“I was beginning to get frustrated with my inability to explain how different it was, how open and accepting the people were, and how generous they were. Going into this third trip, I knew I wanted to try and find some way to capture the beauty of the country and of the people, so I decided to bring a 16mm camera along.”

After asking his partners at Nations Media about starting a personal side project, Powers began to capture a more intimate and positive portrait of Iraq and people he came across over his time there. The subjects of these video portraits, as Janssen told us, “were just people we met along the way.” Powers explained that he had his camera with him at all times, so whether at lunch or walking down the street, he would always be looking for “someone who looked interesting or had a different look or looked very normal, looked like someone I would see in the US,” and with the help of an interpreter, Powers would ask these people to take their portrait.

When we sat down with the filmmaker for an exclusive interview, we asked Powers to explain his experience as a traveling videographer needing to work with an interpreter and he noted that while the language barrier with his subjects was always somewhat of a challenge, the presence of an interpreter was almost always positive.

“I think as filmmakers, especially documentary filmmakers, our job is to do our best to relate to the people on the other side of the camera. The camera is the tool by which we are able to share what we see with our eyes with the world. To make strong films, it is important to connect on a personal level with the people you are interacting with. Working with an interpreter does sometimes make it difficult because there is a barrier between when someone says something to me or I say something to them and that message having to be translated through another human. It definitely has its disadvantages. That said, there are so many advantages to working with an interpreter. There are many times when the interpreter we were working with, who is originally from Iraq, had such a strong knowledge of cultural things I didn’t understand or ways in which to communicate to people what I was trying to do. Even if I was able to speak Kurdish or Arabic, I don’t have the years of experience or understanding of the culture that he has, so I think its super important to work with an interpreter that you feel like understands the project and understands your heart and your intention behind the project.”

Powers brought only 30 minutes of film with him for this project, so in order to take advantaged of the limited time he had to shoot with, Powers described how important it is to “really slow down and take a breath and be in the moment.” Powers questioned how past projects would have unfolded had he took a breath to be in the moment, so for this project he would often set up the camera and pretend to begin filming and really try “to let the people in front of the camera become a little bit uncomfortable or become more comfortable.” After the subject in front of the lens became more comfortable and he started to feel some emotion coming out of the moment, “whether it was the person who was looking around or was the person who really started to look into the camera and wonder what I was doing,” he would begin to roll. “And I would just let it roll until I felt like the moment was gone. 

“Outside of the aesthetic benefits of how real and organic film looks,” Powers relayed, shooting on film ensured that he would take that moment to slow down.

While all the portraits in the film were beautifully intimate and powerful, we wanted to hear from Powers which one moment best displayed his love for the series and the country. He responded that while every portrait tells him something specific about the country, the one moment of an elderly woman at the 1:35 mark truly captured his heart. The woman who is Yazidi, an ingenious group that has been the target of genocide by ISIS, had for years been living in the refugee camp where Powers had first met her in October 2016. Her initial expression in front of the camera was, as Powers described, “very stern and stoic,” but when a family member behind her made a comment, “she looked back at them and then back at the camera and just had this massive smile on her face, just ear to ear smiling… it was amazing and it was breathtaking.”

And how had moments such as these changed and affected Powers’ approach to his work, to his life?

“As a filmmaker, especially as a documentary filmmaker, I think it’s my job to do my best to connect with people who I am telling the story of, with the people that are on the other side of the camera. In a lot of ways, I think that in order to be a good filmmaker you have to let the things that you experience and the people that you met change you a little bit. All of these moments, all of these trips, and the people that I’ve meet that maybe had differing opinions than I have had or showed me a side of the world or a side of faith or a side of humanity that I wouldn’t have experienced had I had stayed in New York. All of those moments have had a profound impact on the way that I see the world, the way that I see faith, the way that I see life. An important part of being a filmmaker is learning to let those things shape and change you.”

Powers commented that the response for the film has been incredible. This project, that was initially supposed to be “something that I was going to share with friends on Instagram or my wife and family,” has reached so many and while he currently doesn’t have current plans to return to Iraq, he does hope to one day go back and explore more regions of the country with his 16mm camcorder. As of now, Powers is using his new 16 mm to explore “a handful of these passion projects on film this year.” At the beginning of April, Powers was in Alaska creating a feature on a woman named Lena Charley. The film, which he plans to release this summer, focuses on her life as a 90-year-old Athabaskan in a dogsledding community in southern Alaska.

If we are as amazed and inspired by Lena Charley as we were with his subjects in Iraq, then we are sure that we are in for another beautiful film from Janssen Powers.

Follow Janssen Powers’ filmmaking adventures on his website, Vimeo, and Instagram.

Powers at work shooting 16mm film in Iraq

The post ‘A Portrait of Iraq’: See The Everyday People Not Shown in the Headlines appeared first on Resource Travel.

When both returned home, the talked about different ideas that they could collaborate on to tell an adventure story. Woodward  doesn’t remember when the idea of running across Iceland came up, but once it did, there was no turning back. There was only one problem. Whittle was not much of a runner. In his life, he had finished a couple 5k and 10k runs, and even a marathon five years earlier, but by no means was he a ultra runner. But once the idea was hatched, they couldn’t get their minds off it. To make it even more interesting, the team applied to make this a Guinness World Record attempt.

Whittle didn’t want to do this just for himself though. The 28-year old and his family suffered a devastating loss when Whittle’s nephew Sonny lost his battle to a rare form of cancer at just one year old. Whittle was determined to accomplish this challenging feat in Sonny’s name and to help raise awareness and donations for CLIC Sargent, a UK-based organization that supports families of children with cancer.

With all of the high level work done, the team started planning the details of the run. They would cover 450 miles of roads (both paved and dirt) as well as hiking trails. The Dyrhólaey lighthouse in the south was the desired starting point and the Hraunhafnartangi lighthouse in the north was where the team wanted to end their adventure.

When they arrived in Iceland, the typical Arctic weather already began to throw a wrench in their plans. Heavy rain had washed out a bridge just 80 miles from the starting point at the Dyrhólaey lighthouse that, if not repaired by the time the team got there, would end their quest for the Guinness World Record. Once the clock starts, there is no stopping it, even if your route is blocked. Making a last minute decision, they decided to flip the route and start at the Hraunhafnartangi lighthouse in the north and work their way south, which should give them enough time to arrive at the bridge after it was reopened. Once in the north, the team started the stopwatch and Tom Whittle began his run across the desolate Icelandic landscape.

The film is a beautiful look into the journey, and Woodward wrote an exceptional blog post about the details of the run over on the Backcountry website, who sponsored their ambassador’s bold attempt to run across Iceland on foot. The film is painful to watch at times, as us viewers can literally see the athlete’s body giving out throughout the course of the run. Even though they had brought multiple pairs of shoes for Whittle, they didn’t anticipate that his feet would grow over a full size throughout the journey due to the extensive swelling that running 40-50 miles a day would cause. But that wasn’t the only challenge the team faced, as the film shows, but they endured. Ten days, 13 hours, and 11 minutes after they started, Whittle channeled enough energy to jog across the final couple hundred feet to the Dyrhólaey lighthouse.

It is hard to put into words how inspiring this feat was, and especially for the reason why Whittle was compelled to achieve it. Eager to know more about the challenging journey, we sat down with Woodward to talk about this amazing accomplishment and his stunning film and photos that brought us along for the ride.

This story is truly remarkable. You have done some pretty cool stuff on your travels. Where does this adventure stack up?

This adventure was one of the most unique that I’ve been on. While many have an objective, few have had the cumulative number of moving pieces that we had to manage each day that this proved to challenge us with. This trip was also amazingly special in the goal, not just crossing Iceland, but honoring the passing of Sonny, Tom’s nephew.

At any point were you fearful that Tom wouldn’t be able to finish the route?

Absolutely. The first days were by far the hardest. The night before we were meant to start, the rain flooded the field we camped in, and continued on into the morning as we headed to our starting point. Whipping winds and cold rain chased us the entire first day, and by day three we were almost a full day behind our schedule. As Tom’s body adjusted slowly, the third day we were concerned that his knees wouldn’t hold out for the remainder. But each day we started he hobbled from his tent, ate breakfast in the truck, and began slowly down the path.

We can see in the film what the hardest parts for Tom was, but, as the filmmaker, what was the most challenging aspect of this record attempt?

We all shared many roles on this attempt. Mandy was in charge of logistics, Jason handled driving and most meal prep, and my main focus was filming and shooting, but that quickly changed to assisting during the transitions where Tom would need to change shoes or socks, as well as restocking food and water in his pack. We quickly realized that his feet would need medical attention each day, and that landed on my shoulders as well. As much as we wanted to document the journey, I was torn between the tasks that would help us towards the finish line and those that would allow us to do more than just write the story when it was finished.

What inspires you most about what Tom, and the team behind him, accomplished?

I think the most inspiring thing for me is how willing the team was to jump into the unknown. Tom wasn’t a long distance runner, we weren’t a trained support team. We all braved a lot during the trip that tested our limits to act at the edge of our comfort zones. It taught me to never assume that just because you may not have all the answers ahead of time, that it doesn’t mean that the risk isn’t worth taking. We learn the most about ourselves when we take a chance to find the limits to what we can accomplish.

The story is remarkable, and we applaud Whittle, Woodward and the addition team members Mandy Marr and Jason Sivyer for fighting off weather, pain, fatigue, and doubt to complete this challenge. And most importantly, to help raise awareness about childhood cancer and help support the families affected.

See the rest of the incredible photo essay below. 

See more from William Woodward on his website, Instagram and Facebook. 

The post Running 450 Miles Across Iceland For A Good Cause appeared first on Resource Travel.

Snow geese taking off at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, into sunrise, with a setting moon over the Chupadera Mountains in the background. Snow geese and sand hill cranes yet to leave remain on the ice covered pond in crimson dawn light. © Jack Dykinga

Ahead of the book’s January 2017 release from Rocky Nook, the still-active photographer and workshop instructor spoke with me from his home in Tucson, AZ as he prepared for a month teaching in Death Valley with Visionary Wild.

Tell me a bit about why you’ve assembled this book and what it means to you to create a career retrospective.

The reason I did it is that I have a had a unique run at this business.  I’ve made a journey from straight photojournalism to landscape, and not many people have done that.  So that makes the book sort of unique.  In any kind of career you get typecast as a certain type of photographer or a certain type of artist and that’s it.  It’s really founded on my near death experience and the subsequent sense of gratitude I felt for the healthcare professionals which I extended to my whole life.  There’s been a number of people that made me who I am.  So in a lot of ways, the whole book is sort of a big thank you to a lot of people.

A collection of Jack Dykinga’s Press Passes from his years in Photojournalism.

You say in the book that your photography is the product of many people’s influences.  Are you referencing mentors and teachers or peers?

Both.  Not only that but the environment and the situation.  The photojournalism was influenced in large part by the turbulent times of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  Covering the news I that did was anything from marching with Martin Luther King to being shot at at a Cabrini-Green housing project.  It’s all part of the life lesson that was imparted to me.  A series of peers and editors really shaped my skillset.

Jack Dykinga became the first Sun-Times photographer to win the Pulitzer Prize, honored for a series of photographs taken in April and July 1970 at the state schools for the mentally retarded in downstate Dixon and Lincoln.After the photographs were published, state officials curtailed plans to reduce funding to the Department of Mental Health. © Chicago Sun Times

© Chicago Sun-Times

Do other photographers continue to change the way you think in this stage of your career or are you pretty set in your ways at this point?

Well actually, just the opposite.  I’m probably more loose in my ways than I’ve ever been.  That’s largely because of the onset of digital.  Here I am, a guy who’s gonna be 74 in a couple days and I’m teaching workshops on how to do Lightroom and Photoshop.  I think the wonderful thing about photography as a genre is that you can push the limits.  I’ve been very fortunate, as I mention in the book, I do a lot of workshops with John Shaw, and he’s written several books on Lightroom and Photoshop.  Together we sort of hack out issues and find new ways to use some of the new tools that are available.  It’s a constant learning thing.  One of the things I talk about in the book is that a large part of what makes a good photographer is curiosity and never resting…  

 

I was at Photography at the Summit in Jackson Hole with a bunch of [National] Geographic Photographers.  I was sitting at a table with Rich Clarkson and Robert Pledge, the head of Contact in Paris, and some young photographer came over and said “Well, how’s it feel finally to have arrived?”  All of us looked at eachother — it was the craziest thing we’d ever heard because you’re always learning.  You’re always pushing.  You never “arrive” — you’re just always on the journey.

What influences do you hope to have on the work of future photographers?

I don’t think that way.  In photography and any art form, you can teach a skill set, and I guess the lesson in the book really is more about being grateful, and being open for change, and being aware when these different muses dance into your life.  There are many times in any life where you can seize an opportunity and go with it, or you can stay with the conservative approach and play it safe.  I’ve never been able to do that.  I’ve always grabbed for the brass ring.  If there is a lesson, that would be it.

What has travel meant to your development as a photographer?

It tires me out.  Some people wear travel as a badge as this thing to aspire to.  The older you get, the more you want to limit that.  Life becomes more involved with qualitative instead of quantitative.  While I’ve travelled all over the planet, I think increasingly the travel I do is in areas where I can go back and get a greater knowledge of the place.  Places like Chile (Torres del Paine) and I’ve been to Namibia a couple times.  It’s great to have that frame of reference to know a place over time.  It’s almost impudent and adolescent to think you can go somewhere and walk away with the soul of the place from a quick trip.  To me it’s more important to establish a rapport and a relationship — that usually requires doing things over time.  It requires multiple trips to places for them to become your favorites.

