All photos courtesy of Wendy Connett

New York-based travel photographer Wendy Connett’s work has appeared in various travel publications such as Travel & Leisure, The Guardian, The Times, Rough Guides, Fodor’s, Time Out, and Frommers in over 25 countries.

She primarily photographs people, landmarks, celebrations and lifestyles for guidebooks and stock agencies. Her stock photography is represented by Getty Images, Robert Harding, Alamy and Agefotostock.

Matador editor and photographer Lola Akinmade caught up with Wendy fresh off her recent trip to Mexico to discuss her stock photography and current assignments.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I was signed by my first agency in 2003.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

My background is print journalism and photography became a natural extension. I have more than 20 years journalism experience and spent 17 of that as a finance editor/journalist.

I spent all my free time traveling and photographing the destinations. I was able to spend a few months a year overseas and also lived and worked in London for a year. London is one of the best travel hubs in the world.

For me, there is no greater joy than exploring a city for the first time with camera in hand. I have been a freelance journalist/photographer for more than a year.

A colleague who worked at a stock photography agency in a former life suggested I pursue sales via this route. That was in 2002. I took a long hard look at agencies, the types of photographs they had, what they required and my own photographs and spent the next year shooting with a very different eye before submitting photos.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

At the age of 10, I attended a school that offered a photography class and had a darkroom.

How would you describe the work you do now… Obviously there’s a strong travel editorial element, but are you involved in the world of commercial photography?

I aim to capture a well-rounded view of a location: the iconic, landmarks, street scenes, food, markets, festivals, people and every day life.

I also specialize in night photography of cities. My images sell for commercial use through stock agencies but assignments so far have been editorial.

You sell a lot of stock photography. How has your experience been?

Stock is a numbers game. You need to distribute through several outlets without spreading yourself too thin.

It takes patience and years to build consistent sales. Fortunately my business continues to grow despite the recession and plummeting prices of images.

What 3 tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of travel photography?

1) You don’t need to spend a ton of money on travel to start out.

Start shooting in your own back yard. No matter where you live, how small or off the beaten path, there is always travel related subject matter. It could be a scenic view, quirky attraction or festival.

You will also have the advantage of shooting at different times of year, capturing the perfect light and local knowledge on the best or unique views etc.

2) Study photographs published in all mediums to get a sense of what photo editors may be looking for.

What your friends and family think is postcard worthy isn’t necessarily something that will sell. Take a look at what some of the top travel stock agencies have of subject matter you shoot.

Are you able to photograph it better or in a unique way?

It’s easy to take a photograph of the Taj Mahal on a sunny clear day. It’s difficult to capture a unique view.

3) Make sure you have a professional Web presence with a strong, well edited portfolio. Edit your photographs ruthlessly. Less is more.

You’ve photographed for some guidebooks like Time Out. Do you like this type of dedicated photography? What are the benefits/challenges?

My entire professional life has been about deadlines and I enjoy the adrenaline involved in meeting them. Being a versatile photographer and working on a tight deadline is key to shooting a guidebook. In one day you could be photographing a museum, nightclub and portraits.

Each requires a different set of photography skills. Photographing architecture, for example, is very different than photographing people.

The Time Out commission took me to all five boroughs and to places I had never been despite being a native New Yorker. I really enjoyed that aspect and saw my own city with a fresh eye.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

There are many. A few of the old include Robert Frank and Walker Evans.

In terms of travel stock photographers Glen Allison comes to mind. In his 60s he is currently on his second non stop round the world trip for the next 10 years.

I also admire the work of photojournalist Ami Vitale.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

I engage with people first and am always surprised at how many come up and ask to be photographed when you least expect it.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

Among the most inspiring has been photographing overnight vigils in cemeteries during the Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca and Patzcuaro, Mexico. Day of the Dead is a mixture of pre-Hispanic beliefs and Catholicism.

It is believed that the souls of the dead return to earth one night a year to be reunited with loved ones. Death is not viewed as the end and it is not a mournful experience. People were happy and proud to share the experience and talk of their loved ones.

One of the craziest was being stampeded by cattle in New Mexico. I was photographing a herd on ranch land near an old abandoned adobe building. The light was perfect and the cattle were grazing. Nearby a large raven or crow began squawking, flew over my head in a circle as if it were signaling the herd and the cattle stampeded me.

They stampeded a few times but fortunately ran around me and I lived to tell the tale without a scratch. I’ll never underestimate cattle or crows again.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

I carry a Canon 5D Mark II as my primary body and a 5D as a back up. My main lenses are Canon’s 28-70mm f 2.8, 70-200mm f2.8 zoom and IS 24-105mm f.4.

The latter is my workhorse. I carry a tripod for night photography and low light situations.

I rarely use a flash and prefer natural light.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

Pursuing multi media and video. I’ve already started down that road. Media as a whole is in major transition mode and offers many new possibilities.

I recently returned from Mexico and earlier this year India and need to catch up on editing while plotting my next trip.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Mitchell Kanashkevich

TRAVEL AND DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER Mitchell Kanashkevich travels the world shooting personal projects and stock photos for Getty and Corbis Images. His work has been featured on covers and inside the pages of Digital SLR Photography, Capture, Get Lost!, and Asian Geo Passport.

Matador editor and photographer Lola Akinmade caught up with Mitchell — fresh off the release of his new eBook, Transcending Travel – A guide to Captivating Travel Photography — for some thoughts on his work and philosophy.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I’ve been a professional photographer in that I have earned most of my income through travel photography for about 3 years.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

I’ve always been a very visual person, since I was a child. I studied film in university, but I was actually mostly attracted to the visual side of cinema and eventually got more and more away from film and into photography, though I feel that one day I will come a full circle and get back into filmmaking.

What really got me into travel photography was my love for travel and a need to share my experiences, as well as to express myself. I think it’s a natural thing for many of us — to get into photography once we start traveling a lot.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

Initially I photographed anything and everything. I started off capturing images of everything that was immediately around me, but once I started traveling I started to gain interest in photographing people. That remains my main interest as of today.

You’re known for travel portraiture and absolutely capturing sense of place in your photographs. How would you describe the work you do now?

I guess I would describe my work as predominantly documentary, with a focus on people and whenever possible, a focus on ancient cultures and traditions.

Are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

I am involved in stock photography. I shoot for Getty and Corbis Images, though I usually don’t make photos with the specific thought that “This is a stock photo, which will be used for such and such purpose”.

I usually just shoot what excites me, what I am passionate about and I guess I have been fortunate enough that there’s some commercial value in that sort of stuff.

Of course not as much as there is in photos of people in offices or smiling elderly couples taking part in leisure activities, but enough to keep me traveling and doing what I love.

What 3 tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of documentary photography?

1. If you want to create powerful images, you’ll often have to spend more time at a particular place, get to know the light, if you’re photographing people – establish rapport with them. Great images do not come about from simply arriving somewhere and snapping away for a few minutes. It sometimes takes days to get that special shot.

2. Don’t limit yourself to one or a couple of shots. Explore different angles, come closer, step back — give yourself more chance to create a strong image by making the most of the situation you might have at hand.

3. If you’re photographing people, try to learn the language, it will open so many doors for you and allow you to photograph in situations that you could have never created or known about without the language.

You recently released a new eBook on travel photography. Can you give us the lowdown?

The subtitle — A Guide to Captivating Travel Photography — pretty much says it all. It’s a guide to making images that are more than simple snap-shots or photos that only have value because they capture your memories. It’s an eBook through which I basically give advice to beginner and intermediate photographers on how to make travel photographs which appeal to more than just your parents and close friends.

I touch on some of the more important information about equipment and planning. And I get into a little bit of philosophy and a lot of practical tips that will help the reader make powerful travel images.

You can see some sample pages from the eBook and purchase it HERE.

Which other photographers — past or contemporary — inspire you most?

Steve McCurry, Olivier Follmi, Sebastio Salgado, Ami Vitale, as well as a whole list of other contemporary photographers who I keep discovering on the internet. There’s definitely no shortage of inspiration and great imagery out there.

