When preparing these weekly emails, I often have no idea what I want to write until I sit down at my computer. Sometimes my first idea doesn’t amount to much and I have to work with it a while. Other times the entire concept seems to effortlessly spill out as my fingertips tap the keyboard. I’ve gone from zero idea one moment, to full pages about the intricacies of life the next. Writing out my thoughts has not only been therapeutic, but has also reminded me how important it is to allow myself time away from distractions—television, social media, podcasts, music, alcohol, work, socializing—to just sit, think, write and see what arrives. Ironically, with the amount of distractions and busyness in my life, it takes actual effort to do nothing but think. Yet it's worth it every single time.
"The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy, they come when the mind is still." -Leon Brown
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I was recently talking with a friend about travel. And we both agreed that there's something incredibly educational about going to completely foreign countries. I'm not talking about going somewhere to hang out at the resort with a bunch of other tourists. That can be fun and relaxing, but those aren’t the trips that we learn a lot from. I’m referring to being dropped somewhere with completely different customs, currencies, foods, smells, styles, music and languages. Places that force you out of your comfort zone; where simple things like ordering food, crossing the street, asking directions or hailing a cab can be an actual challenge. This might be terrifying for people that feel the need to constantly control their surroundings. But those are the people that would benefit most from this. Ironically, the sooner you realize that you’re out of control, the more in control you’ll feel and the more enjoyable the experience becomes. While traveling, you will look silly at times—get over it. You will make mistakes—get over it. You will be embarrassed—get over it. You will waste money—get over it. It’s empowering to feel calm while surrounded by chaos. It’s liberating to let go. And I believe that, with time, you’ll realize that you can navigate most situations in life, as long as you maintain a desire to learn from every situation, a willingness to go with the flow, an eagerness to explore new things and a resolution to always keep a smile on your face.
"Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't." -Steve Maraboli One of my favorite business minds, Tom Bilyeu, shares his stance that, in order to achieve greatness, we should only chase things that give us more energy than they take. His rationale is simple: things that are truly worth chasing are inevitably hard. And hard things require a ton of energy. If we are chasing something that is both hard and depletes our energy we will eventually quit because it's not sustainable. But if we instead chase things that energize us, even when they get hard we will never run out of energy; we'll be left with more.
I feel this way about photography. It takes a ton of my time and energy, and challenges me constantly. In order to elevate my photography to the level I envision, it will require serious commitment and sacrifice. But I know I'm on the right path, because I love every second of it; missing hours of sleep to catch the sunrise, enduring frigid fingers and toes while out in windy, snowy or rainy weather, dedicating hours of time and energy hiking to a location in hopes of capturing a shot that never quite comes together, or actually getting the shot and then having to spend hours editing the photos. Even on the roughest days I am left with more energy than when I started. Even on the roughest days I can't wait to go do it again. "Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." -Pele I'm fascinated by the duality of life. Specifically, how something that is necessary for life can also take life. Water, for example. It is one of the most important molecules on earth. All plants eventually die without water and humans typically only survive three days without it. It is absolutely vital. Yet it can end our life effortlessly. If we ingest it we live, if we ingest too much of it we die. Similarly, oxygen is imperative - to us and to the planet. Even just a few minutes without oxygen and our human brain will likely never be the same. Much longer than that and we die completely. We need it desperately, however too much oxygen can lead to cellular damage and death. Food is another example. We not only need food in order to survive, but also to thrive. Within weeks without food, our body processes begin to shut down. If that continues long enough, we die. Food provides our body with the nutrients and energy necessary to fend off illness and disease. Yet continual overconsumption of food can increase illness and disease. It can cause the exact thing it prevents. Sleep is incredibly important for mental and physical health. Similar to food, it allows our body to perform systems vital for surviving and thriving. We eventually die without sleep, and too little sleep can cause heart disease, anxiety, depression and obesity. Yet, as you may have already guessed, too much sleep can also lead to heart disease, anxiety, depression and obesity. As I’ve been writing this, a phrase that doctor Peter Attia often mentions has been stuck in my head: “the dose makes the poison.” Meaning that something healthy may be toxic in high doses. Conversely, something toxic may be healthy in low doses. "What is there that is not poison? All things are poison and nothing is without poison. Solely the dose determines that a thing is not a poison." -Paracelsus Every time I share a photo from a previous trip it makes me eager for the next. Fortunately I won't have to wait much longer, as I'll soon be heading back to Asia to explore Nepal for the first time. Most of my trips include lots of time in cities, and lots of time in nature, however this trip will be almost entirely nature. Apart from a few days in Kathmandu, the remaining 15 days will be spent trekking the Annapurna region of the legendary Himalayas. There will also be a short detour to visit Tilicho Lake, which, for it's size is considered the highest lake in the world (16,138 feet above sea level). This trek will likely be the most demanding physical experience I've ever encountered, but I'm feeling prepared. I've been exercising regularly and snowboarding at elevation, which should help, however parts of the trek will rise to nearly 18,000 feet, which is far higher than I've ever been, so that will be the real test. But I'm confident my body and mind are strong enough to get me through, and I can't wait to bring home some incredible photos, stories and memories.