Yosemite National Park, CAL/Bridalveil Falls pours into Yosemite Valley’s coniferous forest under shroud of fog. California 1987 © Jack Dykinga

When you revisit favorite landscapes, do you always know what you’re looking for or does the landscape still surprise you?

I go in with the attitude of a hit list.  I know the narrative and I know where the gaping holes are in the story and I try to go fill it.  That is definitely your game plan and you go into an assignment that way.  But, it frequently and almost never works out the way you want it to.  That’s the joy of it!  It’s like Christmas every day.  Everything’s a surprise.  So the serendipity and how you respond to it is what really determines your success.

If you were to visit a place and know that you would never set foot there again do you approach it differently?  Does your photojournalism background take over?  What are you looking for?  What are you thinking while you make your shot?

For me, it’s muscle memory at this point in my life.  I’m a tried and true pro and I know exactly what buttons to push and what I need to do to capture the story, but it still boils down to your impression, your curiosity, what it is that piques your interest.  That varies from photographer to photographer.  From that, you apply your set of skills and your style artistically — so you’re doing both journalism and art at the same time.  That’s the most successful type of photography.

 

Over time you’ll see that the land has a personality and a change going on, however subtle, whether attached to climate change or some environmental calamity that I’m trying to record, so that’s still photojournalism.  It may not have any people in it, and maybe there shouldn’t be any people in it.  There are some stories that do need people in it — I’ve done both.  The point is, coming from Chicago as I did, the tendency is to be anthropocentric — that it has to be human centered to have any relevance.  When I was a photographer in Chicago we used to use a derisive term for Landscape Photography as “Placemat” photography — the ultimate put down, and that’s because there’s no people in the shot.  Finally, as you become more and more of a naturalist, you understand that there’s a lot of stuff going on in spite of the fact that there’s no people.  You’re telling a different kind of story that’s not human centered.

Do you have a favorite type of landscape or climate to photograph?

I live in Tucson.  I live in the Sonoran Desert.  The desert with its stark empty spaces and things spaced out because of water availability has sort of a monumental look to it.  It’s what drives photographers to come here, or Santa Fe — places where there’s a big sky and plant life that’s scattered with appropriate distances.  In terms of graphics and design, it’s very clean and very, in a way, elegant.  I’m drawn to that.  There are no favorite places for me.  It’s just usually where I’m at.  Next month I’ll be in death valley for two weeks, then I’ll be going off to some of these new national monuments that Obama just made.  That’s part of the game, as journalists you learn to make self-assignments.  You learn to read the newspaper and apply that to your vision.

 

I am one of the founders of the International League of Conservation Photographers, which is a group of celebrated photographers who threw their talents into environmental causes to affect change.  One of the things you realize is that images have power and you can affect change.  Of course you learn that when you win a Pulitzer Prize because that’s what it’s about — the images affected change.  When you see that as a young photographer, you realize the power you’ve got, then you turn around and apply that to any cause you want.  There is a certain amount of arrogance because you know that you’ve got a certain skill set that could pull it off.

Arizona State Trust land near Redrock, AZ with summer monsoon storm, flashed of lightning and a partial rainbow ober the saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert Arizona.
© Jack Dykinga

You’ve said in a previous interview that impatience is photography’s biggest weakness in the digital era.  How would you advise young photographers to combat the impulse to rush?

It’s a complicated issue.  Breathe, I guess.  I talked about getting a relationship with a place.  You could liken it to a man and a woman.  You can go through a relationship very quickly and make it a one night stand or you can have a long delightful interlude where you really know each other.  The ability of a digital camera is a computer that can go very very fast.  It goes fast as you want to go.  But frequently, it’s the going slow and realizing what’s there.  Turn over every rock and really study things — during different lighting conditions, during different weather conditions.  You can’t always do that if you’re a travel photographer.  Sometimes you’ve got to maximize a ton of it, but you really get focused with good planning.  Doing the [National] Geographic job on Native American Landscapes, I picked a time when I knew there would be summer pre-tornado clouds over the great plains.  I planned my trip to get that image.  I planned another trip to get fall color up in Minnesota.  That’s travel photography, but it’s the planning that really made the difference.  Then it becomes two weeks of waiting for the weather to change.  Sometimes you don’t always have that, but with  [National] Geographic you do.

With such a deluge of photographic instruction, webinars, manuals, etc out there it can be hard to navigate through the noise to find good artistic leadership and inspiration.  Where would you recommend a young or aspiring photographer begin now that assistantships are harder to come by?

I sympathize because I don’t think it’s ever been harder.  I see it a lot with photographers who are 30 something and really talented.  It used to be that you could make a decent living as a stock photographer and you could have a group of friends that you traveled with.  Now, frankly, I don’t see anybody on the road like we used to.  The stock business has been eroded by dentists and lawyers and doctors with cameras that are selling one picture a year, but collectively, they’re destroying the stock business.  They’re giving it away.  That’s what young photographers are up against.  That doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.  I always think that somebody who has a great vision is going to make it no matter what.  Sometimes, if you get somebody who’s really talented, they become an assistant on a future workshop and they can go from there. But there’s a really finite, limited number of people that make it nowadays.

 

For me, the miracle of working for a newspaper and in print media is that you’re producing a book every single day.  You’re taking images, you’re putting them on paper, and you’re taking that whole process and doing it on a deadline — I call it ‘dancing on demand’ because that’s what you’re doing.  You have to meet deadlines.  Talk about the ultimate travel photographer — well that’s what you are.  You’re breezing into a situation, you’re assessing the situation, you’re telling a story with your photographs, and you’re leaving.  And you’re doing this with maybe three or four assignments a day.  Some of it can be really superficial and some of it can be really profound — the discipline you learn by doing that and working with a group of peers, which in Chicago in the 70’s and 80’s was as fine a group of photographers as there was.  They’ve gone on to be Directors of Photography at various magazines, publications… The model that I used to make a living is no longer applicable.  As get into [digital media] more and more, I’m trying to do more Fine Art.  Maybe some of it’s not so fine, but it’s like you’re shooting really good photographs every single day as a professional and maybe one a month rises to the next level and you consider making a fine art print from it.  As your reputation goes up, you can charge more for a print and it becomes a viable financial model.

The whole idea is to get a group of peers that you can learn from and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.

Is there anything else that you would like to impart on our readers or the future generations of photography?

The thing that I see a lot is that there’s a lot of arrogance of what you think you know.  I’m guilty of this myself.  That’s the beauty of being old — you’ve done it all.  With digital, as things get more and more technical, two things can happen.  You can get some really bad habits and you can try to save everything in post processing.  There’s a real loss in the basic fundamentals of getting it right in the capture as you’re out on assignment.  Digital becomes a crutch.  You think ‘I can do this thing — I can zip up the color and do all kinds of edits later on.’  You create a Frankenstein.  On one hand, you’re doing that and have an over dependence on digital.  The other thing is a lot of people have the incorrect way of processing digital.  That’s something where a workshop or internship is really important.  To get that fundamental knowledge of what it takes to maintain a photo library — especially as a freelancer.

Cypress dome swamp with water surface covered with water-spangles and duckweed, with swirling patterns formed during long exposure in foreground. Morning light. Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. © Jack Dykinga

What comes next?  What will the 2nd edition of this book include five or ten years from now?

Ten years from now I’ll be fertilizer, kid.  I don’t think that far in advance.  I’ve got stuff planned into 2018 that’s gonna keep me busy.  Having Trump as President is going to bring about all kinds of interesting things, but I’m at the twilight of my career.  That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do the book.  To talk about the journey.  I think when you’re young, you just want everything right away — even when you’re old you want some things right away — but sometimes it’s amazing how things kinda come to you.  Almost the harder you push the less you get.  Patience is a thing to learn.

“A Photographer’s Life – A Journey from Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist to Celebrated Nature Photographer” (ISBN: 9781681980720) is available in Hardcover and EBook format from Rocky Nook.  All images and page excerpts published here are provided by Jack Dykinga and printed with his and Rocky Nook’s permission.  

The post Reflecting on “A Photographer’s Life”: A Conversation with Jack Dykinga appeared first on Resource Travel.

I met her in a gold-trimmed room with no walls somewhere in the middle of Bali. We were hours away from the 5-star resorts and yoga studios and blonde tourists from far-off lands. I’d come through miles of hazy, chaotic roads and rice fields to find — unexpectedly — a sumptuous Asian courtyard straight out of a painting.

With the grandfather clock in the corner, the carefully manicured plants, and the crisp, colorful paint, she appeared quite well-off. In other cultures, such grandeur may indeed be indicative for her post as ratu pedanda, or Brahmana high priestess, but Hindu priests are not paid. Any income comes only in the form of offerings from the people.

All that shone around me was testament to her value and reverence.

Jugs of powerful holy water (tirta) from surrounding villages are stored in the temple for future ceremonies.

Meeting her was a turning point in my photographic and emotional journey. I’d been in Indonesia for several days observing the spirituality of its people as an outsider. As neither a true Asian nor American nor European, nobody had known what to make of me. I have always approached religion with a scientific and psychological interest. Perhaps this detachment and my innate strangeness prevented me from connecting and feeling.

But when she came out of her quarters and stepped up into the room and placed herself on the ground in the most humble fashion, she took my breath away. Her gait was difficult and hunched, her legs and feet far more accustomed to being folded beneath her. It was clear she spent more of her time seated than in motion. And as her family brought us cups of hot, sweet tea and went about their duties of laundry and ceremonial preparation, this was proven certainly true.

Ratu pendanda, one of the few female Brahmana high priests in Bali, humbly describes her life while in her home.

While I sat in a throne-like chair below the priestess and listened to my translator conversing with her, I had all the time in the world to take it all in. Beautiful pet roosters with firework plumes crowed in their ornamental cages, adding a wild country atmosphere to the existing twitter of songbirds and the morning sun.

The priestess welcomed us, strangers, with all her heart. She was swathed in modest white and blue, her feet comfortably bare and knobbed beneath her sarong, her high forehead and earlobes daubed with a pinch of sacred rice. Priestesses in Bali twist their hair in complicated knots, indicating their position in society, adorned with the fresh flowers that are everywhere in the damp tropical climate.

“How old are you?” I asked, via my translator.

“67 years,” she replied, “and earlier, and ongoing.”

From simple to complex, offerings of rice, flowers, and food appease spirits that reside around the Balinese home

But beyond her elder beauty was an unshakeable grace and delicacy. Such a quiet, humble woman who at the same time radiated immense power. Her hands were a dancer’s hands, long elegant fingers that were born to command. I’d later see those hands in motion, adorned with ceremonial gemstones, holding blossoms to her lips in prayer, and weaving twists of incense smoke from the earthly world to the one above.

The priestess prepares herself before leading prayers at a mass cremation. Each crystal possesses spiritual significance.

Those hands would cover her mouth when she laughed. Her laugh was an unexpectedly young giggle, so charmingly sweet and different from the otherwise serious woman she had become.

She, who has devoted her entire life to her spirituality, wanted to know all about us and how we came to be here.
She, the embodiment of divine power, gave us a complete and open invitation to photograph everything she needed to do over the next few days for her people.

She, chosen as the most recent in the ever-turning cycle of lives, shared all the stories of her previous life: her father, her late husband, the prophecy of her dreams.

Images of personal importance to ratu pedanda: younger versions of herself and her family.

She introduced us to her son, in training to become the next priest, and her daughter, a hairdresser come home to repent for building a temple without divine permission. This is a harsh reality for an American atheist to hear, but a powerful message about Balinese culture and the ties that bind one’s family and the gods.

Ratu pedanda leads prayers at a mass cremation ceremony in Tabanan, Bali. Because such ceremonies are expensive, a village may wait years to pool money together and later perform a single ceremony over coconut leaf effigies of their loved ones.

Balinese priests live two lives: They are both the vessel of divine communication as well as ordinary people who live ordinary lives with their families.
Unlike Hinduism in other countries, there is no “untouchability” in Balinese castes. She was embodying this to the fullest degree in opening her life’s doors to me. When the pouring rains doused the cremation ceremony, she paused chanting her prayers to ensure someone fetched me an umbrella.

Ratu pedanda leaving a mass cremation ceremony with her assistants near Tabanan, Bali.

I was tremendously honored to not just have found a female spiritual leader in a land with specific and traditional gender roles, but to also be invited to witness her work. While it is true that the people of Bali nearly always smile at us “guests,” that smile is not always the permission it seems.
One may never walk off the beaten path due to fear, lack of time, or simply a lack of interest. But this singular experience of being inspired by Tabanan’s high priestess while capturing a photo story on Balinese women is a reminder that taking such detours will certainly be worth the risk.

Schmoo Theune is a freelance photographer who hails from nowhere in particular in the USA, although she currently resides in Germany.You can follow her on her website,  Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Medium. 

The post Meet One of the Few High Priestesses in Bali appeared first on Resource Travel.

While Plant’s Dreamscapes are an obviously impressive collection of photos, I personally have always loved a section on his website called “The Human Element”. From Kenya to Iceland, Plant incorporates human subjects into the extraordinary scenes that he finds.

I sat down with Plant to get the story on the project that doesn’t get as much attention as Dreamscapes, but is equally just as impressive.

You are beyond well-known in the world of photographers, with most of your known work centered around your landscapes and Dreamscapes. But you appear to be drawn to having figures in your travel photos, adding a human element. When did the addition of people start to appeal to your photographing mind?

There was a time in my life when I vowed to never take a photo featuring people. That all changed several years ago during a trip to Morocco, where I fell in love with street photography. I learned that my quest for making compelling images transcends genres and the arbitrary lines I tried to draw for myself. Art should know no boundaries! So now I readily embrace making photographs featuring the human presence.

For you, What is the most appealing aspect of adding people to your travel scenes?