When you’re approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

Usually I like to chat with the subject. I either speak some of the language or have somebody with me who translates. If I don’t chat, I at least make some contact: I gesture, smile, joke. I feel that’s an important part of the process when you’re photographing people in close proximity and when they are aware of you.

If I am shooting candid street stuff, then obviously I don’t communicate before I make the shot. That would destroy the moment.

10. What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had?

My most inspiring encounter or at least one which has to be right up there, has nothing to do with photography, though it actually led me to some great photographic opportunities afterwards. While I was traveling in Timor, Indonesia, I met an elderly, retired university professor from Holland who’d been traveling around the country for about a year.

As a former teacher he had this great idea of helping underprivileged youth around Indonesia, who couldn’t afford to pay for school or university education. After visiting a few charity organisations to whom he donated thousands of dollars from home, he became very disappointed. He saw that the “administrators” drove fancy cars, but none of the things he donated money for were put into place.

Rather than become cynical and give up on his idea of helping people, he decided to travel the country and along his journeys he hand-picked the young individuals whom he basically sponsored and got through school, college or university. By the time I’d met him he had sponsored 11 such individuals, of whom I met two.

He had a pension of about 5000 Euros, so you’d think that he would travel in luxury. But he didn’t. He traveled with the poor, because this way he could interact with the people in need. He could have a better idea of what life was really like. Instead of traveling in style, he put most of his money into helping others.

To me his story was quite incredible and indeed very inspirational, he was — and hopefully still is — changing the world for the better in a small, but very real way.

What kit do you use / carry with you? What can’t you do without (camera, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

Canon 5DMKII body, Canon 24-70mm f2.8 and Sigma f1.8 lenses. I also carry a portable, foldable softbox in which I put my 580 EXII flash.

Finally, what are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future?

I am currently planning a trip to Vanuatu, so hopefully I can produce some interesting imagery from my journey there.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Glenna Gordon

Photojournalist Glenna Gordon’s work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Time, Newsweek, London Times, Foreign Policy, Observer, BBC, Reuters, AFP, Guardian, Christian Science Monitor, MS Magazine, Walrus Magazine, Marie Claire (CZ), Associated Press (AP), just to name a few.

She regularly photographs for international nonprofit organizations such as UNICEF, USAID, and UNESCO. She has been living in Africa (primarily Uganda and Liberia) since 2006 and maintains the blog, Scarlett Lion.

In October 2009, Glenna along with colleague Jina Moore received a grant to work on a project about renewed justice, including an investigative piece about a copyrighted law code, a cover story for Christian Science Monitor about land conflicts, and a multimedia package for World Vision about prosecuting rape.

MatadorU faculty and photographer Lola Akinmade caught up with Glenna to get an insight into the world of day-to-day photojournalism out in the field.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I sold my first picture to the Associated Press in October 2007. Before that, I had been working for a local paper in Uganda. I kept working there for a bit after that, but also contributed to AP more and more and started freelancing regularly.

I moved to Liberia in 2009, where I’m still based. I’ve been able to do a lot of work here – I now string for AFP and am an active and (thankfully!) busy freelancer.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

I actually never thought I would be a photographer. I wanted to be a writer. And I didn’t even want to be a journalist, I wanted to write fiction. But then I realized the world outside my own head was more interesting than the one in it, and then I realized that pictures could communicate something about the world that words couldn’t.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

In college, I took a couple of black and white film photography classes. Some of my first photos were of pigeons and old men sitting around on the wharf in San Francisco. I loved film and the dark room, and I still really miss it, but I also think it’s not practical for the way I’m working now.

I hope to one day be able to use film and do some of my own printing again.

How would you describe the work you do now…obviously there’s a strong reportage element to it, but are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

Right now I think of my work in three categories: documentary, editorial, and NGO/institutional. The documentary work is my own projects that I’m pursuing that (hopefully) really show my voice as a photographer and reflect what I want to say about the places I’ve been.

The editorial work ranges from wire photographs – anything from rainforests to politicians – and different newspapers or magazines contacting me in search of specific stories – anything from airport security training to maternal health. This is where the bulk of my professional output is.

The NGO work is where the bulk of my income comes from. (More on that in the next question.) Ultimately, I’d like to be spending more and more time on documentary work and hope that the editorial assignments I get will reflect my interest in longer-term projects and reportage.

At the moment, I don’t do any stock or commercial work. I should be selling more of my images as stock, but the problem is that I’m always more interested in taking new photos than selling old ones. But it’s on my to-do list. I haven’t done commercial work but I wouldn’t mind trying if the opportunity arises because I’d love to be able to expand my visual vocabulary like that.

What 3 tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of photojournalism?

1) Go somewhere that there aren’t other photographers but there is media interest. For me, this was Liberia. Because there weren’t many (or at times any) other snappers around, I got a ton of assignments and was able to advance professionally and accrue some great tearsheets.

2) Buy the best equipment that you can afford, but then don’t spend all your time thinking about that one piece of equipment that would make your work so much better. There’s always going to be some piece of equipment that you want and don’t own, but you can’t use that as an excuse for not doing good work. (Note to self: stop spending time online ogling the Mamiya website).

3) Get a website and a blog and spend a good amount of time putting your work up. If a tree falls in the forest…

You work with a lot of non-profits like UNICEF, UNESCO, and USAID. Can you share a little bit more about this? What makes it exciting/challenging?

I like the NGO work because I like taking photos, but I ultimately tend to prefer to do editorial or my own projects. When you’re working for an organization, your job as a photographer is to create images that reflect the message the organization is trying to communicate. There’s nothing wrong with that, but for me the most exciting part of taking photos is knowing where I’m going but not where I’ll end up.

Non-profit work, however, is still incredibly important to me – and not just because it’s the bulk of my income. There are great things about it– I often to get to work with incredibly dedicated people whose focus I find inspiring and invigorating.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Um, where do I start?

I love Tim Hetherington’s Liberia work and that was part of what made me want to move to Liberia in the first place. Lyndsey Addario’s work in Darfur and Congo almost makes me want to be a conflict photographer (but not really).

Ami Vitale’s work from Kashmir is so incredibly beautiful – she has this one photo of some military looking men in these crazy decorated boats floating on water so still it reflects the sky and makes the space surreal and beautiful.

Zackary Canepari has this amazing series of portraits of circus performers in their homes in Dehli slums that really shows you can tell a story through portraits alone.

In terms of older photographers, I love Malik Sidibie and Seidou Keita and how they portray a time of optimism in Africa. Another one of my favorites is the Hungarian photographer Andre Kertez.

At a used bookstore in New York, I once found a small and beautifully printed compilation of his photos of people reading. It was one of the first photography books I ever purchased.

I also spend a lot of time trawling the web and photo websites and there are some less well known people whose work I really love (and everyone reading this should google!) so just to name a few: Marc Wattrelot, Jan Banning, Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, Ken Light, Alfredo Bini, Marieke Van Der Velden, Chris Saunders, Wayne Lawrence.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

I always ask people permission before I take their photos, even if it’s just a quick nonverbal communication where I gesture to my camera as a question and wait for a nod.

Ultimately, I prefer to engage with people and think that this creates the best photos. There are a lot of people who think you’ll miss that one great candid street shot if you wait and ask first, but the truth is that I don’t do all that much street shooting anyway and I never got that one great street shoot.

I think the best photos are where the subject acknowledges the photographer and gives permission for a photo rather than when a photographer takes it without asking.

9. What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

I’ve spent a huge amount of time at the Ducor Hotel in Monrovia, Liberia. It was once a four star resort, and then a home for squatters during the war.

The government kicked most of them out but now a couple still remain. I’d been going there regularly for quite awhile when this older gentleman named Emanuel, who used to work at the hotel, told me he wanted me to record him singing a song.

I didn’t have an audio equipment with me that day, so I promised to come back. I had bad timing so the next couple of times I went back he wasn’t around, but then finally he was.

And we went off into one of the old hotel room and he sang me this song he had written, tapping a three-four beat out as accompaniment.

And I just sat there thinking, I have the most amazing job in the world.

