1 Year of Travel
A Narrative Photo Essay
Welcome to the Blog!
This Narrative Photo Essay is a collection of the photographic work I have created while partaking in perhaps the most exciting trip of my life.
Through these collections, I will tell the story of some of my personal experiences that have shaped not only my trip but also how I see the world and people, who, while so far apart, are actually much more similar than one might think.
I will share my personal opinions and the way I felt in certain moments.
I will talk about the kindness of strangers, the beauty of nature, the fun and the scary moments solo travelling brings. But not to worry, the pictures will do most of the work. I might describe some of them, but I might also tend to drift into talking about moments surrounding them and the occasional random topic, but if you know me, that is to be expected.
I’ve always loved how in photography, as well as in movie making, any picture might invoke a feeling or a memory in a person, and that same picture could invoke something completely different in another.
For this Narrative, I’d love for you, dear reader, to look well at the pictures first, and after you’ve taken the time to observe them and maybe criticize my stylistic mistakes, you can enjoy reading some little stories written by someone with absolutely zero writing skills. Enjoy! :)
The Beginning
Da Nang - Vietnam
My first excursion in Vietnam, visiting the Marble Mountains and enjoying exploring with friends.
Coming soon
Coming soon
Hostel Living
Hoi An - Vietnam
Living and working in a hostel, experiencing life and bonding with strangers.
FAQs About Travelling
How are you able to afford your travel?
1
While I never really enjoyed spending much money on daily things, like a drink at the bar or Starbucks coffee in the morning, I much prefer spending my savings on things that will last me a long time, and that might be a good investment for what I want from my future, such as a good Camera, laptop, or phone. For many years, I have had this dream of travelling and bringing my camera with me; by keeping this in mind any time I went to a bar with some friends or was tempted to buy something I didn’t really need, I was able to save enough to go on my trips! I also found volunteering and doing work exchange to be a great way of saving money, all the while giving you a unique, less touristy experience :). It doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think.
How do I get started?
2
Travelling as in leaving your home, your state, your country and seeking with open eyes and arms whatever and whoever is out there? Absolutely. I think it’s important for every person to dare to explore other cultures, other people,e and places. To choose not to see the world is to choose to live in your own little bubble, ignoring reality and eventually being stuck in a recurring rhythm of the same conversations and thoughts. If you can, go, and if for any reason travelling is not a possibility, start small: leave your state, your city, or even just your home; just leave yourself open to new things, actively seek strangers and travellers, buy them a drink and chat away! There are many ways to travel.
How do you balance work and travel?
3
That’s a great question, and long story short, I still quite struggle with this. If I were travelling because I was purely working on a project, I would treat it as a mission and have so much fun accomplishing it regardless of the challenges and “missed opportunities” because I would know I’m there for that particular reason. However, this trip was not this; it is a mix of me living my life and taking advantage of the moment to pursue my passion for media, developing my skills and portfolio in hopes of it becoming my full-time paid Job. So sometimes I have to decide to carry a 5Kg camera on a full-day hiking trip in 30 C heat, or pick a more expensive hostel with a lock box, or miss the picture of a lifetime because I chose to simply enjoy the moment, and that’s ok too!
Would you recommend travelling to anyone?
4
Think of what you want to achieve by travelling: Experience the world? Get out of your comfort zone? Build a specific portfolio? Gain any particular experience? All those things? That’s ok! Once you have that partially figured out (as it’s likely to change), set up your goals, understand what money you have and need, and do as much or as little research on the place you want to visit as you’d like. Many apps and services help alot depending on where you go; feel free to ask below for specific info :) The absolute best advice I can give comes from what my best friend told me when I became unsure of all this :
“JUST BUY THE TICKET! And figure out the rest later”. -Mafe