"Only those who will risk going too far can find out how far they can go." -T.S Eliot I like things simple, yet I'm always amazed at how much work simplicity requires. The universe seems predisposed for chaos, and it's a constant battle to counteract that. One battle I've been wagging for a while now is decluttering my home. How did I get all this stuff?! My place doesn't have much storage, which has acted as a natural barrier to prevent me from accumulating even more, but I still can't believe how much can pile up over time. Some of these things I literally haven't used, seen or thought about since I moved in 7+ years ago. And as I continue the process of selling, donating, or throwing away the things I no longer want, it's been interesting to observe my reaction. Sometimes my heart knows something has to go, but my brain desperately wants to keep it. I do believe we have a biological predisposition to hold resources, and the conditions in which we were raised can absolutely have an effect as well. But for many of us, the stuff piles up far past the point of logic. And, like chaos, illogical thinking requires a lot of energy to combat. Although, I have found that even the things that were hardest for me to part with have barely even crossed my mind since I let go of them. I've learned that the goodbye is the hardest part. And the more I understand that, the easier the goodbyes become. As if the trick to letting go is to... let go.
"What we call chaos is just patterns we haven’t recognized. What we call random is just patterns we can't decipher." -Chuck Palahniuk I just spent a few days snowboarding in Tahoe. I have been snowboarding most of my life, and while I am nowhere near the best snowboarder on the mountain, I think it's fair to say that I have gotten quite good. I only mention this because, even after decades of practice and proven competence, I almost always feel anxiety before snowboarding - like I'll forget how to do it. I feel anxious on the drive to the mountain, I feel anxious getting ready in the parking lot and I feel anxious riding the lift to the top. However, the moment I strap my feet onto the board my anxiety disappears. At that point my brain sort of shuts off, muscle memory kicks in and my body just does what it's done for years. And it's always worth pushing through. I remember experiencing something similar when I used to play guitar on stage. Leading up to a show I'd be stressed, and anxious and honestly dreading the performance ahead. I remember thinking that I'd completely forget how to play all of the songs that I'd spent countless hours practicing - songs I could literally play with my eyes closed. Fear can be so irrational. However, similar to strapping on my snowboard, once I got on stage and felt the guitar in my hands, the fear disappeared. My body remembered even though my brain doubted. And the thing I was dreading ended up being a reward. I've learned that anxiety comes from anticipation, and that the only way to counteract it is with action; by actually doing the thing. The difficult part is that fear and anxiety are not nice feelings and they make us want to avoid whatever is causing them. But avoiding discomfort is the opposite of growth. The lesson, really, is to embrace the fact that fear and anxiety will almost always be an obstacle, to be okay with that, and then to just do the thing anyways. Action beats anxiety every time. What stands in the way becomes the way. "The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." -Marcus Aurelius Before the photography workshop I attended in April, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I had never done a workshop before, and my mind was creating some worst case scenarios: what if I don't know how to do this, what if I don't know how to do that, what if I look like a rookie in front of the group, what if I make a mistake, what if I miss the shot, what if I ask a silly question, etc. And here's what ended up happening... I made mistakes, I missed shots, I looked like a rookie, I asked basic questions... yet the world didn't end. No one cared. In fact they were happy to help. And it was wonderful. Now, looking back, there were three lessons that really stood out to me.