10. What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

I carry two Canon 5D bodies, a 35 mm lens, a 50 mm lens, and a 24-70 zoom lens. I have a flash but I almost never use it. I prefer to work with available light. I generally use both fixed lens at the same time, but if I’m in a situation where I think I’ll need more flexibility I’ll use the zoom lens and one of my two fixed lenses. I have a tripod too, but carry it only occasionally.

11. Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

I really hope to continue to develop as a photographer and work on more documentary and long term projects. I was recently working on one project where I knew I needed a couple more images of certain specific things, and I found it hard to be motivated to go out and shoot.

But then on another recent project, snapping at the Ducor Hotel, I couldn’t ever revisit this one place too many times. I could go back every day for months and not get bored.

That’s the kind of thing I want to do – work on projects where I like the project so much I feel like I could never finish it. That doesn’t usually pay the bills, so I’ll probably stick with my current model and continue to try and change how I distribute my time.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Tewfic El-Sawy

The creative force behind “The Travel Photographer“, Tewfic El-Sawy specializes in documenting endangered cultures and traditional life ways of Asia, Latin America and Africa.

His photography has been published in Outdoor Photography, Digital Photographer, GlobalPost, and have been featured by some of the largest adventure travel companies in the United States and Great Britain. He also organizes and leads exciting photo expeditions to places such as Bali, Bhutan, India, and Mexico.

MatadorU faculty and travel photographer Lola Akinmade caught up with Tewfic in the midst of planning his next photo expedition to learn more about the photographer behind the popular The Travel Photographer blog.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

It was a slow and progressive morphing from international banking to travel photography over the past 20 years, however I can say that it really got going in 2000.

Before that, it was almost like having two personalities; one being a “starched” banker during workdays, and a more relaxed personality befitting that of a travel photographer during the weekends.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

There’s no doubt that my traveling on banking business to various countries ignited my interest in travel photography as a genre. These business trips made me realize that I liked having access to different cultures.

When living in London, my wife booked me in an 8-weekends course in black & white photography at the home/studio of Uri Lewinski and his wife Mayotte Magnus; both professional photographers with opposite stylistic disciplines where I learned basic darkroom work, developing and processing film and prints.

I also attended a street photography class with Constantine Manos in Havana, and a photojournalism workshop with John Stanmeyer and Gary Knight in Bali.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

My first serious camera was a Canon A1 bought when working and living in Houston. It was essentially to photograph the family and my children growing up, however I also started experimenting with still life photography.

My favorite set-up was to back-light wine bottles, with a plate of grapes placed just so. I still have some of those prints, which are probably the most hideous still life studies ever done.

Eventually, I took my camera on my trips, and whenever I had a few moments I would walk the streets of Taipei, Athens or Stockholm and photograph whatever caught my eye. I used to be a black & white shooter at the time, and would return home to process the negatives, and print them in my basement darkroom.

I also experimented with unorthodox photo emulsions, and still have a couple of beautiful calla lilies photographs printed on liquid emulsion which hang on our walls.

However it was the adrenaline of travel photography that turned me on the most…especially exotic cultures. Photographing Stockholm’s Gamla stan or Paris was nice, but I was more in my element shooting in the back alleys of Taipei and Istanbul. It was on the back of these business trips that I started to specialize in documenting endangered cultures.

How would you describe the work you do now…obviously there’s a strong reportage / photojournalistic element, but are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

I am drawn to religious rituals and cultural festivals (especially those which have ancient history to them), and by definition these require a photojournalistic approach to them.

I try to research these rituals and festivals so as to become reasonably familiar with their cultural background, history and origins. This allows me to have a better understanding of what’s going on, which I hope come through my images.

Because of this affinity, my work is more reportage-oriented as I try to weave imagery and cultural information together.

I did get involved in stock photography for a few years, but recently found that it wasn’t for me. I’ve moved away from the traditional travel imagery required by stock agencies and travel catalogs/brochures.

The stock photography industry has considerably changed over the past few years, so I lost interest. There are many other excellent photographers who make a living from commercial and stock imagery, and I admire them for doing so.

It’s highly competitive and very tough.

What 3 tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your documentary style of photography?

In my view, the most important qualification is to have (and continuously develop) a strong and wide-ranging interest in foreign cultures, history and geo-political events. This is the underpinning foundation for the emerging photojournalist.

As for tips, I’d say the first would be to drop the ego, and to remain humble and helpful to others, whether they are in the same field or not.

The second would be to learn and use ancillary visual add-ons to still photography such as multimedia, audio recording, etc.

The third would be to learn some words and sentences in as many foreign languages as possible.

You are known online as “The Travel Photographer”. Can you tell us more about your website and workshops?

My photo~expeditions (as I call my trips) are technically by invitation only, which means that photographers interested in them usually subscribe to my periodic newsletters I send out.

These newsletters list forthcoming itineraries and dates, as well as galleries of my own work, and the subscribers contact me to join. The itineraries are based on traveling to “off-the-beaten-path” destinations as much as possible, and the photography style is best described as “travel photojournalism” or “documentary travel photography”.

Normally, I research specific destinations that have cultural and historical elements, and structure the itineraries with story-telling objectives in mind. During these trips, I tutor participants in story-telling techniques and multimedia using easy-to-use software readily and cheaply available from the internet.

The end objective of each photo-expedition is to have participants return with their locally-produced travel documentaries, as well as regular travel photographs.

Since participation in these photo~expeditions was originally based on first-registered-first in, causing long waiting-lists, I have had to introduce an element of screening based on a quick portfolio viewing and other criteria.

Apart from The Travel Photographer blog, my photography website (www.thetravelphotographer.net) showcases my travel photography galleries, my multimedia galleries, and my photo~expeditions. I am currently working on a parallel website that will be iPad and iTouch compatible.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

I have enormous respect for the photojournalistic work of James Nachtwey, John Stanmeyer, Munem Wasif, Gary Knight, and especially Sebastiao Salgado.

On the editorial and travel side, I like the work of relative newcomers such as Shiho Fukada, Jehad Nga, Diego Verges, Joey L. and many others.

Since you do a lot of portraiture, when you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

I mentioned Sebastiao Salgado as a visual influence. He’s also quoted as saying “If you take a picture of a human that does not make him noble, there is no reason to take this picture”.

That’s my overriding principle when I photograph people. I always try to engage the subjects before photographing them, and have various methods to “unfreeze” people for natural-looking environmental portraits.

The easiest is to show my potential subjects a gallery or two of my photographs which I carry on my iPod Touch. This arouses some sense of vanity…the “me too” syndrome. However, one of my time-tested techniques is to initially photograph children or babies, and showing them to the parents.

This immediately changes my image from being a foreigner into that of a family member. What I’m after during a photo shoot are two things: being accepted and/or being forgotten…I want to go beyond the reflexive smile.

I engage people as much as I can, since I want our “relationship” to be reflected in their eyes, on their faces and in their body language.

I love candid photography, which is frequently necessary and gives great results, but I prefer a more face-to-face approach to my portraits.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

Like most photographers, I faced difficult situations but fortunately none that I wasn’t able to defuse reasonably quickly. The most inspiring moment was during photographing elderly widows in Vrindavan (India), when one of them asked me to publicize their plight.

She called me her “grandson” and despite her poverty, she worried the sun was too strong for me. Along with other photojournalists who had been there before and after me, their plight was indeed publicized and some improvements were introduced by the local authorities.

The craziest (and worrisome at the time) encounter was probably being accused by a group of Indonesians of being an agent for the FBI.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

My primary camera is a Canon 5D Mark II, along with a bunch of Canon L lenses such as a 24mm f 1.4, a 28-70mm f 2.8, a 17-40mm f4 and a IS 70-200mm f2.8 zoom.

I also use an older Canon 1D Mark II which is truly a workhorse of a machine. I’d love to replace it with a newer model but I’m emotionally attached to it, and it does the job I want from it.

I don’t use flash much as I prefer natural light, but I occasionally use a Canon 550EX.

