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Beauty lives in unexpected places, and discovering it is both a challenge and a privilege. Months of exhausting and technical scuba training precede the ability to visit the underwater world, but it is unquestionably worth the struggles. In the same way, the humidity of South America suffocates this Northwest-born camera operator, but hard-working farmers find their livelihood under these conditions, and what they share cannot be bought nor forgotten. Thousands of miles north, hordes of mosquitos in Alaska can’t make seeing a moose any less exciting. These difficulties add depth behind the beauty.
While the struggles and adventures are varied, there are common threads between them all. For example, ducklings born on a farm and goslings hatched alongside a river both share the miracle of new life. Though languages may limit communication, the same happiness glows from what is called a “smile” in Alaska, and a “sonrisa” in Ecuador.
Capturing these moments with a camera provides a unique opportunity to bring together compelling parallels that express an idea which may otherwise be overlooked. It’s a nod to the “ineffable”—things beyond the grasp of words. While a picture may be worth a thousand words, I would argue that a montage of video clips is not quantifiable with letters and syllables.
Yes, even images of ants and caterpillars on a plantation have fascinating voices to craft into an essay of images. Rather than a story, this piece is a composition of ideas, and, hopefully, a vicarious experience. Here, eagles and seagulls make fascinating aviary models, boats carry us across varied waters, and views from the sky bring new perspective to both familiar and unfamiliar locations.
So here you have it: a collection of my favorite moments across Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and South America, from the air, on the ground, and underwater. Enjoy!