First, never act like a master when I'm still the student. The ego often prefers the reverse. If I had gone in with pride and an attitude, the group would have seen right through me first of all, and my ego wouldn't have allowed me to ask the questions that helped me improve the most. No one wants to help the know-it-all, they want to help the eager and humble student. Second, I learned that I can learn anything if I actually dedicate time and energy to it. The key is putting in the work instead of just hoping to improve. Being green just means I have more room to grow. If you like my photos now, you won't believe what I put out in 5 years. That's an exciting thought. Third, the most important aspect of getting "the shot" is actually getting out there. Going and doing it. Not talking about getting the shot, not thinking about getting the shot, not staying in bed sleeping. It's sacrificing sleep to drive in the dark, getting to the site early, and then simply waiting patiently for the right light and the right opportunity. It takes action and it takes patience. And it's worth it. "Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily." -Thomas Szasz I was listening to a podcast recently and the guest, Dr. Aditi Nerurkar, mentioned a concept which she calls "living a lifetime in a day." Essentially, she proposes that humans gain the most fulfillment, meaning and purpose from 5 categories: work, family, solitude, vacation, and retirement. The entire concept of "living a lifetime in a day" is to incorporate a little bit of each category into our schedule on a daily basis - even if just for a couple minutes.
She describes the first category, work, as our opportunity to create meaning and purpose in what we do. This may look like choosing work that's meaningful to us, or to find a way to make mundane work more meaningful; to give it more significance. The second category is family (or friends). This is simply spending time connecting with your tribe - in person, ideally, otherwise on the phone or video chat. Because, to use Dr. Nerurkar's words, "human relationships are the most significant predictor of happiness." The next category is solitude - dedicating time to be alone, to be quiet, to be calm, and to spend time on ourselves, intentionally. "Science shows that alone time can enhance our ability to respond well to others," giving us a greater likelihood of not only connecting more profoundly with loved ones, but to also navigate difficult situations with calmness and grace. From there Dr. Nerurkar recommends spending a bit of each day on "vacation," which is to spend time doing things that bring you joy - reading, writing, exercising, exploring, dancing, playing music, cooking, etc. Things that we typically do when we have free time on vacation, but rarely dedicate time for in our normal lives. Even if just for a couple minutes - do something you love each day. And lastly, "retire" each day - take time to reflect back, take stock of your accomplishments throughout the day, how you felt, what you enjoyed the most, and possibly even decide on how you'd like to make things even better the following day. I know in my life, when things get busy I'm more likely to put these personal priorities to the side, and for that reason, I plan on making these a priority to start my day, as often as possible, so that I'll be less likely to neglect them when life inevitably interrupts my plans. What do you think about this approach, and is this something you can see yourself enjoying and sticking to? "When we learn to live a lifetime in a day, we redefine time, our greatest and most cherished currency. By taking the long view and zooming out, we paradoxically let ourselves zoom in on what matters most: people, connection, love, purpose, and ultimately happiness- the most therapeutic and resilience-building life force of all!" -Dr. Aditi Nerurkar My aunt recently pointed out to me that the only portraits I have shared from Indonesia were of men - and she was right! It had never even occurred to me until she said something. So I dug through the rest of my photos and found this one that I've been meaning to share. When I approached this woman and asked permission to take her photo, she was extremely shy and I was certain she was going to say no. But miraculously she accepted and I happily began taking photos of her. Unfortunately, the first photos I took turned out okay, but not great. Her nerves caused her to practically squirm away from the camera and her discomfort was obvious in person and in the photos. Just as I was preparing to stow away my camera with the intention of putting her out of her misery, she reached down, picked up the bundle of produce she was selling, and hugged it in close. And as she did, she just sort of settled into this calm, natural, peaceful pose - almost as if the produce gave her the comfort and confidence she needed. And I still remember the feeling when it happened - like this tiny blast of electricity that hit me in the chest for a split second and then was gone. I saw, in real time, her entire disposition change - almost as if the nerves that she had been feeling passed directly through the camera and bounced off of me instead. It was the first time I'd experienced something like that while photographing someone and I'll likely remember it for the rest of my life.