Depending where I travel to, I either carry a Mac Book Pro or an Acer netbook to work on my images whilst in the field, or for my multimedia workshops.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

One of my on-going projects is on documenting the Sufis, and it’s a project that I try to work and expand on whenever I’m in India, Egypt, Morocco or Turkey. There are certain countries with strong Sufi influences such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, and I’m hopeful that these countries’ political situations improve and calm down allowing me to visit and continue this particular project.

I am one of the instructors at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop, where my class is on multimedia for photojournalists, and I hope to continue teaching it as long as it’s of interest to emerging photojournalists. I also intend to continue with my photo~expeditions / workshops and, as I mentioned earlier, to further refine their thrust towards documentary travel photography and multimedia.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Uncornered Market

The dynamic duo behind the popular Uncornered Market brand, Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll’s photography has appeared on AOL Travel, Huffington Post, and BBC’s Your Portfolio, and they’ve worked as photojournalists with Kiva and Five Talents International, documenting their microfinance projects in Asia and South America.

MatadorU faculty and travel photographer Lola Akinmade chatted with the nomadic couple to learn more about their documentary style of photography.

How long have you been professional photographers?

If you count the time we have been actively earning money as photographers, a little over three years. Before this time, we had taken part in group photography exhibitions in Prague, Czech Republic.

Example of photography exhibition (Audrey): Dream Girls @ Tina B (2006)

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

Audrey: My interest in photography started young; I was fortunate to take a photography course in high school that introduced me to the basics of an SLR camera and how to develop black and white photos in a darkroom. I took a break from photography for a few years, but then got back into it when we lived in Prague and I needed a creative outlet from my left-brained job.

Daniel: Travel was the impetus for my interest in photography. I also needed a creative outlet to balance my professional life as a management consultant. Prior to traveling to India, I bought a new camera (Pentax ZX-50 was my first). Later, I took a black and white photography class with a terrific instructor who viewed photography through the eyes of a painter first, and a technician second.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

Audrey: My first deliberate photography experiments I can remember were taking photos of animals while on safari in Tanzania while on vacation in high school and printing them on heavy stock drawing paper (by painting chemicals on different surfaces) in my high school’s darkroom. It was the idea that you could combine photography with other mediums as an art form.

Daniel: My first photographic experience was also my first trip outside of North America: India and Australia. However, I only really began to understand photography after experimenting in black and white. Two experiences stand out: photographing tulips at the Jardin de Tuileries in Paris and photographing people on the streets of North Beach, the neighborhood where I lived in San Francisco.

How would you describe the work you do now…obviously there’s a strong reportage / photojournalistic element, but are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

Our photographic angle is mainly documentary. We aim to share the spirit of the places we visit and the people we meet on our journey. Additionally, we have executed customized photography projects with microfinance organizations and NGOs. These projects challenge us to convey the spirit of the programs, the people involved, and the effects of the programs on their communities through photographs.

Although our photography careers began with a substantial stock photography sale of travel images from Europe, we have done little in the commercial world of photography since then. We choose to focus on gathering impressions and executing projects.

Most of our stock photography sales have occurred because publications or NGOs have found our website and have then chosen to purchase usage licenses. We have not yet begun to market our photos through traditional stock photography sites.

What three tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of photography?

While technical proficiency is important to photo taking, we feel that our non-technical skills (e.g., communication skills) aid us most in getting memorable images.

a) Make sure that you’ve tapped into your passion. If you are not passionate about your subject(s), it’s time to find other subjects or possibly another discipline.

b) Allow your curiosity — in a person, culture or place – guide you in finding interesting and unique photographic subjects. For example, we enjoy going where ordinary people spend their time; a stop at the local fresh market is usually the first thing we do when we arrive in a new location.

c) Develop a relationship with the person you are photographing. In addition to learning about the person’s life, this helps build trust and allows your subject to relax and appear more natural in the photo.

You’ve been working with micro-finance organizations such as Kiva for awhile now. Can you tell us more? How you became interested in this project?

Audrey: I had been interested in microfinance for over a decade, but my experience was limited to reading books about it (i.e., theoretical). One of my goals was to see microfinance in action on the ground. As our people photography skills improved, we approached microfinance organizations, like Kiva, with our portfolio to see if they would be interested in working with us.

We provide high quality photos the organization can use for PR, marketing or fundraising purposes. We’ve worked with three different microfinance organizations in six countries. These projects usually take us to places far off the beaten path and allow us to really understand a country’s socio-economic issues.

Daniel: I just follow Audrey and take the photos. On a more serious note, these projects take us to locations that we otherwise wouldn’t experience, thereby adding another dimension to our around-the-world journey.

A few images from our work with microfinance organizations – View Gallery.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Audrey: When I was young and shooting black and white, I was a fan of Ansel Adams. In Prague, I respected the work of my teacher Minna Pyyhkala and also became interested in Cindy Sherman.

Daniel: Henri Cartier-Bresson. Ansel Adams, too. I’m probably sub-consciously inspired by Realist and Impressionist painters.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

Usually, we ask permission when shooting people. If there is no common spoken language, then we ask through charades. For example, pointing to the camera and then smiling at the person as if to say, “Is it OK?” The exception is when we’re taking street or market shots from a distance and there are many subjects.

For example, let’s say there’s a woman selling vegetables at the market. We’ll approach and ask her about the vegetables we are unfamiliar with – the local name for them, how to cook them, what they taste like, etc. Then we’ll ask if we can take her photo and photos of her produce. Since many people are anxious around a DSLR, this is where having two people working together is really useful. One of us will continue to talk with the person while the other photographs. The person usually forgets the camera and the shot is more natural.

This process of approaching people gets easier over time and with practice. If we look at our early photographs, there aren’t as many photos of people because we were more hesitant about engaging with people.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

That’s a hard one. Probably the most inspiring encounters we’ve had were in remote villages in West Bengal, India when we were on a microfinance photography project. The beauty and confidence of the people we met was incredible. The stories they told about how they were able to use small loans and self-help groups to improve their self-confidence and earn as much as their husbands — that really blew us away.

Here’s the first part of the story.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

- Nikon D300 – our main camera

- Nikkor 18-200 mm lens – what we use 90% of the time for flexibility

- Sigma Fisheye 8 mm lens – for spherical panoramic and fisheye photography

- Tokina Macro Lens (AT-X 100mm f/2.8) – used sometimes for portraits, but mostly for macro images of flowers, bugs, animals, etc.

- Nikkor 18-70 mm lens – backup in case the 18-200 mm lens breaks, which happened to us in Ecuador

We also carry a handheld camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3) to quickly capture scenes where the DSLR might be awkward, take out at night and shoot video. The quality of the images is great and because it’s so small we can take it everywhere with us. Much of our food photography has been shot with the various handheld cameras we have carried.

Full list of what we’re carrying with us is here: http://www.uncorneredmarket.com/2008/03/our-office-less-office/

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work?

We are currently planning a microfinance photo shoot in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, and Burundi).

For the future: a book or two.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Gail Mooney-Kelly

For over 30 years, Gail Mooney-Kelly has been shooting photos for National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Time/Life, Smithsonian, as well as the Mexico and Hong Kong tourism boards. She’s currently gearing up for a round-the-world trip which will become a full-length documentary.

Matador Editor and travel photographer Lola Akinmade caught up with Gail before her trip to talk about the industry and making it as a professional photographer.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I’ve been a professional photographer since 1977 – 33 years. It’s been my sole job as well as my sole income source.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

I wasn’t one of those kids that “took the family pictures”. I actually didn’t get interested in photography until after a year long backpacking trip. I had been studying architecture at Syracuse University and decided to leave after my sophomore year to do some traveling. What was intended as a 2 month trip, turned into a year long backpacking odyssey.

I realized then that I wanted to pursue a career that would give me access to cultures and opportunities to travel – pursuing the career of still photographer seemed like the perfect choice.

When I returned to the US, I enrolled in Brooks Institute to learn the craft and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. More important than the degree was learning the technical aspects of photography which was essential at that time before advances in technology gave us cameras that were “automatic”.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

I assisted a studio photographer in NYC the first year after graduating from Brooks Institute but my heart was in the “editorial” world. I wanted to work for magazines. I also started doing little jobs that my boss wasn’t interested in.