People add life and energy to travel photos. A person’s pose, posture, facial expressions, and line of sight can add so much to the story you are trying to tell with your photographs. Not every travel photo needs a person in it, but adding people can improve one’s travel photos in numerous ways.

Currently interviewing you from Morocco, I find myself obsessing over your images from this country. Possibly the most powerful being the woman begging at the food stalls in Jamaa el Fna in Marrakech. What was it about the scene that drew you in, and how did you try to tell the woman’s story through just one photograph?

So much of the scene was visually appealing, especially the woman’s bright orange robe. The Jamaa el Fna is a chaotic place of seemingly endless motion, but I was immediately struck by her motionless vigil. I tried very hard to capture the paradox of Morocco in this one photograph: the collision between the slow slumber of ancient civilizations and the vibrant fervor of modernity.

Being a Tamron Image Master, you obviously know your lenses. If you were on documentary style travel assignment to highlight the local culture of a location and could only bring one lens, which would it be and why?

I’d want to bring a lens that is capable of capturing multiple perspectives, ranging from wide-angle scenes to tight telephoto portraits. So an “all-in-one” lens would be best, such as a the Tamron 16-300mm lens.

What is it that inspires you to continue to work with the addition of the human element in your photographs, even though they may not become your most well known or most shared images?

These days, I just chase good photos. Even if most of my fans want to see landscape work, if a photo has meaning to me, I’m going to take it, no matter the subject!

Can you provide three tips for photographers to help improve the way they incorporate the human element into their travel photography?

One, learn to view everything, even people, as abstract visual elements, the building blocks of a successful composition. Two, always look to tell a story with your photos: wait for the moment when your subject does something revealing, or something that will help forge an emotional connection with your viewers. Three, don’t be afraid to look for unusual perspectives and compositions. The best photos show people what they don’t or can’t see with their own eyes, so always look for ways to surprise your viewers!

The post Ian Plant Explores the Human Element of Travel appeared first on Resource Travel.

In the latest COOPH-video, Jimmy shares 7 of the most intimate life lessons photography has taught him, based on stories and experiences. Jimmy talks about humor, knowledge, vulnerability, pride, judgement, respect and reflection, and how all those things have made him the image maker he is today.

The images shown in the video are from “Before They Pass Away,” Jimmy’s long-term project that showcases more than 30 tribes from around the world. He hopes that his work will be a catalyst for further discussion as to the authenticity and beauty of fragile and disappearing cultures.

HATGAL VILLAGE, LAKE KHOVSGOL NUUR (Mongolia)
© Jimmy Nelson

KARO CHILDREN IN KORCHO VILLAGE (Ethiopia)
© Jimmy Nelson

KAZAKH EAGLE HUNTING (Mongolia)
© Jimmy Nelson

HULI WIG MEN AT AMBUA FALLS (Papua New Guinea)
© Jimmy Nelson

KAISUT DESERT (Kenya)
© Jimmy Nelson

EPUPA FALLS (Namibia)
© Jimmy Nelson

YAKIM, BRIGADE 2 (Siberia)
© Jimmy Nelson

Visit Jimmy Nelson’s website for more information about is work and to see some of his breathtaking pictures. If you would like to witness a real life exhibition of his “Before They Pass Away” series, you will have to go to Belgium, Germany, France, Austria or Great Britain.

The post Jimmy Nelson’s 7 Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Travel Photography appeared first on Resource Travel.

Once you get out of the tourist triangle (Havana, Trinidad, Vinales Valley), you will discover an entirely different version of the country; one without tourist shops, currency exchanges, and locals who speak English. This was the Cuba I fell for.

Cubans cherish their cars like they would their first born. Anytime of day or night, you will see a Cuban tinkering under the hood, often creating Frankenstein-like cars that contain parts from every manufacturer out there. Cubans know how to make cars run with very little original parts.

I traveled to the island nation with a ton of photography gear, but throughout the trip, I found myself constantly reaching for my Apple iPhone 6s Plus. Often it was just quicker and easier to access than digging into my bag for my camera. Sometimes, I would take the scene in front of me with both my iPhone and Sony camera, using the iPhone versions to post to my Instagram.  They always just came out clean, and didn’t require me to take time to edit RAW files on my laptop. And really, finding free time in Cuba was hard—we were constantly ending up in someone’s home, exploring the endless streets and alleyways, or diving into a local bar for a humidity-busting cocktail.

To be honest, it really had been years since I relied so heavily on my iPhone for photographs. With the advent of built in WiFi in cameras, I would typically transfer photos from the camera to my iPhone, rather than taking the photos on the iPhone itself. But in Cuba, once I started shooting with the iPhone, I couldn’t stop. It was FUN. Simple fun. I didn’t have to think about settings or exposure levels. I could just document my experiences cleanly and beautifully with no worries.

On top of the El Bolo Vista Gourmet restaurant in the tourist town of Trinidad, you will find one of the best sunset vantage points in all of Cuba.

Photographing Cuba with an iPhone helped re-energize my love for the basics of photography. It helped me remember a time when life was more simple and much easier; when I could just take great photos quickly and easily without having to stress about deadlines and commitments.

iPhoneography made photography fun again.

Our home on wheels across the country of Cuba. A 1995 Volkswagen Jetta.

One of the first scenes I saw in Havana was this old car perfectly set in front of the facade of a disintegrating building. Little did I know how often I would see this scene play across the country. And each time I realized people actually lived and worked in these buildings.

A mother cuts her daughter’s hair in the 3rd story window of their home in Havana.

Motorbikes & Bicycles in Ciego De Avila.

“I lost my arm in the war” the old man tells us.

A cat looks up from behind a fence in Holguin.

My friend Jairo looks over the untouched coastline that lines the eastern part of the island.

Night at the Libreria Venecia in Havana.

The sun sets over the swinging bridge in Baracoa.

When on a Jeep trip to the furthest point east, you must fill up your stomachs for maximum energy.

A freshly painted bike taxi sits in front of a graffiti mural as a wave crashes over the ocean wall on the Malecon.

The columns of the gazebo in the Manzanillo Parque Central can be used to frame the town’s church towers for a unique photograph.

Children play football on a graffiti-filled athletic court in Havana.

The 2016 Cuban Olympic Bicycle team practices at their official training facility in Havana.

Decades-old irons and blenders sit ready to use in the back room of a resturant in the eastern city a Baracoa.

The late afternoon light starts to turn the clouds pink in Havana.

On the lonely, deserted road north of Cabo Cruz lies a lighthouse and incredible foreground elements for a sunset photograph.

Cubans say the massive construction project to beautify the capital building in Havana is to impress the impending flood of American tourists.

A tobacco farmer shows off his drying crop in the Vinales Valley.

A bus filled with a very energetic crowd implores the American government to stop the blockade against Cuba.

An old woman yells at construction workers from her balcony for making too much noise in the neighborhood surrounding the capital building in Havana.

A man walks through a decaying corner as twilight settles over Havana.

Sure, you can take the tourist taxi, but why not jump in the collective taxi. Not only will you pay a fraction of the cost, but you will make some new Cuban friends when they curiously ask how you made your way into a local taxi.

A farmer harvests tobacco leaves in the Vinales Valley.

A tobacco farmer and his horse in the Vinales Valley.

Baseball is king in Cuba, and you will find young boys playing catch everywhere and anywhere, like this pair in the Vinales Valley.

A man tends to a fire in his yard as his friend looks on in the Vinales Valley.

The scene a split second before the toy cart hit the street dog on the heels, causing him to jump as the afternoon light hits Havana.

Two dogs, curious with my presence, inch closer in the Vinales Valley.

A classic car sits in front of street vendors in Havana.

An old man pauses to catch his breath on a dark street during nightfall in Havana.

The colors of Havana are intriguing, to say the least.

A man, dressed to impress, crosses a busy street in Havana.

The well maintained Malecon waterfront roadway is home to a large number of activities throughout the year. On this particular day, runners from all over the world had gathered for a marathon.

The Malecon ocean wall is constantly filled with young lovers, tourists, and people in search of an afternoon snack or refreshment.

A convertible travels around the Parque Central of Holguin to celebrate the Quinceañera (15th Birthday) of a local young woman.

A construction worker in Havana takes a break from hanging out to give me a thumbs up.

A couple carries a carpet across a street in Havana.

Abandon or Inhabited?

Classic cars and their drivers wait for traffic to move on the outskirts of Havana.

The cemetery in Holguin is an impressive collection of tombstones, statues, and mausoleums

A young mother asks her son what he is doing to misbehave while she was under the hood of her car. For the record, he was climbing into the passenger seat through the window instead of using the door.

School children walk by a Buick in Havana.

Apparently, Che Guevara was a New York Yankees fan, according to this art piece found in a tatto shop in Havana.

The sun sets on another day in Havana.

A Beatles Themed bar in Holguin awaits it’s first customer of the day.

Outside of the Beatles-themed bar in Holguin, a man waits patiently for his family.

Young Cuban women enter a market that displays an advertisement of young adults who don’t appear very Cuban.

The sun sets on top of the 465 steps that it takes to get to La Loma de la Cruz, which provides a impressive view of the city of Holguin.

A woman hitches a ride on the back of a moterbike in the far east.

The furthest point east on the island of Cuba, the Concha lighthouse sits along the ocean.

“The Bridge is broken, yet they drive over it anyway” the farmer said. Little did we know, this was one of the safer bridges in the east, which has been suffering from a complete lack of road repairs for decades.

Clouds mix with smoke along a road in the rural east.

Vibrant buildings and vibrant clothing in Bayamo.

My friend and incredible photographer Alain Lázaro Gutiérrez takes in the sunset at Cabo Cruz.

No lights? No problem for the baseball-obsessed youth in Ciego De Avila.

A typical taxi ride in the countryside on the outskirts of Trinidad.

Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, and Nelson Mandela appear over the phrase “The great nation that grows”

A young man takes out the trash in Havana.

The sleepy sea-side village of Cabo Cruz is prehaps the most tropical location on the southern side of the island.

The post 31 Days in Cuba with an iPhone 6s Plus and a VW Jetta appeared first on Resource Travel.

Written and photographed by Michael Bonocore
Created in partnership with Tamron USA. All photographs captured using Tamron Lenses. 

When to visit

While most of the summer months in Cuba are unbearably humid, November through March is a much more pleasant time to visit, as daily temperatures range from the high 70’s to low 80’s. Cuban cities were made for walking, so book your trip in the winter months. This is also the busiest season for tourism, so expect higher rates for the Casas Particulares (more on that later). Additionally, the rainfall total is at its lowest during these months, making street photography much easier on your camera. That’s not to say you won’t see rain, though, which makes for incredible scenes and reflections in the streets. But if beaches are more your speed, then the humidity of July and August is a great time to catch some sun on the tropical north coast.

Travel

On March 15, 2016, President Obama signed an executive order that opened the door for any American citizen to visit Cuba for all intents and purposes. Previously, an American with a special Visa would have to enter the country through a tour group, generally in a “people-to-people” capacity, such as education and volunteerism. The new order, however, eliminates the need to visit as part of a tour group, meaning visitors simply have to submit a form that confirms they are going for “people-to-people” purposes. Tourism, on the other hand, is still forbidden, so make sure you don’t check that box on your form. This executive action occurred just five days before President Obama become the first US President on Cuban soil since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

US Airlines also will begin nonstop flights to Cuba throughout the summer and fall of 2016.

Accommodations

Hotels outside of Havana are uncommon, so it’s best to stay at the Casas Particulares. The Casas are homestay buildings with the family that owns them, but many are set up like hotels with well-equipped rooms and private or shared bathrooms. The families will also prepare authentic Cuban dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Typically, the owners are friendly and accommodating, and will quickly become your friends. Casas are everywhere, so if you don’t have a reservation just keep an eye out for doors with a blue anchor-looking symbol. Aside from this being the best option for an authentic Cuban experience, Casas are also far more economical, ranging from $20 to $30 a night for a private room. Breakfast will cost about four dollars per person while dinner can range from seven dollars to $10. So skip the government-owned hotels and support the local families by staying at a Casa.

Casas are also slowly becoming more accessible online, and you can visit www.mycasaparticular.com to browse and book your stays.

Cuisine

Until 2010, most restaurants in Cuba were government owned and operated, with only small private restaurants—or paladars—tightly regulated. A review of the economic model convinced the government to give these mostly family owned restaurants more freedom, such as how many tables to accommodate, a decision that previously was made by the government. This unexpected move inspired Cuban culinary aficionados to open restaurants across the country. Since then, the scene has exploded, and private restaurants have become the best options for tasty local dishes, but are typically more expensive than the government-run businesses. Even more, the real gems are found along the highways in the middle of nowhere. And for about three bucks, these family businesses serve up chicken, seafood, pork, lamb, and vegetarian options for lunch and dinner.

Hot spots

Havana

Havana is truly a one of a kind city—it’s one of those places that’s nearly impossible to describe to someone who hasn’t been there. But let’s give it a shot. First off, it’s filled with Historic architectural gems like Cathedral de San Cristobal, which provide a stark contrast to the surrounding neighborhoods, such as Vedado. These neighborhoods are home to hundreds of dilapidated buildings that serve as unique backgrounds when photographing the street scenes that unfold in front of them. And while car and bicycle taxis are everywhere, opt to walk as much as possible. Each walk yields incredible photographs and lively conversations with Havana’s friendly residents. And of course, the famous classic cars cruising the streets by the thousand add vibrant character to any scene, especially on the famous waterfront Malecón.

Where to stay:
Las Terrazas
Phone: +53 7876-2204 +53 5736-3810

Where to eat:
El Chanchullero
www.el-chanchullero.com

Vinales Valley

Arguably the most photographed region in Cuba, most of the postcard photos of the Cuban countryside were taken in Vinales Valley’s famed tobacco growing region. Vinales is also home to a ton of outdoor adventures, such as swimming, rock climbing, biking, and hiking. Nonetheless, the tobacco farms are a great place to relax and light up a freshly rolled Cuban cigar and watch the golden afternoon light descend on the farmlands.