"A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it." -Edward Steichen You may know this about me, but when I'm not out taking photos my day job is serving and selling wine at a popular winery in Napa Valley. A while back, during one of our staff meetings, one of our winemakers, TJ Evans, was talking about our various different vineyards and their various different characteristics. One of these vineyards he described as "the one with the airplane shaped reservoir." I had never thought of it quite in those terms, but I knew exactly which vineyard he was referring to and I knew exactly where it was located --- I pass it every day on my way to, and from, work. Even though I had never considered photographing it before, hearing TJ's description made me wonder what it would look like from above. Eventually, as you can see, curiosity got the best of me and on a beautiful morning I decided to fly my drone over the top of it. The sun was rising and the fog was still scattered throughout the valley and it ended up being a lovely start to the day. And I'm really glad that I allowed someone else's perspective to pique my interest.
"The greatest tragedy for any human being is going through their entire lives believing the only perspective that matters is their own." -Doug Baldwin Well, we officially made it to 2024! This is the first year, for as long as I can remember, that I didn't do anything for New Year's Eve. I'm not saying I typically go wild or anything, but I usually do something, somewhere with someone. Not this year. I stayed home, just me and Rosie girl, watched a movie and ate a pint of ice cream. Yes, the entire pint. And it was lovely. I even made time to meditate before heading to bed. And I know what you're wondering so I'll put you out of your misery, yes I stayed up until midnight. But barely. There were actually a few reasons why I decided to stay home on New Year's Eve. One big reason is that I haven't been drinking lately, and the thought of being around a bunch of drunk people on one of the biggest party nights of the year didn't appeal to me. Another reason is that I've been saving as much money as possible for my trip to Nepal, and apart from the gigantic $4.99 ice cream splurge, didn't feel like spending a bunch of money on a night that I wasn't that excited for anyways. But an even bigger reason was that I simply didn't feel like celebrating the new year with a bunch of noise and a bunch of people and a bunch of alcohol. I was happy to be quiet, and calm, and welcome the new year with a clear mind and a clear heart. And I was rewarded by waking in the morning, well rested and without hangover, to this beautiful foggy morning on a local hiking trail with my camera and my dog. And it felt like the perfect start to the year.
"It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts." -K.T. Jong Are you familiar with the concept of "flow state"? Flow state is that incredible feeling we get when we are so supremely focused on whatever we are doing that we literally enter a different state of mind. It can feel like a state of bliss, a state of absolute clarity, and even though whatever we're doing is challenging (we do not enter flow state while doing things that are easy), it can begin to feel effortless; as if our body and mind already know the next move and simply execute on their own. There are no distractions in flow, no stress or judgements. All that exists is that exact moment. Scientists show that flow can be achieved through practically any activity that both interests you and challenges you. Sports, surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, yoga and martial arts are all common ways people enter flow, but it can also be achieved by less physical activities such as playing music, cooking, playing chess, writing, drawing, solving puzzles and even while reading an incredible book. Growing up I would often enter flow while playing soccer or skateboarding; these days it's typically while snowboarding or taking photos. I truly believe that I am happiest when I'm doing things that allow me to enter flow often. Because of this, in the same way people chase dopamine to feel alive, I chase flow. Have you experienced flow before? And if so, what were you doing to achieve it?
"The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost." -Mihály Csíkszentmihályi I recently read The Great Gatsby for the first time, and while the book is filled with all sorts of cleverness, a concept I particularly enjoyed was how much more private large parties are than small ones. At first this sounds backwards. How could you receive more privacy while being surrounded by way more people?! But it actually makes a lot of sense, particularly at massive parties. Massive parties provide more opportunity to blend-in; to be whoever you want and to act however you want. If you weren't feeling particularly social and preferred just to wander around the party, you could literally not to talk to anyone the entire night and no one would even notice or care. Imagine trying that at a small party. Conversely, if you were feeling social, you could choose exactly who you wanted to talk to and for how long. You'd have the ease to remain in a conversation you were enjoying, and the same ease to slip away if the conversation got stale. You could laugh with that person, dance with that person, hold hands with that person and no one would care at all. You could certainly do that at a small party, but it might be a little awkward.
"I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy." -F. Scott Fitzgerald It's interest how quickly life can change. One year ago today I was boarding an international flight, taking me to Thailand and eventually to Vietnam. I had never been to Asia before and suddenly I was going to be there for a whole month. Looking back, I honestly didn't really know what to expect, but my time there exceeded any expectations I might have had. Before arriving, I didn't realize how safe I would feel while exploring the big, busy cities as well as the remote countryside. I didn't realize how warmed I would feel by the smiles and respectful bows that strangers constantly greeted me with. I didn't realize that I'd encounter some of the most beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. I could go on and on, but safe to say, I was hooked. Months later, I found myself boarding another flight to Asia, but this time to Indonesia to improve my photography and to explore a new country. What an amazing experience! The hook sunk deeper. And just recently I bought myself another flight to Asia, this time to Nepal to trek parts of the legendary Himalayas. I'll have gone from never having been to Asia before, to suddenly going 3 separate times in less than a year and a half, and before even departing for my 3rd trip, I already know that three trips is not enough.