There’s a story I like to tell that was one of the turning points in my life. I went to see Jay Maisel, a legendary commercial photographer who was also known for his bluntness. I showed Jay, my technically perfect photos from school assignments and he looked me straight in the face and said “this is crap” – “this isn’t where your heart is”.

I was stunned by his direct manner and told him that I really wanted pursue a career as a photojournalist but that everyone told me those days were gone and that to make any money I had to shoot commercially. He then asked me how old I was and I replied, 25 years old.

Then he said something that I will always remember – he said, “you’re 25 years old and you’re already making compromises?”

How would you describe the work you do now…obviously there’s a strong travel editorial element, but are you involved in the photojournalism/documentary reporting world also? Any stock photography?

I have always worked in both the editorial world as well as the commercial world of photography to make ends meet – but my heart is in publishing and telling the story.

I do have many of my images licensed through various stock photography outlets and I am able to be in that position to continue to make money from my images because I have maintained ownership and copyright to my work.

These days I shoot a lot of video in addition to my still photography and continue to pursue photojournalistic/documentary work. I have also become my own publisher because distribution these days is in everyone’s hands through the internet and iTunes.

One doesn’t need validation these days from large publishing houses to be able to create meaningful bodies of work and documentaries and get them out to the public to be seen and to create awareness and to also create a direct revenue stream. It’s an amazing time.

What 3 tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of travel photography?

1.You have to “just do it”. The more you shoot on your own – the better you’ll get.

2. Be fearless. If you want to shoot travel – you need to absorb yourself in the culture.

3. Register your work with the copyright office and maintain your copyright.

You’ve photographed for the holy grail of magazines, National Geographic. Can you share some practical insights into working with the magazine?

I got my start with the Geographic through timing and pure tenacity. I also took the time to do my homework which I would recommend anybody doing in regards to working for whatever magazines they set their sights on.

Know the magazine.

Know the kind of stories they do and the approach they take.

Shoot stories on your own and propose them to the magazine.

It’s a long shot but if the story is good and unique – you’ll be in a good position. The idea is to get in the door. To do that you have to stand out. There is a lot of great work out there and you need to sell yourself and your ideas.

But mostly you have to want it bad enough to make them want you. Here’s one of my encounters with legendary Director of Photography for the National Geographic, Bob Gilka.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Cartier-Bresson, Margaret Bourke White, Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, Jay Maisel, Walker Evans – I could go on and on. I’m also inspired by painters, writers, poets, and musicians.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

Great question and it all depends on the situation and culture. For me, I need to be sensitive to the situation – like I said, to absorb the culture. Many times, I just wait and observe so that I almost become a fixture in the scene and not noticed anymore.

Then I shoot. But sometimes, you know the moment is not going to wait so you just shoot. If I approach someone, I almost after do it after getting my candid shot.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

I’ve had a lot of crazy encounters because I put myself out there and have ended up in some pretty crazy environments and situations.

The inspiring encounters are more etched in my mind. I did a story about for Smithsonian about the smallest county in the United States – small in terms of population. I almost turned the story down because I was kind of a city shooter – a street shooter if you will.

But I took a chance and it ended up being one of the most memorable and gratifying assignments I ever had – mostly because of the people I met.

Here’s a blog post I wrote about one day I spent on this assignment.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

Normally I take two cameras – Canon EOS Mark II and Canon 5D – although I just bought a Canon 5D Mark II and a Canon 7D that have video capabilities.

Lenses: Canon 16-35mm f 2.8, Canon 24-70mm f2.8, Canon 70-200mm f.28, Canon 70-300 f.4.35, Canon flash, Bogen tripod, Epson P6000 digital wallet.

Here is what I’m taking on my next journey.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

I am departing on Tuesday, May 25th with my daughter to embark on a round the world trip, creating a documentary about people who are making a positive difference in the world – 6 people on 6 continents. You can follow our journey at Opening Our Eyes.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos courtesy of Michael Lynch

Japan-based wildlife photographer Michael Lynch’s work has appeared in various publications such as Apogee Photo, Photo Argus, The Nihon Sun, International Business Times, and PocketCultures. Matador Editor and photographer Lola Akinmade talks with Michael about his creative process.

How long have you been a photographer?

I try to take professional photos and I love outshooting some of the folks who call themselves Pros; some of them ain’t so hard to beat, others are. At age 59, I bought my first camera and decided I wanted to really learn how to shoot.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

The great outdoors has always been where I preferred to be. Growing up in the mountains of upstate New York, I was always out in the woods, somewhere. I could never figure out why people would sit around in the house watching TV when there were so many real live things to see outdoors.

Cameras, over the years, I’ve had a few. Seems like every film camera I had, I’d wind up breaking, losing, screwing-up the film, winding it, or shooting rolls of film and leaving them lying around so long before developing, there’d be no pictures left on them by the time I’d have them processed!

Then, along came digital (50 years later). One day, about three years ago, I was walking my dogs along the beach and saw an osprey flying overhead. I mean, way overhead, probably 500 yards straight-up, circling overhead. I didn’t even know what type bird it was; I just knew it was big.

I took out my cell phone and with the camera, zoomed and shot it. Got him dead center in the frame. A little black speck. That’s when I said, “I want a real camera”.

I emailed my son in California and asked him to help me research, bought some Outdoor Photographer magazines and a few books on cameras and started what would be about a six month decision process.

Then, I bought a Panasonic DMC-FZ50. Close to 160,000 shots on it and still shoots. I’ll never part with that camera; still use it. And highly recommend it to anyone starting out. When I bought that camera, I had no idea I wanted to be a wildlife photographer.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

First (serious) photographic experiences where I wasn’t just snap-shooting were with my cell-phone camera.

I used the basic camera books I’d bought and started doing all the standard, basic stuff: directional lighting, bowls of fruit, rule of thirds, composition, flash, texture… whatever you can imagine that can be done with a real camera, while I continued to search for which model camera to buy.

How would you describe the work you do now…wildlife/nature photography? Are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

The work I do now, WOW, it’s insane! I have three gallery exhibits; two of them I sell from. The third one is in a library, just for display. My work in the past year has changed drastically, ever since I got into online travel writing. Where I used to spend 6-10 hours a day out shooting wildlife and maybe six hours on a monitor, it’s kinda reversed.

I initially joined Matador hoping to find writers to do the writing and use my photography for their articles. Here in Okinawa, I’ve been published in print magazines, just my photography, with someone else doing the writing. A cameraman in Japan gets paid a lot, a lot more than writers. I used to make a deal with writers, “You write and I’ll shoot and we’ll split 50/50 on any articles you have published”.

That worked great for awhile, ’till the economy went south and magazines cut back on their spending. Writers got busy doing their other full-time jobs and less writing so, I decided to give writing a try myself. In March 2009, Apogee Photo Magazine published my first article and I’ve been at it ever since, making just a little over what it takes to recharge my camera batteries!

Stock agencies find me through my website and contact me but I’m not interested in their contracts right now. Maybe somewhere down the line, like if I can’t walk anymore. Commercial work-I’m looking forward to breaking into the tourism/travel promotion agencies in Japan, but it may be difficult, being a foreigner.

What three tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your style of photography?

1. Wake up early in the morning. You have to be wherever you’re going before the sun is up. The best light is early morning light and you want to be in position when the animals wake up and start looking for breakfast.

2. Know your ISOs. Be able to look outdoors and say, “It’s ISO 100, 400, 800 or 1600 out there, right now”. Before you step out the door, check the ISO settings on your camera, ALWAYS. There’s nothing worse than finding out the reason you just shot a burst of shots at a millionth of second is because you were shooting at ISO 1600 the night before and forgot to switch back to ISO 100.

3. Shoot a lot and study your EXIF data as you process each shot. Ask yourself, “What could I have done to make that shot better?”. Eventually, if you’ve mastered the basics, you will make better shots, or at least learn to experiment with different angles and settings while you’re out in the field.

What got you interested in wildlife photography?

