F8 and B Traveling

Conde Nast Traveler is having a “Live The Cover” great travel memories contest. You upload a photo and an explanation of what made that moment so unforgettable. Having done my fair share of traveling and photography over the past few years I decided to submit three photos. It also does not hurt that the winner gets a free vacation to the Maldives, one of my dream destinations. The rest of this blog entry has my photos and descriptions but I would also encourage you to go over to their web site and vote for my entries (and Kenny submitted a few as well).

El Nino

Seeing new cities, playing on the beach, or learning about a new culture takes us out of our day to day lives and creates those memorable moments we all cherish. Maybe that’s why so many travel photographers choose children as their subjects. We are constantly looking for the awe we felt as children and when we see it in another set of eyes we recognize what we are looking for. While walking on the beach shooting surfing photos in El Salvador I came across this little guy. His curiosity was palatable as he rotated between watching the surfers, playing with crabs, and watching me. I snapped a few portraits of him and turned the camera around so he could see himself in the LCD display. After admiring himself for a few moments he was off again, exploring the world around him.

Waking Buddha

Every vacation has it memorable moment. On a recent trip to Maui I pulled myself out of bed before the sunrise to make my way to the Jodo Mission to awake with Buddha. This authentic recreation of a Buddhist Temple hides in plane sight just outside the bustling tourist town of Lahaina. The tranquil grounds and the morning light attracted me to this place and as I watched the sky morph from black to purple and onto a familiar blue I was glad to be a photographer. Our busy lives don’t always allow us to sit in the morning light and greet a new day with the Buddha but when we do it’s a very special moment.

Why We’ve Come

Surfers have been braving the dangers of travel in El Salvador for over twenty five years specifically because it’s not most people’s first choice for a vacation destination. During our travels we heard stories of ramped drugs, gun violence, and a tragic history of natural disasters. But in the small town of El Zonte we found what we were looking for. The coastline here is fairly unique; deep water that rolls into a long headland creating perfect waves. There may not be a 5 star luxury hotel or a day spa but that’s the point. There are great waves and great people and that is why we’ve come.