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." -Eleanor Roosevelt Today marks 100 days in which I have not had a drink of alcohol. To clarify, I never planned to quit drinking forever, and I still don't, although the benefits I've noticed by not drinking have been extremely compelling. This initially started as a "Sober September" challenge with friends and morphed into something much more profound for me. Because alcohol is so accepted in our society I feel like the role it plays in our lives is rarely examined on a granular level. And it seems like as long as you're not a problem drinker then there's no problem at all. Pretty soon I will be releasing a blog post on my finance website which goes into much more depth on the topic, as well as the financial implications I observed. Let me know if you'd like to be added to that list. In the meantime, I've come to the pretty obvious conclusion, one in which many have clearly stated before me, that we grow the most through adversity. And if you live in such a safe and comfortable world that isn't providing you much adversity, you may have to create it yourself. That's exactly what I did.
"You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential." -David Goggins There's an analogy that comes to mind whenever I see boats out of water. Boats are obviously designed to be in water, to float in water, that's their purpose. However, for a myriad of different reasons, there may be times in which the boat spends time on land. For repairs and maintenance, for transport to a different location, or in this case, simply waiting until the tides rise back up again. Just because it's out of the water doesn't make it less of a boat. It's still a boat regardless. It's just patiently waiting for its return to purpose. And I think many of us, as humans, can benefit from adopting a mindset like this. Just because we are not executing our exact intended purpose every moment of every day doesn't mean we are lesser than. There are times in which we may need some repairs or maintenance ourselves, and that's ok. Perhaps we too need to be lifted up and transported to a new body of water, and that's ok. And maybe we're just on the sideline, patiently waiting for our opportunity to enter the water, and that's ok. Don't be so hard on yourself. And don't be so hard on others. They may also just be waiting for their tide to come in.
"Remember you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens." -Louise L. Hay If you celebrate, I hope that however you spent Thanksgiving was really lovely. And that your meal was as delicious as this monkey's was. I think for many of us, this time of year is a time of reflection and gratitude. The older I get, the more aware of the immense blessings in my life, many of which are so easy to take for granted. And I hope that this may remind you of your blessings as well, if you're not already aware of them. For example, if you had a Thanksgiving meal, you are so fortunate. If people that you love joined you for that meal, you are so fortunate. If you were able to see those loved ones with your eyes, and hug them with your arms, you are so fortunate. If you were able to speak to those loved ones with your voice, and were capable of hearing their voice in return, you are so fortunate. If you hosted that meal in a safe, warm home, you are so fortunate. I could go on and on and on. For these things, and many more, I am extremely grateful. What are you grateful for this year?
"When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in." -Kristin Armstrong The morning that I took this photo may end up being the biggest catalyst for the new style I've been playing around with since my adventure in Indonesia. The most noticeable change being that previously I would patiently wait for humans to leave the scene in order to get a completely natural landscape shot. While that's still nice, what I immediately learned by simply observing Jord Hammond and his work, is how important having a subject (human, car, motorcycle, flower, tree, etc.) is in order to draw focus, provide scale, add contrast and create an extra layer of complexity to the scene. I'm proud of this new chapter in my photography, but I am very aware that I still have a ton to learn. Which actually really excites me to know, because it means that I am currently the worst I will ever likely be again, and that the best photos of my life are still waiting to be captured.