Besides loving the outdoors, that first camera, the Panasonic, taught me I could shoot in burst mode. This was something I could never do before with any film camera, not fast enough to catch birds in flight, anyway. Not just birds, but, fish jumping out of water, birds catching fish, snakes striking out, geckos catching moths, bees buzzing flowers, you name it; I got hooked.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Ansel Adams, the master of light and shadows, has to be every serious photographer’s idol. Contemporary, I’ll have to get back with you on that; there’s an Irish wildlife photographer I saw in Outdoor Photographer who has pretty much the same philosophy as me, “I don’t Photoshop.” Have to dig through an old stack of magazines to get his name.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

Another reason I love wildlife; you don’t need a model release! I carry a stack of release forms in all my camera bags for the times I’m shooting people. Approaching before or after depends on the situation, especially in Japan. Young Japanese will giggle and whip out the peace-sign when they pose for a photo. I’d rather catch them not acting silly, so sometimes shoot with a zoom and, if I plan on using the photo where a release is required, will ask later.

Whenever I get a release signed, I either email the photo or print a copy for the model, then scan the release and file it with the photo.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

This one’s the easiest question of them all. On the 1st of November 2009 I had just gotten escorted off the street by security for jumping up on a two step ladder and shooting, with camera flash, the Queen on the International Avenue during an annual reenactment of a coronation ceremony.

I guess I was supposed to be a little embarrassed, so I made believe I was and walked sheepishly towards the next street corner to get ready to start shooting again. As I stood there waiting for the parade to start moving towards me so I could shoot with a zoom lens, some local guy kept staring at me. I look at him like, “What are you staring at” and he lowers his eyes a bit, but keeps looking towards me.

So, I figure he’s just a camera fanatic (He’s got a Canon) and he maybe is trying to see what kind of camera I’m using. I approach him and he says, “Are you Mike, Ryukyu Mike?” So, I say “Yeah, where do you know me from?“, because I had no clue who this guy was; never seen him before in my life.

And I’m pretty bad at remembering names, but never forget a face. He just looked like an Okinawan camera man, watching a parade. He says, “I’m Myron, from Hawaii. I thought you looked like Ryukyu Mike. I know you from Flickr”.

Then, I said, “Wait a minute. My picture isn’t on my Flickr profile; I have a bird picture there, a Kingfisher so, how the hell do you know me”? Then he tells me maybe it’s from my website or somewhere else because he follows me all over the web.

Now, that’s the craziest and most inspiring thing that ever happened to me all rolled-up in one!

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

By far, the most used camera bag I have, is a shoulder holster. It holds my Pentax K10D with a Pentax 18-250mm, extra SD cards, batteries, cleaning gear.

Second most used is an old military Alice Pack: holds everything Pentax K10D, Panasonic DMC-FZ50, 18-250mm, Sigma 50-500mm, Manfrotto 725B Tripod, food, clothes, water, you name it; three days’ supplies. Least used, but holds all my cameras and shooting gear, except tripod, is a Lowepro Shoulder bag.

That bag, I use if I’m shooting where I want everything handy but don’t plan on alot of walking with it. I don’t use an external flash but am in the market for one.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work?

Last year, I hit digital print in around a dozen places and I plan to continue that, but this year, I’ll be looking for some print magazines before they all go bankrupt. I had a big exhibit going this March that has potential for getting my prints in some upscale galleries down in the big cities.

Putting my work online has started gaining my photography some recognition and, finally, I have some real writers collaborating with me. I’ll just keep plugging away until I reach the ultimate goal of every wildlife photographer, National Geographic.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photographs courtesy of Larry Louie

Larry Louie is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, Photo District News (PDN), Black and White Photography Magazine, and many more.

He has racked up many prestigious awards and won numerous photography contests – from the International Photography Awards (IPA) and various National Geographic contests to the World Photography Gala Awards and Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) category wins.

Matador Editor Lola Akinmade caught up with Larry to talk about his black and white documentary photography.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I have been photographing since my teenage years but did not get into it as a serious hobby until university 20 years ago. It was only about five years ago that I took the serious step of presenting my work to the public: magazines, competitions, and galleries. I still don’t consider myself a pro because I do not shoot on a frequent basis – I am more in the category of semi-pro.

You do a lot of black and white travel photography. Why this particular style?

Color sometimes is very distracting. With black and white, it’s all about texture and lighting. There is a timeless feel to the photo.

You consider yourself a humanitarian documentary photographer. What three tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing this style of photography?

I don’t think as a photographer you should label or limit yourself to a type of photographer. Many fine art photographers do commercial photography and many documentary photographers do fine art. A lot of time, it depends of the project you are shooting and the purpose of the project. I might be more well known for my documentary work .

Tips:

a. You should be open to all types of photography – don’t box yourself into just one type. Look and study all types of photography.

b. If you are shooting a documentary project, the first thing is to research the topic. The research and planning are just as important as the shooting. How would you approach the topic and what are you looking to shoot? There should be a plan of action. Even when things do not turn out as expected, the research should back it up.

c. The most important thing is to get out there and practice: shoot, shoot, and shoot.

I think most documentary photographers want to make a difference in the issue that they cover. Compassionate heart and impassionate eye. Compassionate to the subjects, but impassionate to the topic.

What are the three essential pieces of photography gear you never travel without?

When traveling, my philosophy is the less, the better. But with the digital age, when you give up film, the batteries, flashcards and backup media take their place.

I always travel with a wide angle lens 24mm, mid-telephoto lens 85mm, and my Epson P7000 (for back up) – not to mention 16 gig flash cards and tons of batteries all charged up. A sturdy tripod is less useful when shooting people because it makes you too slow and cumbersome but is good if you are taking in a street scene.

You also work as an optometrist. Do you see yourself becoming a full-time photographer anytime soon?

I can’t see myself giving up my profession as an optometrist to become a full-time photographer anytime soon. My bread and butter right now is my work as an optometrist. It allows me to shoot what I want to shoot and emphasize topics I am concerned with.

With the economic downturn and so many newspapers and magazines and stock agencies tightening their belts, many professional photographers are scrambling to re-invent themselves in the digital age.I am fortunate in that sense that I am still able to shoot what I want because I do not depend on photography to make my living.

Where are you heading next? Any new projects in the works?

I am still working with SEVA Canada to document their eye care projects around the world. I have a continuing series on the Underbelly of Kathmandu about the new slums in the area and also I have a continuing project on Tibetan culture. In 2010, I am looking to be putting out my first photo book. I have a solo exhibition at the Charleston Center for Photography in March and an exhibition in Madrid in conjunction with receiving the humanitarian photo-documentary award.

Community Connection

Please read our other recent interviews with Travel Photographers.

All photos by author.

Through loudspeakers connected to a van, a heavily synthesized voice belts out “Back to Sender, O! Back to Sender!”

These are the only English lyrics in the Muslim worship song he sings in Yoruba, a West African language. The once white rusty van is parked along the side of a one-way street yet traffic travels in both directions.

A poster of a deceased local engineer and “mentor” hangs next to a “Good Luck” sign, both pasted on the front part of a small bus designed for 12 passengers, but clearly holding about forty. Faces are pressed against its windows waiting patiently for the extra passenger the bus conductor is certain can fit in comfortably with the rest.

More buses roll past, emerging from a steamy bus park across from the music-blasting van. Stickers of “Adam’s Desire”, a sexual enhancer, are fixed to the bumpers and rear windows of some. Others have biblical quotes and references to God’s absolute might and protection. Patrons choose buses guided by how they spiritually feel on any particular day.

Okadas – motorcycle taxis – race up and down the street, buzzing and narrowly dodging cars as well as vendors selling oranges, phone cards, snacks, and other random items sitting close to the edge of the street with their toes within inches of rolling tires. The okada drivers don helmets, not because they want to but because of a newly instated law. Many helmets remain unbuckled or perched atop caps and geles — head-ties worn by women.

There is a constant sense of mortality. Pedestrians and vendors dart through oncoming traffic with mandatory cat-like reflexes. All senses are heightened.The sweltering heat so violates the mind that one retaliates with aggression to stay alive.