Where to stay:
Casa California – Orquidea y Luis
Phone: +53 5255-9919 or +53 4868-4365
E-mail: orquideayluis2016@gmail.com
orquidea.liza@nauta.cu

Cienfuegos

Awarded a coveted Unesco World Heritage site in 2005, Cienfuegos is one of Cuba’s most beautiful cities and a huge part of the typical tourist route through the country. At the least, it’s worthy of a stopover, as the impressive view of the Parque Jose Martinez can be seen from an iron staircase on the roof of Casa de la Cultura Benjamin Duarte.

Trinidad

Tourists galore inhabit the Parque Central and the surrounding streets in Trinidad, but don’t let that stop you from coming. The photography locations here are exceptional, with vibrant colors and a perfect sunset vantage point from the El Bolo Vista Gourmet restaurant. Sit on the roof, grab a mojito, and watch the colonial style church become awash in the afternoon light.

Where to stay:
Hostal Benavente
Phone: +53 4199-4106
E-mail: ely26benavente@yahoo.es
www.casabenaventetrinidad.wordpress.com

Where to Eat:
El Bolo Vista Gourmet

Photography Guide:
Julio Munoz
Phone: +53 4199-3673
E-mail: trinidadjulio@yahoo.com
www.trinidadphoto.com

Ciego De Avila

The people of Ciego De Avila are proud of their history and their town. The hard working laborers consume the sugarcane and pineapple industries, which has helped build up the area as one of the cleanest and most modern in Cuba.

Where to stay:
Casa Liamne
Phone: +53 5340-9131

Bayamo

Horse carriages are the main form of transportation in the old city of Bayamo, a must-do for those seeking to photograph one of Cuba’s most historic methods of transportation. To say the least, the colorful walls, street vendor carts, and busy mornings make photography in Bayamo an exciting adventure.|

Where to stay:
Ogla y Jose
Phone: +53 2342-3859
E-mail: maillo@nauta.com

Manzanillo

The bayside town of Manzanillo is home to one of Cuba’s most impressive Parque Central. An elegant gazebo sits in the center of the park, and from the right angle, you can frame the bell towers of Inglesia de la Purisma Concepcion between the gazebo’s arches. If you don’t plan to stay overnight, it’s the perfect place to stop for lunch before capturing this impressive scene.

Cabo Cruz

Along the southern coast lies Cabo Cruz, the sleepy beach side village. There are rarely outsiders here, and the people are friendly and the surroundings beautiful, which will lead to some amazing photo opportunities that most visitors will never have.

Guantanamo

Almost every American knows the name Guantanamo, and besides Havana, this bay in the furthest southeast corner of the country is perhaps the most globally known location in Cuba. Yes, I’m talking about the infamous Guantanamo Bay US naval base. Although it’s located near the town of Guantanamo, the province holds its own as a beautiful location to visit. The lush mountainous region makes for excellent photographic drives, alongside the lookout points over the beautiful blue waters of the bay. And with a long lens, you can even see the US military installations and the dramatic in-water border that separates the US and Cuba territories.

Where to stay:
Las Terrazas de Evelin
Phone: +53 5310-4658
E-mail: yudibr86@nauta.cu

Baracoa

The town of Baracoa—an hour drive from Masai and the furthest point east in Cuba—is everything Havana isn’t. Quiet, lush, and most of all, quirky, as evidenced by one of the most interesting photo spots in this beachfront town, a run down baseball stadium on the beach. If you walk 20 minutes past the stadium, however, you’ll come across one of the most beautiful locations in the country: a swinging bridge over the tropical Rio Miel, complete with colorful boats and huts built on stilts in the river. The golden light makes this spot ideal to hit in the early-morning or late-afternoon. Also, if you continue to the other side of the river you can take in the scenery of Parque Natural Majayara while exploring its enchanting dirt-road neighborhoods.

Where to stay:
Case Reina y Rebeca
Phone: +53 2164-1164 or +53 2164-1852
E- mail: pascuall@nauta.cu or ruben.gtm@infomed.sld.cu

Holguin

After a beautiful drive along the north coast from Baracoa and through Moa, you will arrive in Holguin, Cuba’s fourth largest city. Known as the “city of parks,” Holguin is full of street scenes that will have you changing your lenses and settings at a fast and furious pace. But when you’re not devouring tasty food at one of Holguin’s up-and-coming private restaurants, make sure to hike the 465 steps to La Loma de la Cruz for an incredible view of the city. The 465-meter hilltop is also home to a large cross, a perfect foreground element for your early-morning or late-afternoon photo.

Where to stay:
Villa Oshun
Phone: +52 2442-4473
E-mail: oscarifa@nauta.cu

Villa Daya Y Julio
Phone: +53 2448-0645
E-mail: dayami.olano@nauta.cu

Sancti Spiritus

A charming little town of 114,000, photos of Sancti Spiritus are often confused with its neighbor, Trinidad. Puento Yayabo, a blinding yellow four-arch bridge over the Rio Yayabo, is the main draw here. Catch it in the early morning for golden light casting on the arches, and even without an ND filter, the calm river makes for perfect reflections. Also, don’t forget to capture the hustle of the locals heading off to work in morning.

Where to stay:
Calle Real
Phone: +53 5240-8296
E-mail: callereal76ss@gmail.com

Survival Guide: Consuming the Culture of Cuba

Live in the moment—don’t rely on reservations

Businesses in Cuba can take reservations, but they just can’t hold reservations. Remember those Casas I recommended? Well, the downside is Cuba lacks in organization and communication, so don’t be surprised to arrive at a sold out Casa. But not to worry, the Casa owners work closely together, so a few phone calls will usually get you a new reservation at a nearby location. When this happens (trust me, it will), just smile and take it with stride. Most Cubans don’t have the luxury of the Internet and computers, and their businesses are run using physical books, so cut them some slack—and remember that this system worked incredibly well in the US for decades.

Shoot from the window of a sturdy vehicle

Life in Cuba moves so slow that it isn’t hard to capture it while traversing down highways at 100 kilometers an hour. When you aren’t behind the wheel, set your camera to continuous drive mode at 1/8000 of a second on shutter priority. Let the camera do the work as you capture remarkable scenes without losing valuable travel time. Also, be sure to travel in a sturdy vehicle, as the further east you go, the worse the road conditions become—you will encounter potholes the size of bathtubs, and “dirt roads” that are actually paved roads reduced to rubble. And think twice before you hire a local to take you in their personal vehicle. They value their cars as much as themselves, so blowing a tire will leave you stranded with a very unhappy driver.

Bring fast lenses

Whether you’re shooting out of cars or walking the endlessly photogenic city streets, you can’t afford to miss a moment. For this, high aperture fast lenses are highly recommended in order to retain the sharpness of vivid scenes. For this trip, I photographed exclusively with Tamron lenses, none of which were slower than f/2.8. Even in broad daylight, I shot close to the widest possible aperture, as a fast shutter speed was critical for capturing sharp images.

Make eye contact

In all of my travels, I’ve never seen eyes as an enchanting, magnetic, and vibrant as the people of Cuba, whether male or female or young or old. So build your portraits around your subjects’ eyes—they will inevitably draw you in and leave you speechless.

Get a travel guide

While Cuban people are generally friendly and the country is safe, a guide is always useful on a road trip, especially if you aren’t fluent in Spanish. Even better, is a guide who doubles as a photographer, as they understand your needs and will be eagerly capturing scenes alongside you. This is especially important when spending hours waiting for that perfect person to walk by your favorite street mural. I recommend my good friend Alain Lázaro Gutiérrez—he is an incredible photographer, speaks near-perfect English, and is friendly and personable, making it easy to interact with the people you encounter.

E-mail: alainlazaro@gmail.com
Instagram: @alainmenox
www.atasteofcuba.org

Kick it with the locals

When you walk through the neighborhoods of Cuba, from Havana to Baracoa, you will be assuredly invited into the family homes of the people you meet. Cubans are generous and will share whatever they have with you, whether it’s a cup of coffee or their last cacao, so politely take them up on the offer. Cubans love to talk, and they will want to continue your conversation while hosting you—I lost count of the amount of homes we spent time in, drinking rum, sugarcane juice, and glancing over family photo albums. The conversations were always lively, informative, and the smiles and laughs never stopped. Additionally, with the Internet just recently introduced and still unavailable or unneeded for most, you will find that Cubans appreciate face-to-face conversation—and it’s this constant interaction that makes them some of the most personable people in the world.

Get ready to go offline

The Internet is another quickly changing aspect of daily life in Cuba. Online access for nonessential government personnel was introduced just last year, and is only available in select spots, mainly the outdoor “Parque Central.” It’s also very expensive, especially for Cubans who earn a small fraction of American salaries. You can buy Internet cards from the local Etecsa store for two dollars, but if you pick them up from the hotels in Havana or the beach resorts, the price is more than double that. Also, at the time of writing this feature, business Gmail and US banking websites were restricted, but that could change very quickly. The government seems to be loosening up on access outside of the main town squares—Internet service will soon be available in homes in two Havana neighborhoods, and cafes will be able to purchase routers for their patrons. It is said that the Internet landscape in Cuba is set to change rapidly through 2016.

Forget all of your preconceptions

Everything you thought you knew about Cuba will change after your trip. In fact, you still won’t know how you feel about your experiences long after you leave. Sure, you will remember the beautiful, friendly people and their beaming smiles. But on the other hand, you will also recall the stories they shared about the incredible hardships they’ve faced, and continue to face to this day. No doubt, you will be awestruck when you capture the perfect shot of the decaying building facades, but you’ll get emotional when you remember that people actually live and work in those buildings. Cuba is a one of kind place, with honest and caring people who deserve nothing but success and happiness. Let’s hope that we’ve entered a new chapter in the nation’s turbulent history, one where the good people of Cuba will indefinitely come out on top.

Created in Partnership with Tamron USA

The post The Untold Culture Of Cuba appeared first on Resource Travel.

Furthermore, the state of conservation of 155 sites was examined. Libya’s five World Heritage sites were inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as was a site in Uzbekistan and another in Mali. One site in Georgia was removed from the list of endangered sites, while Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia) was simultaneously inscribed both on the World Heritage List and on the List in Danger.

The complete World Heritage List now contains 1052 sites in 165 countries. Grab your camera gear and start planning your trip to document these amazing locations.

Photos used with permission from UNESCO.

CULTURAL

Antequera Dolmens Site (Spain)

Located at the heart of Andalusia in southern Spain, the site comprises three megalithic monuments: the Menga and Viera dolmens and the Tolos of El Romeral, and two natural monuments: the Peña de los Enamorados and El Torcal mountainous formations, which are landmarks within the property. Built during the Neolithic and Bronze Age out of large stone blocks, these monuments form chambers with lintelled roofs or false cupolas. These three tombs buried beneath their original earth tumuli, are one of the most remarkable architectural works of European prehistory and one of the most important examples of European Megalithism.
© Conjunto Arqueológico Dólmenes de Antequera

Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites (Antigua and Barbuda)

The site consists of a group of Georgian-style naval buildings and structures, set within a walled enclosure. The natural environment of this side of the island of Antigua, with its deep, narrow bays surrounded by highlands, offered shelter from hurricanes and was ideal for repairing ships. The construction of the Dockyard by the British navy would not have been possible without the labour of generations of enslaved Africans since the end of the 18th century. Its aim was to protect the interests of sugar cane planters at a time when European powers were competing for control of the Eastern Caribbean.
© Nicola & Reg Murphy

Archaeological Site of Ani (Turkey)

This site is located on a secluded plateau of northeast Turkey overlooking a ravine that forms a natural border with Armenia. This medieval city combines residential, religious and military structures, characteristic of a medieval urbanism built up over the centuries by Christian and then Muslim dynasties. The city flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries CE when it became the capital of the medieval Armenian kingdom of the Bagratides and profited from control of one branch of the Silk Road. Later, under Byzantine, Seljuk, and Georgian sovereignty, it maintained its status as an important crossroads for merchant caravans. The Mongol invasion and a devastating earthquake in 1319 marked the beginning of the city’s decline. The site presents a comprehensive overview of the evolution of medieval architecture through examples of almost all the different architectural innovations of the region between the 7th and 13th centuries CE.
© Fahriye Bayram

Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar (India)

The Nalanda Mahavihara site is in the State of Bihar, in north-eastern India. It comprises the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal. Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent. It engaged in the organized transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted period of 800 years. The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions.
© Rajneesh Raj

Archaeological Site of Philippi (Greece)

The remains of this walled city lie at the foot of an acropolis in the present-day region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, on the ancient route linking Europe and Asia, the Via Egnatia. Founded in 356 BC by the Macedonian King Philip II, the city developed as a “small Rome” with the establishment of the Roman Empire in the decades following the Battle of Philippi, in 42 BCE. The Hellenistic theatre and funerary heroon (temple) were supplemented with Roman buildings such as the forum. Later the city became a centre of the Christian faith following the visit of the Apostle Paul in 49-50 CE. The remains of its basilicas constitute an exceptional testimony to the early establishment of Christianity.
© Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports

Gorham’s Cave Complex (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

The steep limestone cliffs on the eastern side of the Rock of Gibraltar contain four caves with archaeological and paleontological deposits that provide evidence of Neanderthal occupation over a span of more than 125,000 years. This exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions of the Neanderthals is seen notably in evidence of the hunting of birds and marine animals for food, the use of feathers for ornamentation and the presence of abstract rock engravings. Scientific research on these sites has already contributed substantially to debates about Neanderthal and human evolution.
© Clive Finlayson, Gibraltar Museum

Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia)

Nan Madol is a series of 99 artificial islets off the south-east coast of Pohnpei that were constructed with walls of basalt and coral boulders. These islets harbour the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 CE. These ruins represent the ceremonial centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, a vibrant period in Pacific Island culture. The huge scale of the edifices, their technical sophistication and the concentration of megalithic structures bear testimony to complex social and religious practices of the island societies of the period. The site was also inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats, notably the siltation of waterways that is contributing to the unchecked growth of mangroves and undermining existing edifices.
© Osamu Kataoka

Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Brazil)

The Pampulha Modern Ensemble was the centre of a visionary garden city project created in 1940 at Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State. Designed around an artificial lake, this cultural and leisure centre included a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the São Francisco de Assis church. The buildings were designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, in collaboration with innovative artists. The Ensemble comprises bold forms that exploit the plastic potential of concrete, while fusing architecture, landscape design, sculpture and painting into a harmonious whole. It reflects the influence of local traditions, the Brazilian climate and natural surroundings on the principles of modern architecture.
© Danilo Matoso Macedo

Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia)

This serial property combines 30 sites, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, western Serbia, western Montenegro and central and southern Croatia, representing these cemeteries and regionally distinctive medieval tombstones, or stećci. The cemeteries, which date from the 12th to 16th centuries CE, are laid out in rows, as was the common custom in Europe from the Middle Ages. The stećci are mostly carved from limestone. They feature a wide range of decorative motifs and inscriptions that represent iconographic continuities within medieval Europe as well as locally distinctive traditions.
© Adnan Šahbaz

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan and Switzerland)

Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention of a new architectural language that made a break with the past. They were built over a period of a half-century, in the course of what Le Corbusier described as “patient research”. The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unité d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to apply during the 20thcentury to the challenges of inventing new architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society. These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet.
© FLC/ADAGP

The Persian Qanat (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Throughout the arid regions of Iran, agricultural and permanent settlements are supported by the ancient qanat system of tapping alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along underground tunnels by gravity, often over many kilometres. The eleven qanats representing this system include rest areas for workers, water reservoirs and watermills. The traditional communal management system still in place allows equitable and sustainable water sharing and distribution. The qanats provide exceptional testimony to cultural traditions and civilizations in desert areas with an arid climate.
© S.H. Rashedi

Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (China)

Located on the steep cliffs in the border regions of southwest China, these 38 sites of rock art illustrate the life and rituals of the Luoyue people. They date from the period around the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. In a surrounding landscape of karst, rivers and plateaux, they depict ceremonies which have been interpreted as portraying the bronze drum culture once prevalent across southern China. This cultural landscape is the only remains of this culture today.
© Zhu Qiuping

NATURAL

Archipiélago de Revillagigedo (Mexico)

Located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, this archipelago is made up of four remote islands and their surrounding waters: San Benedicto, Socorro, Roca Partida and Clarión. This archipelago is part of a submerged mountain range, with the four islands representing the peaks of volcanoes emerging above sea level. The islands provide critical habitat for a range of wildlife and are of particular importance for seabirds. The surrounding waters have a remarkable abundance of large pelagic species, such as manta rays, whales, dolphins and sharks.
© Valeria Mas Gomez

Hubei Shennongjia (China)

Located in Hubei Province, in central-eastern China, the site consists of two components: Shennongding/Badong to the west and Laojunshan to the east. It protects the largest primary forests remaining in Central China and provides habitat for many rare animal species, such as the Chinese Giant Salamander, the Golden or Snub-nosed Monkey, the Clouded Leopard, Common Leopard and the Asian Black Bear. Hubei Shennongjia is one of three centres of biodiversity in China. The site features prominently in the history of botanical research and was the object of international plant collecting expeditions in the 19th and 20th centuries.
© Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Science

Lut Desert (Islamic Republic of Iran)

The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e-Lut, is located in the south-east of the country. Between June and October, this arid subtropical area is swept by strong winds, which transport sediment and cause aeolian erosion on a colossal scale. Consequently, the site presents some of the most spectacular examples of aeolian yardang landforms (massive corrugated ridges). It also contains extensive stony deserts and dune fields. The property represents an exceptional example of ongoing geological processes.
© Naser Mizban

Mistaken Point (Canada)

This fossil site is located at the south-eastern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. It consists of a narrow, 17 km-long strip of rugged coastal cliffs. Of deep marine origin, these cliffs date to the Edicarean Period (580-560 million years ago), representing the oldest known assemblages of large fossils anywhere. These fossils illustrate a watershed in the history of life on earth: the appearance of large, biologically complex organisms, after almost three billion years of micro-dominated evolution.
© Mistaken Point Ambassadors Inc

Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park (Sudan)

The property consists of two separate areas: Sanganeb is an isolated, coral reef structure in the central Red Sea and the only atoll, 25 km off the shoreline of Sudan. The second element of the property is made up of Dungonab Bay and Mukkawar Island, situated 125 km north of Port Sudan. It includes a highly diverse system of coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, beaches and islets. The site provides a habitat for populations of seabirds, marine mammals, fish, sharks, turtles and manta rays. Dungonab Bay also has a globally significant population of dugongs.
© Ministry of Trade, Sudan Government

Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan)

The transnational site is located in the Tien-Shan mountain system, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. Western Tien-Shan is situated at an altitude of 700 to 4,503m. It features diverse landscapes, which are home to exceptionally rich biodiversity. It is of global importance as a centre of origin for a number of cultivated fruit crops and is home to a great diversity of forest types and unique plant community associations.
© Mambetaliyev U.

MIXED

Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (Chad)

In the northeast of the country, the sandstone Ennedi Massif has been sculpted by water and wind erosion over time into a plateau featuring canyons and valleys that present a spectacular landscape marked by cliffs, natural arches and pitons. In the largest canyons, the permanent presence of water plays an essential role in the Massif’s ecosystem, sustaining flora and fauna as well as human life. Thousands of images have been painted and carved into the rock surface of caves, canyons and shelters, presenting one of the largest ensembles of rock art in the Sahara.
© Comité Technique/ Sven Oehm

Khangchendzonga National Park (India)

Located at the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India (State of Sikkim), the Khangchendzonga National Park includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular, snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga. Mythological stories are associated with this mountain and with a great number of natural elements (e.g. caves, rivers, lakes, etc.) that are the object of worship by the indigenous people of Sikkim. The sacred meanings of these stories and practices have been integrated with Buddhist beliefs and constitute the basis for Sikkimese identity.
© FEWMD

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (Iraq)

The Ahwar is made up of seven sites: three archaeological sites and four wetland marsh areas in southern Iraq. The archaeological cities of Uruk and Ur and the Tell Eridu archaeological site form part of the remains of the Sumerian cities and settlements that developed in southern Mesopotamia between the 4th and the 3rd millennium BCE in the marshy delta of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The Ahwar of Southern Iraq – also known as the Iraqi Marshlands – are unique, as one of the world’s largest inland delta systems, in an extremely hot and arid environment.
© Qahtan Al-Abeed

The post 21 Photogenic New Locations Added To UNESCO’s World Heritage List appeared first on Resource Travel.

Below, in no particular order, is my some of my favorite travel photographers that you should start following this month.

The Planet D

Dave and Deb Bouskill have been digital nomads for the last eight years, with the sole goal of inspiring wanna be travelers to “step out of their comfort zones and prove that you don’t have to be an uber-athelete, adrenaline junkie or part of the ultra rich to be an adventurer.”

Gary Arndt

In 2007 Gary Arndt sold his home and put everything he owned into storage with the sole goal to travel the world. As stated on his website, Arndt has been to over 175 countries and counting. During this near decade long time span, Arndt went from being a complete beginner in photography to an award-winning travel photographer. Check out more on his blog Everything Everywhere.

Lola Akinmade

Now residing in Stockholm, Sweden, Akinmade was born in Nigeria, educated in the United States, and now, a resident of the world. Her photography is represented by National Geographic Creative and characterized by its vibrancy and stark emotion that pervades in her commonly seen close-ups of photo muses. You can read more about her travels on her blog and check out her photos on her online portfolio.

Ken Kaminesky

Co-founder of Dream Photo Tours, Kaminesky runs a travel and photography blog where he shares his photos and experiences with followers and the world, while never shy to interject his lovable sense of humor.

Mark Wiens

Food lover, YouTuber and blogger, Mark Wiens adds photographer to this list of professions he has undertaken quite successfully. His blog is a food journey through Thailand, where he currently resides, and wherever his roaming takes him through the world. His blog is a constantly updated collection of the finest and most unique dishes you may, or may never, eat.

Elia Locardi

After a 10 year long career in Post Production and Motion Design, Locardi decided he had enough of the structured life and, following a period of sedentary reflection, embarked on a location independent lifestyle with his wife Naomi. Now they travel and share their experiences via Blame The Monkey where Locardi offers photography lessons and tutorials for others interested in chasing this nomadic lifestyle.

Real Picture Blog

Being only in her 20’s, Samantha Murphy from Real Picture Blog is one of the younger travel bloggers out there. But age detracts little from content as her photos stand to match those of her photo-blog seniors. Using less color enhancement and saturation than many other photographers, Murphy is able to create a much more realistic looking image that is as soothing as it stands out.

My life’s a Trip

A west coast based photographer, with degrees hailing from NYU Tisch and USC’s producing program, Jen Bianco shows us a blogger lifestyle that is both luxurious and adventurous.

Paris in Four Months

A slight divergent from the previous few, Carin—creator of Paris in Four Months, runs this lifestyle blog to document her travels and lifestyle/fashion/art sightings around the city. With a very ethereal aesthetic, Carin mingles the best of girly and tasteful into a beautifully soft blog both content and image wise.

Farfelue

Following a similar thread of trendy Parisian blogs, Farfelue was created after Faye Bullock moved to Paris. Her blog is a diary of her travels around Paris and her lifestyle habits within it, and her European Travel guides are informative and easy to follow.

The Wanderbug

Genevieve Hassall is a young travel obsessed photographer and writer who spends her free time wandering around the world, especially her home country of Australia, in search of vibrant colors and food. Lots and lots of food. Her posts are always well written and will leave you with a smile on your face and a growl in your belly.

We are going to suggest new travel blogs to follow in the middle of every month. Have a travel blog you think would make a great addition? Let us know in the comments!

The post 11 Travel Photography Blogs to Start Following Today appeared first on Resource Travel.

More than 25 years after Snell started taking on travel photography assignments, the Tamron Image Master has had his photographs appear in National Geographic publications, Travel+Leisure, Moon Handbooks, USA Today and countless others.

On his website, Snell expands on his belief that a travel photographer must be a jack-of-all-trades. “Travel Photography can encompass portrait, architectural, landscape, food and street photography, often all within the space of a few hours. It’s a field that requires flexibility, patience and — above all else — a curiosity about the world around you.”

Bullfighting is controversial in many parts of the world, but it is still an important feature of Pamplona’s Festival of San Fermin. The bulls that are run through the street each morning are found in the bullring that evening. Here one manages to make contact with a bullfighter, lifting him into the air with his horn. The bullfighter was not badly injured and finished the fight.   Nikon D700, Tamron 150-600@460mm, ISO 800, f/9, 1/3200 sec.

We sat down with Snell to discuss his curiosity about the world around him, his most rewarding photography locations and his inspiration.

Resource Travel: It seems like you realized your love for the visual arts at a young age, choosing to get your Bachelor degree in Visual Communications. After spending 12 years as an art director, what was the turning point that made your creative mind turn towards story telling through photography?

I had been taking photos since I was just a kid and it remained a hobby as I pursued a career in graphic design. As an art director on tourism accounts and on various publications, I was working with a lot of photographers and honing my photo editing skills. By that, I don’t mean my skills at editing photos in Photoshop, but editing in terms of deciding what images worked best in different layouts and how to sequence them.

As time moved on, I was being moved up in the agency world and my job was becoming more administrative. I finally made the decision to leave so that I could work with smaller clients of my own choosing and continue to be more hands-on with the design work. Some of the photographers that I had been working with also encouraged me to start licensing some of my own images. Their help was critical to me understanding the world of stock photography.

To this day, I am still doing both design and photography. Sometimes both on the same project, and sometimes just one or the other. My design background has definitely influenced my photography. I tend to frame a lot of images with a future layout in mind — leaving room for blocks of text, shooting verticals for covers, etc.

This image of the Alhambra was shot from a popular overlook in Granada, Spain. I returned to this spot a few times to try and get better weather but, in the end, I tend to prefer this overcast version for its mood. A sunny day is not always the best for some subjects. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@92mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/200 sec.

Iceland’s landscape is so immense that you often want to use a wide-angle to try and get it all in. I found that, at least in this case, a telephoto shot told the story better by compressing the landscape and creating some scale between the two, distant waterfalls. Nikon D700, Tamron 150-600@220mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/500 sec.

Resource Travel: Being a travel photographer myself, I know how difficult of a question this can be. But out of all of your travels, what did you find to be your most rewarding location, photography wise?

It’s the question “what is your favorite place?” that is most difficult for me but you’ve made it easier by asking which place has been “most rewarding” “photography-wise.” That’s maybe a bit more measurable. In terms of photography, a trip can be rewarding for a lot of reasons. The location has a lot to do with it, but it could also be that you had spectacular weather, or good traveling companions, etc. Lots of things go into a successful photo expedition.

When I think about my most rewarding or successful trip, I often go back to a trip I made to Thailand in 2010 — and it’s largely due to color. Thailand is a very colorful place to begin with and they happened to be burning in the fields when I was there which softened and warmed the light as it filtered through the smoke in the air. Plus Thailand was exotic and new to me. That’s always fun and I love to explore places that surprise me around every turn. If I counted up shots that I felt were really successful, that trip probably had more than most.

