Guide books aren't enough; websites aren't enough. You cannot know a place, unless you see it from a the eyes of those who live there, who play there, who work there, who love and struggle there.
The next time you travel, set aside the planned itineraries and carefully calculated timelines for a few days, and do yourself a favor: get lost.
Underwater photography of reasonable quality doesn't have to cost you thousands of dollars, and it doesn't have to involve a complicated setup...
... the next time you have the chance, document the spaces and people that make you feel at home. You never know when you might unexpectedly not see them for a while.
If you make an effort to capture real moments instead of posed ones, your images will reflect how you actually remember the people that matter to you.
"No matter where I go, how far I run, there I am." A man they call "El Regio" tells me this after he reveals that he has spent most of his life running. "We're all running," he says.
Often times we take pictures just because we think other people will like them, or be impressed, or be jealous. I know I do (we all do), and I'm trying to do it less often.
Use your photographs to get to know others; use them to get to know yourself, and help others do the same.
I want to do more to give back to the places I visit, and the people generous enough to allow me the privilege of photographing them.
It was the end of my experiment, but it felt more like the beginning of a larger journey.
I propose a somewhat different kind of resolution. I want to spend more time doing what I love.
... you know them so well you can meet them in the park, sit at a bench in complete silence, and smile comfortably, without saying a word.
A smile seemed a badge worn with pride, not a weakness to be hidden. And that, in turn, made me smile, too.
Fish, salt, and fire: that’s all Eduardo needs... His seasoned hands gut and slice the fish, sprinkling just the right amount of salt...
"How did you take that photo?" is another question my friends and family often ask. I love that question.
I'll try to answer the question my friends and family probably ask me most: "what camera should I buy?"
I glance up from my window as we make the final turn, and see an enormous flag gently waving at me. I’m home.
... sometimes all you can do is dive in and hope for the best (even when you've only got a one-in-one-thousand shot at making it). Sea turtles taught me that.
I entreat you all to also keep alive that wonder, curiosity, and joy at the world around us. Whether you find it in your work, in raising a family, or your own creative pursuits, don't ever forget the beginner's mindset.