Not quite ready to jump into the maddening flow quite yet, I temporarily slip into the Nigerian daze to survive. A semi-conscious state where one stares with no facial expression at everything, not fully observing yet subconsciously aware of one’s surroundings.

Hours can be spent waiting, sitting, wandering, and relaxing within the daze. I had slipped into this daze to conserve my sanity only to be jolted back when a tanker-trailer sideswipes us violently. An intentional act which left me perplexed.

He’d cut us off and our frustrated driver had given him the “Waka!” sign – right palm open, fingers arched, and a quick flick at the elbow in the direction of the recipient.

This means “God punish your mother!”

The trailer driver had been ready to kill us for insulting him, and had rammed into our small car, shoving us off the road. Minutes earlier, a dilapidated tow truck had already cut us off and given us the “Waka!” sign at the sound of our frustrated horn. Personal insult is feigned as a way of bullying to get ahead. Just a few days earlier, another tanker-trailer had run over a woman who’d probably wandered into its path, crushing her until her entrails burst loose from her body along the side of the road in full view of everyone.

In the midst of it all, air-conditioned sedans, borderline airtight seem to glide through the frenzy. Uniformed schoolkids, their cargo, stare out windows, their noses pressed against chilled glass, observing the sweltering world outside. Wondering what it sounded like, as people, cars, buses all seemed to move by in slow motion to them.

Early afternoon meant they were probably on their way to after-school lessons. I watch them drive by with a sense of familiarity.

I could easily recount their day, hour by hour. They probably woke up this morning to either Christian or Muslim prayers, took a bath from a warm pail of water, scarfed down breakfast of bread and tomato-onion omelets, and got carted off to school.

They’d scream the national anthem at the top of their lungs as competitive juices begin to bubble to the surface. They’d compete to be first to ask questions in class, arms shooting up like referee flags on offside calls.

Compete to be heard and seen.

Life is lived day to day here. Most meals are cooked and completely consumed the same day as refrigerators are at the mercy of the local electric company and small generators. So open markets thrive. Sole proprietorships thrive. Daily routine pulsates at feverish pitches here and it needs to be. Nigerians are alive today and this fact is celebrated with noise, organized chaos, aggression, and a sharpened sense of “now”.

People exist vibrantly here and they need to. For any minute, they could very well be returned to their sender.

“You need just the right amount of madness in this town,” my little sister jokes as she skillfully steers a large SUV through thick Lagos go-slow traffic. “Give them the illusion that you’re ready to snap any second.”

One only spews from experience in this city and okada drivers remain the main traffic burn, whizzing by and squeezing between vehicles like mosquitoes oblivious to merging buses and cars switching lanes.

“Madam, wetin dey do you?!” one biker yells in Pidgin English after almost crashing head-on into her jeep in an attempt to squeeze by as she made a perfectly legal right-hand turn.

She quickly rolls down her window and lets out a crazed laugh.

“You want to die?! You want to die?!” she yells back vehemently. “ I go send you back to your maker!” She ends with a cackle.

The driver gives her the “Waka!” sign and speeds off.

As her maniacal laughter dies down, I turn to her. She’d been one of those little schoolkids wearing blue and white checkered gingham uniforms with large blue collars, taking in the world from the backseat, with her little snub nose pressed against a chilled glass window.

We’d both been.

All photos courtesy of Cameron Karsten

Photographer Cameron Karsten is currently traveling around East Africa, documenting the work of various communities and nonprofit organizations. With a unique eye for composition and lighting, Cameron is capturing particularly soulful images. According to him, “he yearns for expansive adventure of the deepest value in order to express the tales of humanity.”

Cameron Karsten has also written a series of spiritual and health travel articles for Brave New Traveler. He left his formal classroom studies to indulge in dreams of travel at 19 years old, and has been wandering ever since.

Over the past few months, Cameron has also contributed to MatadorU’s Travel Photography Program. Matador Goods Editor Lola Akinmade and Matador contributing editor Paul Sullivan took some time out to ask Cameron a few questions:

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I’ve been practicing photography for six years. It was only two years ago I decided to convert the hobby into a passionate career.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

Travel. At the age of 19 I left my comfort zone with backpack, journal and pen, and my camera. I began writing and photographing in order to share my experiences and inspire other individuals to follow their passions. Today, with diligent practice and belief, I continue to develop and evolve my skills to create the life I desire.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

The first time I mindfully began photographing was on the first day I landed in Bangkok, Thailand at 19. The new culture, architecture, environment and faces sent my eyes spinning along every street. I was enthralled with the new surroundings and found every detail, from an old shirtless man to the spires of a golden temple, worth photographing.

My family and friends had to see what I was witnessing. It became a way to transport my followers into my traveling adventures and become a part of the journey.

How would you describe the work you do now? Are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

I am continuously building and expanding my photographic styles. Currently, I work as a professional portrait, wedding, and event photographer. However, my drive is to develop into a full-time commercial, travel and editorial photographer with fingers in lifestyle and fashion. The possibilities in the industry are limitless, and these options keep me inspired as I move forward.

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Ansel Adams with his patient lighting. Ricard Avedon with his brilliant creativity and stylistic eye. Annie Leibovitz through her skill of caricatures and personalities. And Steve McCurry for his wanderlust.

You seem to have an eye for shapes and working with patterns. Is this a fair assessment?

Shapes and patterns are where my eyes are drawn to. Within my surroundings, through my lens and into my brain, I see the world as shapes creating patterns. Everywhere, there are arrangements of order built within a format of forward-movement. From whatever cause, whether my practice in meditation to my careful observations abroad or at home, I have adapted this technique as my first and foremost.

Like jumping into a stream and letting the current take you, I pick up my camera only when the moment feels right, only when that inner fuel burns and that surge of inspiration sears.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

As mentioned above, when there’s inspiration, I shoot. When there’s none, I leave it alone and keep truckin’. Often, I leave my house, hotel, or camp without my camera.

There are many scenes, subjects and settings that are so captivating, there’s no reason to try and capture it. Then and there, I soak it in and use that moment for my inner fires.

Pick and choose selectively. Don’t shoot everything. Beauty is everywhere, all the time.

When approaching a human subject I wish to photograph, the situation varies. Sometimes I sit down and create a conversation before photographing; therefore, the image will have a deeper story in my memory and in print. Other times, I make eye contact, smile and politely ask/gesture for a photograph.

Other times, when in the zone and feeling the comfort of the atmosphere, I shoot and shoot and keep shooting, moving my feet while snapping the shutter. I go with my instincts photographing, writing, traveling, and daily living.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

Most inspiring moments are when I find myself in nature. I spent four weeks backpacking from Giri to Everest Base Camp alone, without a guide or porter. That time by myself was intense during the off-season. I met locals. I sat alone atop granite spires overlooking the Khumbu Valley. I walked through sun, wind, rain and snow. I sat with locals and heard their tales of The Yeti.

I bumped into Maoist rebels and experienced the tension of a violin string coarse thru my veins. And I drank chai with Royal Nepalese soldiers over conversation about the region’s struggles.

Those memories will live on forever.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

Nikon for life. I used to carry two lenses, a 55-200mm Nikkor and a 28mm. Yet, I’ve liked the challenge of cutting out the zoom and forcing myself to get into the scene, closer and more intimate. Therefore, I’ve sold the 55-200mm and dove into the photograph with my 28mm.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

Currently, I’m finalizing a new photography website that will enable me to sell and distribute my work online to a wider audience, which can be found on PhotoShelter. This site is combined with new websites for my writing and multimedia projects. I’m off to East Africa in January 2010 for six months to document the visions and progress of various communities and nonprofit organizations through these mediums.

My ambitions are to continue creating a lifestyle of travel with photography, writing, and multimedia as an outlet to educate and bring awareness to the world about different cultures, their current issues, and how we can preserve their environments for sustainable well-being.