Jokulsarlon, the iceberg lagoon on the south coast of Iceland, is a stunning landscape of ever-changing shapes and color. I liked the zodiac driver’s orange vest in contrast to the luminous blues of the ice and the small boat provided a reference for scale. Nikon D700, Tamron 150-600@150mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/800 sec.

The area around Taishun, China, boasts several of these amazing covered bridges. The soft, warm light at the end of the day makes the weathered red paint glow. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@16mm, ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/200 sec.

Resource Travel: Like the rest of the world, I am sure you have a bucket list. If you had a free ticket to anywhere in the world, leaving tomorrow, where would you go and why?

Honestly, I don’t really have a bucket list. At least not in terms of a finite list of things I just want to be able to check off before I die. The realities of my work mean that I don’t often get to choose where I’ll go next, it will just be the next place that offers me the opportunity. And, even if a destination was never on my radar, I will almost always find it fascinating. For me, it’s the travel itself — the exploration — almost more than the place. That said, if I had my choice, I do tend to prefer cooler climates. If I found myself with a free airline ticket to anywhere that I had to use tomorrow, I’d probably head for the Lofoten islands in Norway, or the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, Shetland, the Faroe Islands… maybe I do have a list!

When the city of Valencia, Spain, re-routed the river that bisected it, the original riverbed was reclaimed for gardens and modern architectural masterpieces to house museums and concert halls. Waiting for the bicycle to complete this frame provided a needed pop of contrasting color and interest. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@86mm, ISO 100, f/8, 1/500 sec.

The casino in Cartagena, Spain, borrows the rich detail of the early moorish architecture of the region and provides a wonderful textural study for photography. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@52mm, ISO 400, f/5, 1/30 sec.

Resource Travel: What was the most difficult moment in all of your travels? Maybe a time where you didn’t feel safe, or where everything just seems to have gone wrong? Have you ever faced such difficulty you ever found yourself just wanting to be back home?

Happily, I don’t find myself in too many unsafe situations. Unlike shooting in war zones or doing other high-risk reportage, travel photography tends to take you to places that want you there. When done right, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship between the photographer and the destination. My goal is to make interesting, compelling, beautiful images of a place that other people will see, and that may inspire them to visit. Travel is a major industry in many parts of the world and destinations that rely on travel want more travelers. I do my best to inspire them to go.

That said, if you’re not welcome — or if you make yourself unwelcome by not understanding the local culture — then you may walk into a bad situation. Being aware and doing your homework before traveling prevents a lot of these issues. Find out what legally can and can’t be photographed in a new location before visiting. If someone doesn’t appear to want to be photographed, don’t push it. Be respectful. And be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Equipment failures can be another type of difficult situation and I do my best to avoid those by carrying back-up equipment and duplicate hard drives that I can off-load images to frequently.

Trujillo is one of my favorite cities in Spain. The plaza mayor transports you back to the 17th century and is especially enchanting at twilight. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@16mm, ISO 800, f/5, 1/60 sec.

The Giant Buddha of Leshan provided a challenge in terms of showing scale. I was shooting from a boat in the river and had no control over my position so the wide end of my Tamron 16-300 provided just enough field of view to get the tourists and the speedboat into frame to show the size of the giant sculpture. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@16mm, ISO 200, f/7.1, 1/320 sec.

Resource Travel: How do you find inspiration for your travel photography? What is it that inspires you to sit through long flights, delays and layovers and be away from your family and friends?

Inspiration is generally not much of a problem for me if I’m in a new place. I love to explore and discover. If it’s a place that’s remarkably different from home, I love seeking out those differences and focussing on them. If I’m shooting at home or somewhere else that I’ve been many times before, then I try and take new approaches — use a different lens or maybe look for images that might work in black and white. Looking for new angles or viewpoints is always good, too. I especially like looking for rooftops that I can access for surprising views.

If I’m in one place for a few days, I’ll often shoot the first day with a zoom lens like the Tamron 16-300 that gives me nearly every option in one, compact package. I’ll wander and explore, shooting wide and telephoto as the shots present themselves. If I feel like I have good coverage already, then I’ll head out on day two with a different lens — maybe my Tamron 45mm prime or 90mm macro. By limiting myself to that one angle of view, I look at a place in an entirely different way. I can walk the exact same streets and see them completely differently.

As for getting through those long flights, etc. — that’s a tougher challenge. Thankfully the entertainment systems have gotten much better on planes, or you can take an iPad loaded with books, movies, etc. to pass the time. On the flight home, I might try and work on my images but I typically find it impossible unless I’ve found myself upgraded out of the tight economy seating (which rarely happens).

In between flights, lounges can be really helpful. Some have showers and nap areas but nearly all at least have better seating and more outlets than what’s available at the gate. I have to keep reminding myself, however, how lucky we are to live at a time when travel is as fast and convenient as it is. If you really think about it, it’s hard to complain about a 12-hour flight or a 5-hour layover when it used to take days, or even months, to make some of these trips.

I caught sight of this monk working at a desk in the Daming Monastery in Yangzhou, China, and had just enough time to fire a few frames before he left and the shot was gone. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@52mm, ISO 1000, f/5, 1/30 sec.

Most people know the Festival of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain, for the running of the bulls but the same street is used at other times of the day during the festival for parades of giant figures of kings and queens, representing each continent. The Tamron 150-600mm zoom was used here to compress the scene. Nikon D700, Tamron 150-600@150mm, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/800 sec.

Resource Travel: How do you try to inspire budding photographers and travelers through your story telling?

I definitely do whatever I can to inspire people to travel. I think that by seeing more of the world, you very quickly see that your own way of life isn’t the only way of life, or necessarily even the best way of life. You become more tolerant of others and realize that there are many ways to live your life and be happy.

I’m not so sure that the general public needs much inspiration when it comes to photography. It seems that everywhere I go, people are seeing the world through their phones and tablets. They are taking pictures everywhere. I think that’s great if it really is something you’re interested in and it increases your enjoyment of a place, but I worry that some people are never really “present” because they are so focussed on their devices.

For those that really do want to learn photography and improve their photos, there are infinite resources available online these days and nothing is better than seeking out others with similar interests and sharing ideas and opinions. I have a group of friends that shoot together informally from time to time. It’s fun to show the images to each other afterward, but even more, fun to see how the others saw the same place in a different way.

I have taught photography and Photoshop at the college level in the past and have also found that to be a mutually beneficial experience. I think I learn at least as much from seeing how the students approach their work as they learn from me.

Sharing your images either through publication or some other source like Instagram is also a good way of connecting with other photographers. You can always learn the nuts and bolts of photography and be a technician, but looking at others work and getting their reaction to yours is a great way of growing the creative side of the process. Not to copy others directly, but to find inspiration and ways of approaching a subject that you might not have thought of otherwise.

I’ve just recently joined Instagram (@michaelcsnell) and have enjoyed seeing which images get the most response. I post images from my back catalog most of the time, but switch to “live feeds” when I’m on a trip where it’s applicable (you can tell the two by their borders — white for old photos, black for live feed). As long as I’ve been a photographer, I’m still surprised by some images that really seem to resonate with people. It’s not always the ones that I expect.

While photographing raptors with a group of birders in the Extremadura region of Spain, I needed the reach of the Tamron 150-600mm zoom lens to get in close to these magnificent birds. The vibration control is excellent for shooting hand-held in situations like this. Nikon D700, Tamron 150-600@600mm, ISO 1600, f/8, 1/3200 sec.

A fortunate happenstance. I was photographing petrified logs on a New Zealand beach when this rare Yellow-Eyed Penguin popped out of the brush and walked past me on the way to the South Pacific. I was happy to have the Tamron 16-300 zoom handy for this, as I was otherwise shooting very wide-angle and needed the telephoto reach to get this guy full-frame. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@270mm, ISO 100, f/6.3, 1/500 sec.

Resource Travel: Now that your winter hibernation is over, what’s next? What adventures await you in the second half of 2016?

I’ll be going back to Spain in July — this time to the northwestern part of the country in Galicia. Spain is always amazing and I’m really looking forward to seeing what this region holds.

In the fall I’ll be attending the annual convention of the Society of American Travel Writers in Wenzhou, China. I serve on their Board and it’s a great opportunity for me to talk with other people who do what I do, or are in a related field. Living in Kansas, I’m fairly well isolated from other travel journalists so I like to have a chance to learn what other people are doing to expand their business. A fair amount of exploring will be built into the itinerary as well, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of China.

In between, I’ll be doing lots of regional travel and photography. Beyond that, I’ll just see what opportunities I can find. My passport is always close at hand.

Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@22mm, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/60 sec. Sometimes you don’t need to show an entire building. Just a swath of color and texture can be enough to communicate the feeling of a place. This facade was photographed in Valencia, Spain.

The skyline of Shanghai, China’s Pudong district is unmistakable, thanks to the futuristic Oriental Pearl Tower on the left. The tall building on the right is now the second tallest in the world. I stitched this image together from seven frames to create one large, highly-detailed file. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@38mm, ISO 100, f/9, 1/250 sec.

Servers in Miao dress greet lunch guests at a meal served inside the mouth of an enormous cave in the Sichuan Province of China. Nikon D7000, Tamron 16-300@300mm, ISO 2000, f/6.3, 1/60 sec.

Sometimes you have a great subject in a not-so-great setting. This Native American dancer was performing in a hotel ballroom so I zoomed in tight and used some blur to show action and to de-emphasize the background. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@270mm, ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/5 sec.

Travel photography isn’t all about landscapes and historic villages. Photos of food and other details can lend a great deal to the story of what makes a place special. These oysters were photographed at a winery restaurant on Waiheke Island in New Zealand. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@46mm, ISO 100, f/4.8, 1/80 sec.

I just don’t think you can beat the predawn and post-sunset hours for the combination of cobalt blue skies and the warm color of tungsten lighting. This scene in Quebec City in Canada was well worth getting up early for. Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@20mm, ISO 800, f/4, 1/30 sec.

Nikon D7000, Tamron 18-270@27mm, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/400 sec. This was not an intentionally planned shot, but one that just appeared as I was on my way to New Zealand’s only castle on the Otago Peninsula, South Island. Sometimes you just have to stop the car.

Created in partnership with Tamron 

The post The Inspirational Travel Photography of Michael C. Snell appeared first on Resource Travel.

“One of the many attractions during Holi festival is during Sabah. We waited five hours to get this shot as there were many other photographers in the area and it was really crowded.”

The Holi festival looks like a unique and interesting festival. But with all of that flying chalk, it also looks a nightmare for an expensive camera.

Yes, it really is unique! I have always wanted to photograph Holi so I decided to head towards Uttar Pradhesh (in India) with a group of like-minded photographers from Dubai. First things first, I had to take care of my camera. I covered it with a rain cover and sealed the front element of the lens with a tape to ensure safety. It was difficult for me to shoot during the initial stages since it wasn’t that easy to shoot with rain-cover. It was one of the most amazing experiences and I will cherish the memories for the rest of my life. The photographic results are worth all the pain I went through.

What was your favorite part of the festival?

The best moment in Holi is called the Sabah, which happens at the temple in Barsana and Nandgaon. It is a gathering where all the devotees sing prayers in praise of Lord Krishna, all while colors are exploding all around them. To me, that’s the best time to photograph Holi.

“Getting this particular frame was difficult as there were many other people and photographers around that area celebrating Holi. I had to crop it like crazy to get the frame I wanted.”

“When Holi celebrations reach their peak level, you witness this magic. Devotees throw Holi powder to each other while I did my best to shoot and make sure my camera was taken care of.”

“Taken near the Aarti Ghat Temple at Vrindavan, these kids were so playful around evening time after finishing their hectic work (selling flowers for the pooja). They told me to take a few images of them and we all became great friends, indeed. Sometimes small happy moments like these can make big changes in your personal life as well.”

“The celebration of Holi at its peak level with these devotees singing praise to Lord Krishna. Even though I had to wait for hours to click this photograph, the framing was indeed magical.”

“An old man takes a smoke break during Holi festivities.”

You have been to some incredible locations and seen some amazing things. Do you still find inspiration from others??

Anything that excites me definitely inspires me. I always find time to look at other amazing photographers’ work to get inspiration and learn technique as well. Another form of inspiration would be traveling to unknown places and being with like-minded souls to talk about photography.

What is your shooting process before arriving at a new location?

1) Check the weather forecast. 

2) I Google a few images to get an idea about the location. 

3) I check the sunrise and sunset time.

4) I like to camp at the location to shoot night photography and to capture the morning sunrise. If I love the place, I will wait to capture the sunset as well.

4) I walk around and try to pre-visualize how I can get the final shot.

5) I make sure to try different compositions and learn from my mistakes.

“I loved the natural light that came through the right side of the frame and those people rushing towards the festival area. Holi is all about capturing these amazing moments.”

“On our way to Taj Mahal during the last day of our trip, we stopped at a Dhobi-Ghat (a place where many washers are present) and a few kids were playing nearby. I started photographing and this girl was so happy being clicked. Such a great display of colors in this photograph.”

Do you have any suggestions for other aspiring travel photographers? 

“Never stop learning. This is the shortest yet best advice I can give to any photographer. Finding your passion and learning the craft of your passion is really important. Make sure you spend some time learning something new every day.”

Check out a few more of Mathew’s favorite shots from around the world below.

“This photograph is the most difficult one I’ve taken in terms of reaching the destination. Two photographers and I got up around 2:30 AM and we head to a location called ATUH HILL (it’s actually a cliff) and from that cliff we needed to get down to the beach to reach this amazing location. The paths to reach this destination was not easy because the steps are uneven and a small slip from the path could put your life in danger as well. But when passion strikes us, we forget all these factors. After almost 1.5hr of walking down from the cliff, we managed to reach this destination and I was really amazed to see this great location with this amazing rock formation.”