"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." -Anthony J. D’Angelo While making large life decisions, I often use regrets to guide the decision. I'm not talking about past regrets, instead I'm basing my current decision on preventing future regrets. As in, "which path would I most regret NOT taking?" Making sure that future me will be happy with my decision. I'm sure all of us do this to certain degrees, but this tendency in me was strengthened by a book many of you have likely read. Walden by Thoreau, easily the most dense book I've ever read, and while frustratingly dry at times, is scattered with gems of wisdom and inspiration. The most profound quote for me, and easily the most popular, lives in my mind. And while the first part of the quote is his most well-known, the rest of the quote, although lesser-known, contains wisdom as well. I'd be honored if you read it below and shared with me what this quote means to you.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion." -Henry David Thoreau Out of all the pleasant surprises we encountered while cruising the Indonesian ocean, Padar Island was definitely a highlight. And even though it's a very prestigious location, I didn't know it by name, so when I saw it on our itinerary I didn't realize what we were about to see. In fact, it wasn't until I got to the viewpoint that it fully sunk in where I was. The night before we anchored the boat about an hour away, so the following day, in order to beat the crowds, we raised anchor before sunrise and ended up being among the first people there. And, as usual, the early wake-up was completely worth it. It is such an incredible place! And this photo is honestly just a small glimpse into the vast beauty of this spot. Some places that I've visited I can sort of check off the list and move on to the next place, happy to have seen it, but without the need to return. Padar Island is one I'm definitely leaving on the list and can't wait to see again.
"On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it." -Jules Renard Apart from occasional days on a pontoon or ski boat, I had never spent substantial time on the water. But 3 days boating around Indonesian islands did give me a tiny glimpse into that world. It was an amazing experience for a few different reasons. First, the physical surroundings had obviously changed dramatically; lots of water and occasional land, which was just fun and new for me. Also, cell reception was very spotty, so I spent very little time on my phone, which always feels like an inconvenience at first, then ends up feeling like medicine that I didn't know I needed. In addition, being so physically remote and isolated from most of civilization felt super healing and necessary. But what struck me the most is how the world, and life, just felt a little bit simpler after being on a boat for a while. Like, at the end of the day, most things in modern life, while nice, aren't really that important to me.
"At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much." -Robin Lee Graham This photo was taken on the very first morning of the photography workshop (I'm sure you recognize this man) and it was such an incredible start to the trip. Looking back, an aspect of this experience that I really enjoyed was when we would encounter locals that didn't mind our group photographing them (sometimes for quite a while) and in addition to repaying their patience with massive amounts of gratitude and respect, we would also repay them with money. Which, even though it was never a gigantic amount of money in terms of US Dollars, it amounted to a fairly substantial amount in their local currency. I found it to be a really fun way to create a win-win exchange; we got to take some really amazing photographs and they were rewarded with financial gain and our profound appreciation. And by doing so, I like to think we represented photographers and tourists in general, in a really positive light. This is something I look forward to continuing in the future; spreading art, wealth and kindness throughout the world.
"Money is but one venue for generosity. Kindness is an even more valuable currency." -Alan Cohen I mentioned previously that after the workshop in Bali, a few of us planned a trip to the Indonesian island of Flores for a few days. We wanted to experience a different island and culture, and were especially eager to hike an incredible volcano, Kelimutu. Unfortunately (and we didn't realize this until after we had already purchased our flights), there was a massive conference taking place on the island at the same time, and all of the hotels had already been claimed. We had our flights but nowhere to stay. Fortunately, this area is very popular for short cruises around the hundreds of islands in the area, and what started as a disappointment for not having a hotel, ended with 4 of us chartering a private boat, with a captain, crew and guide. For 3 days they took us from amazing location to amazing location, filled with hiking various islands, tons of snorkeling, amazing food on board, and the opportunity to experience scenes and landscapes that I don't normally get to photograph from land. Living on the water for a few days was incredibly peaceful and therapeutic. While sailing from island to island, all there was to do was to sit and think and breath and observe the world around us. And it was really lovely. I'll be sharing more about this experience in the future.
"You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things." -Nate Berkus After the photography workshop in Bali, a few of us from the group decided to do some traveling together and caught a flight to the Indonesian island of Flores. From there we hopped on a boat and cruised from island to island for a couple days. It was amazing, and there were many highlights; one of which was seeing, and photographing, the notorious Komodo dragons. I had heard about these giant lizards my entire life and it was cool to finally see them in person. It was fairly warm when we visited and most of the dragons were just napping in the shade, preserving their energy, but a few came out to put on a little show for us. Including this one which wandered into some pretty ideal lighting.
"The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. These wild dragons typically weigh about 154 pounds (70 kilograms), but the largest verified specimen reached a length of 10.3 feet (3.13 meters) and weighed 366 pounds (166 kilograms)." -Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute |
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