To see more of Cameron’s work visit his site, www.cameronkarsten.com

Community Connection

Check out more interviews in the series:

Travel Photographer Interviews: Ryan Libre

All photos courtesy of Ryan Libre

MATADOR’S EXPERT ON HOKKAIDO, Ryan Libre is a freelance photographer based out of Japan and Thailand. He has taken photos for 11 books and held solo exhibitions at the Fuji Film Salon, The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand, and the Nikon Salons in Tokyo and Osaka.

Ryan was recently awarded a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, along with Matador contributing editor Tim Patterson, to document the Kachin Independence Army in Myanmar.

Over the past few months, Ryan has also contributed to MatadorU’s upcoming Travel Photography Program. Matador Goods Editor Lola Akinmade and Matador contributing editor Paul Sullivan took some time out to ask Ryan a few questions:

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I would say five years, but the first year I didn’t make any money and the second year I needed a part time job, but by the third year I was pretty much supporting myself.

That is quite fast; give yourself several years of long days and late nights to make a full transition. As long as I do photography I’ll think of myself as an amateur. Amateur comes from the Latin for love, like Amor. 100 years ago, to call a photographer an amateur was a compliment. With our modern material world view, this wonderful word has been turned on its head.

What – or who – got your initial interest going in terms of photography?

Travel and wanting to show what I thought was “right & wrong”. Those interests evolved into what I now think of as making “a portrait of place” and photojournalism.

What were your first photographic experiments or experiences?

I lied about my experience to get into the intermediate photography class at my university, because I knew the basic class mostly taught about cameras and I wanted to learn about photography. My first projects were of the local homeless, who I was quite close with. My first major project was of Japan’s largest national park, Daisetsuzan.

I worked on it for two years before I showed it at the Fuji Film Gallery in Sapporo, Japan. I was the first person to shoot digital for a show there, the first foreigner to show there, and the first person under 30 to have a solo exhibition there.

How would you describe the work you do now…obviously there’s a strong reportage / photojournalistic element, but are you involved in the commercial world also? Any stock photography?

Editorial photography, for galleries, books, magazines, newspapers, and online. My “stock” photos are represented by On Asia; they sell to editorial outlets. When the opportunity to use my skills to help a business that I personally like arises, I usually do it. My commercial work has ranged from fashion photography and boutique hotels to a Thai cookbook and yoga photos. All of them I found interesting and rewarding, largely because I had total artistic freedom.

What three tips would you share for amateur photographers who are interested in pursuing your documentary style of photography?

1. Get close to your subjects, physically and emotionally.
2. Give your projects plenty of time.
3. Research.

You’ve been documenting the Kachin Independence Army for a while now. Can you tell us more? How you became interested in this project?

I wanted to do photojournalism in Burma for years, but without good contacts it is impossible. Two years ago I met a junior member of the KIO/KIA and he invited me to the rebel controlled capital of the Kachin State. I jumped at the chance. The Kachins are a Christian ethnic group in Burma who are poor and oppressed even by Burmese standards. This is a project I plan to keep working on for years to come – www.ryanlibre.com/KIA/

Which other photographers – old or contemporary – inspire you most?

Reza – contemporary and W.Eugene Smith – already passed away. I get endless inspiration from their photos and their life stories. I have all my students at my Photo workshops listen to an interview National Geographic did with Reza.

When you are approaching subjects to shoot, how do you set about it? Do you chat and explain what you’re doing? Or shoot first, ask questions later?

I spend a great deal of time developing relationships with nearly everyone in my photos. I use no telephoto lens and I’m often just a few feet from the people I take photos of for an extended period of time.

What’s the craziest or most inspiring encounter you’ve had in general?

My time with the Kachin Independence Army. Sometimes crazy, always inspiring.

What kit do you use / carry with you / can’t do without (camera make, lenses, flashguns etc.)?

I’m currently using the Nikon D-300s with three prime lenses: 35mm F 1.8, 50mm F1.4, 85mm 1.8, and a 10-20 wide zoom and a SB-600 strobe. I really hope that in a few years I can switch to a point and shoot or a 4/3rds format. The flexibility and quality are still not quite there, but getting close.
I like cameras like a wine connoisseur likes a glass.

It is just a means to an end.

Editor’s Note: Check out what’s in Ryan’s backpack.

Finally, what else are you working on right now and what are your ambitions for the future in terms of your photography work or anything else?

I just got out of Burma after five weeks with the KIA. I’ll be going back inside Burma soon. I’m looking forward to my solo shows at the Nikon Galleries in Tokyo and Osaka in 2010. I’d love to show my work from Kachin at the Visa pour l’image photojournalism festival in France. I’m also working on a project about Japan’s native Ainu people that I hope National Geographic will be interested in. I’ll be working on it for six more months in 2010.

Long term goals are to get a W. Eugene Smith Grant and join the Magnum photographers CO-OP.

Community Connection

Ryan has contributed various articles and podcasts on travel photography here:

Studies in Travel Photography: Perspective, Timing, and Themes
Studies in Travel Photography: A podcast by Ryan Libre
Studies in Travel Photography 2: A podcast by Ryan Libre

To see more of Ryan’s work visit his site, www.ryanlibre.com and consider joining him for a photo workshop.

NOWADAYS, sharing photos from your recent hike to Machu Picchu is as easy as emailing grandma a link to an online album. Since you probably spent hours researching and comparing different digital cameras to find your perfect fit, adequate time should be spent addressing how those photographs will be properly stored.

Storing Digital Photographs

Digital photographs are the easiest to maintain over long periods of time. Since images are instantly written to the memory card of your camera in a digital format, transferring them to your computer is a breeze.

Photo Sharing Sites

The most popular way of storing and sharing digital photographs utilizes online photo sharing sites such as Flick’r, Kodak Gallery, Shutterfly, Snapfish, and iPhoto. Even big box pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, and RiteAid provide online photo centers where you can access your photos after their 1-hr photo processing is complete. These sites provide everything from mass storage space to actual hard copy album printing services. Some charge minimal fees for additional storage space and guaranteed periodic backups.

Rarely do server crashes or complete loss of data occur for these photo sharing sites, however, you should not rely on their infrastructure solely for protecting your memories. Have a backup solution in mind.

External Storage Systems

Owning an external hard drive is a must for budding photographers. With storage upwards of 300 gigabytes (G) and higher and coming in ultra portable sizes as small as your palm, external hard drives are rapidly becoming the storage system of choice, and can be taken with you on your travels. Top brands such as Western Digital’s Passport series, Iomega’s EGO series, and Seagate’s FreeAgent are just a few options out there.

CD/DVDs

Burning your photographs is a quick way of backing up your images, but the downsides to this approach include not being able to readily edit files that have been burned to disk, and limited storage space – usually 4.2 G per DVD. CDs and DVDs almost always come with protective casings, but for long term storage, make sure you keep them away from light and humidity.

Storing Hardcopy Prints

Chances are you still have a couple boxes of prints stashed away in your basement or attic. Unfortunately, both locations are some of the worst for housing photographs. Photos, especially color prints which are most prone to rapid deterioration, should be stored in the driest, coolest, and darkest spots of your house. Even though basements tend to be very cool, they are also associated with dampness which expedites the molding process and makes your pictures stick together.

Converting your prints to digital form is the recommended first step towards longer storage lives. Once they are converted into digital formats, you can readily store them on external drives or back them up to CD/DVDs. Before you spend hours slaving over a scanner with hundreds of prints, companies such as ScanCafe and ScanDigitalprovide scanning services for a couple cents per print at resolutions as high as 4000 dots per inch (dpi). John Owen’s article, The 24-Cent Scan, delves deeper into the world of photo scanning.

Storing Slides, Negatives and Transparencies

While visiting a friend’s family recently, we unearth boxes and boxes of slides dating back as far as 1940s. Reminiscing over memories on an old fashioned projector, I was impressed by the quality and durability of the slides. The great thing about slides is that they already come in protective covering and can be stored in safe metal, plastic, or cardboard slide boxes.

Scanning isn’t limited to prints only. Companies can also scan your negatives and transparencies, converting them into more manageable digital formats. Similar to hardcopy prints, slides, negatives, and transparencies need to be stored in cool and dry locations to stagnant the inevitable wear and tear process.