“My friends and I went to Al Qudra Lake (in Dubai). It was really foggy in the morning with the temperature down to almost nine degrees outside. Though it was freezing cold, I had to keep shooting these amazing birds. It was such an exciting moment to capture and get the shots I always wanted. Bird photography is all about being patient and really observing the birds to get that perfect and exciting shot.”

“I got to witness one of the best weather conditions in Dubai with these amazing clouds next to this unique architecture. It gives an ever-lasting impression to the viewer. I had to pre-visualize the end result to get the shot I had in mind.”

“This photograph was taken during Al Dhafra Camel Festival in Abu Dhabi. I had to pre-visualize of what I needed for the final result. I waited patiently for almost 45 minutes for the camels and their caretaker to walk in the center of the frame. This photograph will always be on my favorite list.”

“I woke up early in the morning to catch this beautiful sunrise just a 15-minute walk from our hotel in Bali. The early morning colors behind a great subject and an amazing reflection was a good way to shoot this amazing landscape. I would love to go back to Bali someday. Such an awesome place to photograph.”

See more from Immanuel Abraham Mathew on Facebook, 500px, and Instagram

The post Photographer Captures the Colorful and Joy-Filled Holi Festival in India appeared first on Resource Travel.

After some more research on the country, Charlie was inspired not only by his friend and cousin but also by the picturesque landscapes and the people inhabiting them. In August of 2011, he accepted a position teaching English and moved to Weifang, Shandong, China. Since then he has been educating English majors studying at Weifang Medical University. In his spare time, he feeds his creative storytelling alter-ego by traveling around the country with his Canon 5D Mark II, producing powerful images of the people, traditions and landscapes of China.

This town is about 30 miles from Litang, and I ended up staying a night here that wasn’t planned due to a bus driver that basically told me half-truths about there being another available vehicle when I arrived. In retrospect, I’m glad I did, as I climbed the hill to the monastery and got this shot, which is two thirty-second exposures merged into a panorama.

On one such solo excursion, he traveled off the beaten tourists’ paths through the western part of the country and down to the ancient Tibetan province of Kham (now officially considered part of southwest China). Not knowing much about the region beforehand, he looked at a map of the mountains and researched the tiny towns dotting the area. It was then that he learned of the upcoming annual Horse Festival in Litang and made it his primary storytelling goal. His final photo collection through the province, however, ended up showing a much larger slice of life and culture in Kham, including the rarely photographed sky burial. (A small warning: the sky burial is a little graphic in nature.)

This is a photo from the mountain road leading into Litang, one of only three such roads, many of which were just recently sliced into the rolling green hills. At every single mountain peak, even if you can’t see it, you can rest assured some devout Buddhist has already climbed it and placed many prayer flags on top.

In Litang City, Ganze county, Sichuan Province (just east of present-day Tibet) there is a Horse Festival held every summer. The purpose is to determine who owns the best horse, thereby establishing a social-economic hierarchy among those who compete. “There didn’t seem to be much organization, though,” Charlie commented. “It was just one stretch of field that had observers on either end. People seemed to start on time, but I saw no scorekeepers or announcements of winners or such.” The activities ranged from picking up colored ribbons and swinging ropes tied to six packs of soda, to shooting bows and arrows while the rider perched precariously on his saddle. The whole scene is splashed in color, from scraps of paper strewn about the ground to the ornate braids and shimmering objects adorning the horses. The predominately Buddhist crowd contained several distinguished monks and nuns, but a noticeable lack of Westerners. He noted, “In these remote places, far from the cold stares and normalcy of a white or black face in Beijing or Shanghai, when you see a fellow foreigner, you stop and ask questions like ‘How did you get here, what method of transportation? How much was it? How’s the road from here to there? How was the weather recently?’  and other, important information, that is almost impossible to research online beforehand.”

A rider races his horse down the grassy competition path.

Participants of the annual Litang Horse Festival begin the competition by throwing thousands of palm-sized squares of colorful paper into the sky, which someone comes and cleans from the ground later, I can only assume. I believe there’s something more significant about the paper but, maybe not. Chinese confetti?

Some of the events use less traditional equipment than others, as evidenced by this rider swinging a pack of sodas.

Technology isn’t lost upon this remote region. This young lad is recording the ceremony opening with his knock-off PSP. I saw many monks with iPhone 5’s and some even with large stacks of cash.

Racers compete during the festival.

There was also a game of bow & arrow shooting skill. This fellow is hanging off his horse to get a better angle as he hits a target made from paper and hay.

A young boy in what look like the beginnings of dreadlocks sits and watches the horse racers at the Litang Horse Festival in far western Sichun Provence, China, August 2013.

All four legs are off the ground as horse and rider gallop down the track. Another lucky panning shot.

A stylish little girl keeps her father’s saddle warm as he is busy doing other preparations. She’s got her red boots with the curly toe and her glass-less eyeglass frames on.

We asked Charlie to give some tips to anyone who may find themselves at a similar event. “Number one: watch out for stray horses. Have both eyes open while shooting, so you can see if any pony comes galloping your way. As far as shooting, most of my best shots were all about panning, having the shutter speed a little slow, ramping up the aperture and burst-shooting while following a rider, matching your panning speed with theirs. Less distortion happens if you’re able to back away from the action and use a zoom lens to get in tight on the object. Wide angle pans are possible too, but usually look best when the action is directly in front of the camera.”

As far as what he looked for when taking a photograph, he said that “In this case, I look for repeated actions and then prepare myself to capture them the moment they happen, and from different angles and perspectives.” His process, when arriving at a new location or event such as this is to “…get a full look at everything so I make sure to walk around the place. There might be an angle you’re not aware of until you see it. I make sure to get a variety of shots, close-ups, details, etc.”

A man on his horse gallops down the grassy racetrack at the Litang Horse Festival in Litang, Sichuan, China. I cropped this photo in tightly because I wanted to show how lucky I was to get his face perfectly in focus. I used a slow shutter speed and I panned left as he rode in front of me.

Colorful square pieces of paper litter the green field as incense burns in the background and the riders all take turns going around the burning incense in a circle, I can only assume praying. A little girl tries to avoid stepping on the papers, but I believe she’s just playing a game in her head.

A man competes during the annual Litang festival.

A man tends to his heavily adorned horse.

Another notable event that Charlie was invited to observe is gruesome in practice (at least to the more delicate Western palate) yet beautifully poetic in idea. The sky burial is an ancient excarnation ritual that emerged due to an emphasis of the impermanence of bodily life combined with the scarcity of wood, which limited cremations, and rocky terrain that made an underground burial impossible. As Charlie explains on his blog; during a sky burial, “A large predatory bird, usually a vulture, will eat the flesh of the recently deceased relative, consuming the entire body, bones and all, and (fly) up into the heavens.” So on a mountaintop, surrounded by colorful prayer flags and friends and family, the body of the deceased is prepared and disassembled by a rogyapa (“body-breaker”). The vultures then feast while monks chant in the background. After most of the flesh has been removed, the bones are smashed, mixed with grain, and the birds finish their task of carrying the body skyward. While this may seem morbid to some readers, is it considered an incredibly compassionate and generous act on behalf of the deceased and their families because through this process they are able to provide sustenance to other living beings.

(The more graphic images of this ritual have been omitted, however the full series is available for viewing on his website. Link at end.)

The body breaker leaves the sky burial as his job is done. The buzzards continue to consume the bones and remaining flesh of the deceased man. The man in the background on the right has been chanting a prayer since the start, about one hour prior to this photo.

Colorful flags are everywhere, always. I even helped them string up some of these flags because one was too high for the man to reach.

Vultures circle the sky burial ceremony spot in anticipation.

Some people just leave the tools they used on the ground for the next person to use. Here a hatchet lies next to a buzzard feather on the hill near the sky burial site.

The bodybreaker sits by as the vultures do their part in the sky burial.

Human bone fragments litter the ground around the stone used during the sky burial.

On display in this collection of photographs is Charlie’s incredible ability to creating arresting portraits. He captures the essence of a situation or emotion of a subject in a way that transcends language and cultures. On this journey through western China, he was able to document daily life for the region’s inhabitants and had numerous willing participants, despite their relative infrequency of interacting with western visitors. “I asked several people (in Mandarin) if I could take their photo, one woman I even ended up asking twice in the same day,” Charlie said. He sometimes showed them the photos on the back of the screen so they could see what he was shooting and enjoy the collaborative process with him. “My only goal every day was to take great photos.” And take great photos he did. The results are a fantastic portrayal of the people of Kham

See more of Charlie McRae’s work on his website, Instagram and Flickr. The full set of photographs from McRae’s journey through Khan, including graphic images of the sky burial, can be found on his blog. 

Bradley Geer contributed to this article.

These two polite kids posed for a photo after I came down the hill from behind the monastery. They were working in the garden.

A man dressed in robes talking to a crowd, or talking to anybody who would listen. I came across this scene on the street.

These four boys approached me after I climbed down the hill behind the monastery, a few miles from the sky burial and horse festival. They asked me in Mandarin if I had a cigarette. I don’t smoke, so I said no, and I also said they were too young and shouldn’t smoke. The boys then asked if they could touch my arm, because it has a lot of hair on it. Their dad, they told me, doesn’t have much hair on his arm.

These smiling old men, holding prayer beads and a prayer wheel, sit near the entrance to another monastery which prides itself on having the largest collection of inscribed “ah mi tuo fo” stones in the world.

Three little kids pose in the home of a monk who invited me inside to have some yak butter tea, which they also put a little bit of salt in. A very unique taste.

The post Horse Festivals and Burials In The Sky: A Journey Into Rarely Photographed Kham, Tibet appeared first on Resource Travel.

These large icebergs get trapped in the sea ice that forms annually in McMurdo Sound. In a trip out to the sea ice to profile cracks and document unsafe areas, we stumbled upon some of these giant formations and took a few moments to enjoy their beauty.

That same feeling of isolation from the “real world,” however, was the exact reason I came to love Antarctica so much. It was refreshing to be disconnected, and this often promoted self-reflection and development. It’s a self-inflicted, technological exile. The closest things to cell phones were 90’s era Motorola pagers. Wi-fi is reserved exclusively for science traffic much of the year, and there is always a wait for one of the limited number of internet-connected computers in a very public kiosk. After a stretch of time, anything that exists outside the square mile of ice and snow we inhabit is a distant memory referenced only on holidays when you dial a ludicrously long number to reach your loved ones back in the United States. No texts, no Instagram, no SnapChat (I still don’t even know what that is), no Hulu. It sounds like a Millennial’s nightmare, but for me, it was a creative dreamland. I was surrounded by like-minded people, musicians, crafters, painters, woodworkers, metal smiths, all creating in their respective fields and brilliant in their ability to turn nothing into something.

Nacreous clouds (a product of earth’s pollution and a contributing factor to ozone holes) can only be seen under very rare circumstances in the polar regions. They are far and away one of the most beautiful natural phenomena I have ever witnessed, rivaling auroras with their mother of pearl opalescence and brilliant moving shapes and colors. This was a particularly vibrant day and there was a stark contrast of the oranges against the dark silhouette of the hill and the iconic Our Lady of the Snows Shrine, a memorial erected for a lost Seabee who’s tractor fell through the sea ice during the initial construction of McMurdo.

These pressure ridges are formed as the flows of annual sea ice interact and collide from the currents underneath. They create impressive structures and tall sheets of ice fragments that resemble a mini mountain range. Their beauty is only dwarfed by the active volcano, Mount Erebus, smoking in the background.

While on the 500px global photo walk last year, we took advantage of the mild weather and went to the pressure ridges near New Zealand’s Scott Base. Mountaineering axes are used for safety and to check crevasse depth while traversing the area. Lead Mounatineer and fellow photographer Alasdair Turner climbs an ice sheet to retrieve an axe that was lodged into one of the pressure ridges.

Without your face buried in an iPhone, quick or reliable access to the internet, or the constant drone of a television, your mind starts to clear and it’s a great time to assess your life. This is what happened to me, and I found I was missing a creative outlet.

While I had always been involved in creative activities—sewing, painting, crafting, drawing—it was on the 7th continent that I discovered a passion for photography. Returning to the Ice, as we call it, for my first winter, I found that I had a legitimate excuse to take the plunge and invest in some gear. I enlisted a couple of good photographer friends, handed them my credit card, and let them pick out everything a beginner would need. I ended up on that southward bound flight three years ago with a Nikon D7000, and 18-105 F3.5-5.6, and a sturdy tripod.

What resulted was a large collection of photographs, most no good, a few with promise, and the occasional gem enhanced by the fact that I was fortunate to have an ever-interesting, ever-changing backdrop against which to shoot. Many of the photos in my collection were taken during the winter months, with low-lit skies, or in the pure darkness against which the southern lights, the Aurora Australis, glows its eerie green.

Auroras fill the sky over the road that connects McMurdo to our New Zealand neighbors at Scott Base. Since the show happened during the work day, vehicles were passing back and forth to complete their tasks, seemingly unaware of the light display happening above.

Standing near Scott’s Discovery Hut on Hut Point, Vince’s Cross was erected in 1902 as a memorial to George T. Vince who was the first person to perish in McMurdo sound as part of Robert Falcon Scott’s first expedition. Observation Hill can be seen in the distance with faint auroras glowing under the milky way. Lights from McMurdo cast far out onto the flat sea ice and permanent ice shelf.

Before we talk more about the obvious photographer’s subjects—wildlife and landscapes—I do want to mention a little about the work we do down there, because that is itself a subject for endless questions, and is also, as you see, a subject for a few interesting photos.

