. Before that I begged and borrowed cameras from friends for personal projects - including this one, and have taught myself as far as I can. I borrowed a Canon 20D and reflector for this series for two reasons. Firstly, travel is my passion. Born in the UK, I grew up in Kuwait before schooling back in England. I studied literature in London and won a scholarship to study in Australia, where I have now returned to live. So language and travel have been central to my upbringing. Secondly, I love art. I love to depict the world around me in words and in images that speak even greater volumes. I would dearly like to become a travel photographer – who wouldn’t? But that’s part of the problem. To stand out you need to do something extraordinary, like being selected for this scholarship. But you also need mentorship and guidance. There is only so much you can teach yourself. I have got this far on my own, I have travelled and I have written for publications and have recently won national media awards for my writing. But I would dearly love to develop, learn and showcase my photography and carry those skills with me around the world as I discover new cultures, new people and new ways of doing things. I also believe in sustainable travel, and I believe presenting the world's beauty in photographs is one way of promoting that. So here I am. With a camera. With a passion for the world, for nature and culture. With a desire and willingness to learn and open up my eyes to a world of opportunity that I could only otherwise dream of.