McMurdo station is like a small city. We are all there for the same purpose: to support science and research. But that looks a little different depending on your skill set.

McMurdo is the largest inhabited location on the continent and needs everything that a regular town would need, from janitors and chefs to doctors and plumbers. It’s a place where electricians find challenging work in their own field, liberal arts graduates drive forklifts, and PhDs wash dishes. If you’re willing to push yourself into trying something new, working long hours 6 days a week, and can learn to adapt to often grueling environmental conditions, it’s a great place to spend a few months. For a photographer, it’s a great place to spend a few years.

While not the most beautiful photo, I like this one because it is so quintesentially McMurdo. This shot was one of my “McMurdo Postcard” series and shows the center of station, an area we call “Derelict Junction”. It is a common meeting place and pickup area for those traveling to the ice runway (15 miles away on the ice shelf) via shuttle vans or our famous “Ivan the Terrabus”. You can see the blue, main building, 155, in the background and the brown corner of the “Gerbil Gym” (named so because of it’s stationary cardio equipment). The tall post on the left houses lights that designate the weather conditions so it is easy to assess the severity of a storm temperature or wind speed by which colored lights are illuminated (on a calm day such as this one, referred to as “weather condition 3”, no lights are used).

With only one mountaineer for the winfly season (a short 6 week season between winter and summer when the station prepares for incoming science groups) volunteers from other departments are often needed to assist with sea ice profiling and marking safe routes from the base to research areas. On this particular day, we were flagging a path for the science groups to follow. This entailed drilling holes into the hard ice for each bamboo pole with a colored flag attached to the top. These flag lines are used on any route, walking or driving, outside of station. They not only serve to keep us on a safe path (away from invisible crevasses) but also make sure we don’t lose our way during bad weather or blowing snow.

A view from one of our industrial dryers looking out into the main station laundry facility. This picture is included because it shows the interesting juxtaposition of our pristine environment outside next to the more gritty reality of maintaining an aging research base at the end of the earth.

The PistenBully is a track vehicle that is often used when science groups or science support teams have to leave station. It is a rugged machine made for the challenges of traversing un-groomed snow and ice and does it’s job well, although it is far from a comfortable ride.

Being a self-contained town, McMurdo has it’s own wastewater treatment plant. In the winter, when the population is at it’s lowest (140s), they are able to shut down each of the trains and clean out the sludge and volcanic dust that accumulates in the pits. It’s a dirty job  and volunteers from all over station are trained to help.

While this appears to be an evening shot, it was actually taken in the middle of the day with a bright full moon illuminating the dark dead of winter. The PistenBully travels across a route that is used for search and rescue trainings as well as a recreational hiking and skiing trail. This time it is being used for a morale trip carrying people out to see a favorite Antarctic landmark, Castle Rock.

Even the most amateur photographer will find that Antarctica provides a rich environment, from its 24 hours of sunlight during the summer to the glow of bright full moons of winter, to the seemingly interminable sunrises and sunsets in between. The magic golden hour light shines for full days at a time. Seals bask in the warmth of the sun on the ice shelf, whales play in the frigid and rough sound, and sometimes penguins explore the rocky shoreline.

Due to the nature of the hard ice and packed snow around McMurdo, I had never seen penguin tracks until this day. The recently frozen sea ice had a light dusting of snow which made the perfect canvas for the individuality of each emperor’s tracks. Each one has a different stride and a unique zig-zag line created by the bottom of their tail feathers.

We stumbled across this seal-made hole while profiling the sea ice and could hear the maker moving around underneath the water. With a little patience and a quick burst of photos I was able to catch this little guy taking a breather.

That all sounds wonderful, of course. But for me, when I think of shooting in Antarctica, what immediately comes to mind are the immense challenges it presents. The most obvious and most difficult is that you are constantly fighting against elements that are determined to win. If it’s not the bitter cold wind stinging your eyes and throat, then it’s the dangerous game of fumbling with your camera settings through insulated gloves or—and this is tricky—daring to take them off for a few desperate seconds and risking a touch to the bare metal of your tripod or camera. Bare metal will reach temperatures well below freezing and if you aren’t careful, you can get immediate contact frostbite. The only incident I had in four years was when I got overzealous shooting the wreckage of Pegasus (a military plane that crashed in the permanent ice shelf in 1971). My entire hand got dangerously cold, but my pinky finger got the brunt of it, and to this day, I don’t have feeling in the tip.

Another challenge for me was a lack of motivation. Once winter sets in full force, when you’re living in perpetual darkness, stuck in that same square mile, it starts to be more than just monotonous. Weeks, months would go by where my camera sat forlornly in the corner. I knew I should be taking advantage of this amazing opportunity, but the desire to stay warm won out over my creative guilt and the camera moved from a corner to a drawer.

But once in a while during those long months, someone would ask me to photograph something. Sometimes it was just to capture events going on around town. Sometimes it was to collaborate on a project or have photos to send home. I liked these opportunities because it pushed my comfort level and got me shooting an aspect of Antarctica that wasn’t as stereotypical as penguins and seals. One project that was suggested by a friend was to recreate the famous portrait of early Antarctic explorer Thomas Crean. Crean wintered over in 1915 and capturing his distinctly Antarctic look seemed like an interesting way to connect our winter crew with the one that came 100 years earlier. It started out as a small project, since it was my first attempt at “studio” (I use that term loosely) photography. I hung a blanket in the back room of the galley (what we call our dining facility; the word that hangs around from the days when the Navy ran McMurdo) with some makeshift soft boxes made out of cardboard and sheets. Over the course of four sessions, I captured images of over 100 winterovers, pipe and all.

The original photo of Tom Crean and a sampling of the 100+ portrait recreations I took for the 100 year anniversary of the famous Antarctic winterover’s portrait.

Another project involved creating postcards, of a sort. Antarctica brings to mind images of pristine isolation, floating icebergs in perfectly blue water, sunsets over ice. This is what most postcards in our tiny store reflect. But the reality is that our little space of land is covered in gritty volcanic rock and older buildings that, while functional, are not visually appealing. It’s a makeshift town, often hobbled together by the ingenuity of hardworking folks who keep the town running to support science.

So, I created a photography series depicting some of the most mundane scenes. One shot, entitled “McMurdo skyline,” shows a tangle of electrical lines all conjoining over a decrepit old smoking hut in the center of town. My favorite of this series is “Entrance to 155,” showing nothing more than a doorway into an old building. While these photos don’t paint the most beautiful picture of our little slice of heaven, they do represent a more accurate portrayal. Antarctica is not glamorous. While some of us are lucky to see a penguin on occasion (many do not), the reason we are there is to help further scientific endeavors. We work hard and we care about the mission, despite what some news articles would have you believe.

The large blue building referred to only as “155” is entered be everyone on station at least once a day. It houses the station store, barber shop, radio station, craft room, galley, atm, offices and a large portion of first year dorm rooms. It is iconic to the Mcmurdo landscape and endeared by many.

A view inside Cape Evan’s Hut, the headquarters for Robert Falcon Scott’s British Antarctic Expedition 1910-1913. The hut is still full of the early explorers’ belongings, all carefully preserved and maintained by the Antarctic Heritage Trust. This bedside on one one man’s bunk shows the basic toiletries of the times along with some unused stamps, twine and reading material.

Another shot inside the Cape Evan’s Hut. Scientific research was important to Robert Falcon Scott, and there was an entire area inside the little hut dedicated to furthering his study of Antarctica. Here are some of the team’s leftover instruments and tools.

A rusty lantern rests on the main table in Cape Evan’s Hut. Several old photographs show the early expedition men gathered around this table for midwinter celebrations, a winterover tradition since the early years that is still observed today. Midwinter is celebrated on the winter solstice as an acknowledgment that the darkest part of the winter has passed and the sun is now on it’s way to returning to the 7th continent. You can see the rickety bunks in the background, strewn with photos and belongings of those pioneering men.

Another shot from inside Robert Falcon Scott’s Cape Evans hut. The building is full of artifacts and pieces of history that have sat on the continent for over 100 years.

The hardest part about photographing wildlife is finding wildlife. The rare occasion to see a penguin or a whale can sometimes stop tasks midstream. People will drop what they are doing, pop their heads outside, and remember for a moment why they went to Antarctica in the first place; and as much as I loved shooting penguins or seals, I loved putting the camera down and just enjoying the moment even more. If Antarctica taught me anything, it’s that you should always appreciate the journey to get the shot just as much as you appreciate the shot itself.

Bradley Geer contributed to this article.

See more from Kira Morris on her website, Facebook, and Instagram. 

There are strict rules outlined in the Antarctic Treaty not to interfere with animals or disturb their environment. So when I saw this Emperor on the permanent ice shelf halfway between station and the ice runway I laid down with my camera as still as possible and just waited in the snow. As if on cue he waddled straight into my frame and, in a serendipitous moment, raised his wings for a perfect pose in front of Mount Discovery, a peak in the Royal Society Range which runs across the other side of the Ross Ice Shelf.

Cracks in the newly formed sea ice provided a perfect place for this seal to emerge onto the shore at Hut Point. This had been a very active day for wildlife and the seals were no exception. They played in the shallow ice water for most of the afternoon while Emperors explored the same area.

As the sea ice starts to form with the coming of winter, penguins have to move further away from McMurdo to stay near open water. You can see the distinct edge of the sea ice in this shot, however by the next day the ice had expanded it’s territory and this was the last group of emperors we saw before the darkness set in.

As the pressure ridges on the sea ice break off and make way for open water, some are inevitably left behind. This seemingly out of place formation is the only remaining evidence that the bay was filled with dramatic ice ridges only a few weeks before. A group of Emperors enjoy the makeshift shoreline and easy access to water that the sea ice provides.

These emperors arrived late in the season, close to the start of winter. There is a small cove called Winter Quarters Bay at the edge of the station and this group of penguins came in from feeding to walk around on the recently formed sea ice and send everyone running with their cameras. I had the lucky vantage point of being slightly higher and was able to snap some close up shots without the penguins noticing my presence.

Water and wind move the newly formed sea ice around Hut Point and create these piles of ice fragments where the ice meets the shore. This lazy seal had come up through a crack and was content to be covered in a light layer of falling snow while he lay there for hours.

This Adelie penguin was in his final stages of molting and had spent a few late summer days here on Hut Point (near Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Hut) sheltering from the wind. Within a few weeks the water in the background would freeze over, the sun would disappear for four months and this little guy would leave McMurdo for a spot nearer to the new ice edge.

This is my favorite Antarctic self portrait. I was hiking on one of our recreational trails circling station and had to peel my eyelashes apart to get the shot because they had frozen closed in mere minutes.

The post What I Learned From Living in the Coldest Place on Earth appeared first on Resource Travel.

Adams had a very clear goal for the project from the beginning. He wanted to show the world that the families living in the camp were not to be feared, as they were good citizens of the United Sates. He also sought to tell the stories about how they coped with the sudden and stressful change in their lives. Adams, in a letter offering the collection to the Library of Congress, said:

The purpose of my work was to show how these people, suffering under a great injustice, and loss of property, businesses and professions, had overcome the sense of defeat and dispair [sic] by building for themselves a vital community in an arid (but magnificent) environment…All in all, I think this Manzanar Collection is an important historical document, and I trust it can be put to good use.

The photographs show that Adam’s should be recognized for much more than his landscape photography innovation, as he was also an accomplished photojournalist. His visual story of the lives of the internees should serve as a constant reminder of the hardships that the families of Japanese-Americans faced during World War II.

The entrance of the Manzanar Relocation Center. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A351-3-M-28

Rows of houses in front of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada Mountains at Manzanar Relocation Center. (Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A351-3-M-25)

Editor Roy Takeno reads a copy of the Manzanar Free Press in front of the newspaper office at the Manzanar War Relocation Center. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-4

Farm workers harvest crops in front of Mt. Williamson. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A351-3-M-14

Farmer Richard Kobayashi proudly displays two heads of freshly picked cabbage from the camp’s farmland. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-31

Driver Benji Iguchi and mechanic Henry Hanawa reapir a tractor under the bright California sun. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-18-Cx

The poultry farm at Manzanar Relocation Center. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-67

Mori Nakashima, in charge of the chicken coup, feeds the birds as the low sun casts a shadow on the wooden door. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-65

Tsutomu Fuhunago unloads a heavy crate from a produce truck. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-32

Often, internees would be relocated to one of the nine other camps in the United States, and moving day was always a sad time for new friends to say farewell. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-51

Ryie Yoshizawa teaches a class on dressmaking to a group of women in camp. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-24

Recreational activities and sports were an important part of keeping morale up with the internees. Here, a group of women play volleyball on a sandy and dusty patch of land in the camp. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-14

American football was popular among the men in camp. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-16

Early morning stretching for a group of school aged girls. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-6-M-08

Dennis Shimizu enjoys a book in bed during downtime. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-58

Florence Kuwata smiles in front of the sun during an afternoon of practicing the baton. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-34

C.T. Hibino, an artist, in front of his latest work. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A351-3-M-40-B

Electrician Yonehisa Yamagami smiles for a portrait. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-61

Despite being held against their will, the camp was a fully self-sufficient governed, complete with their own town hall meetings. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-DIG-ppprs-00374

Here Roy Takano and Mayor are shown in a town hall meeting. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-15

Frank Hirosawa, a rubber chemist, at work in his laboratory. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-37-A

Women passing the time by playing cards. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-5-Bx

Akio Matsumoto, a commercial artist, at work. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-40-Cx

Michael Yonemetsu, an X-Ray technician. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-4-M-9

New lives and death were a way of life for the citizens at the camp. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A35-5-M-4

A large monument stands in the cemetery at the Manzanar Relocation Center. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Ansel Adams, photographer, LC-A351-3-M-13

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