the life of a modern Explorer.
I want to collect as many stories as I can in my lifetime. There are a mesmerizing number of ways to answer the same basic questions, to solve the same problems. Our world is filled with these creative expressions. From every one comes a story. Every time we see something — a road, a landscape, a shirt, a meal, a book, a dance, a bowl, a face — we're seeing an answer.
Traveling is one way of uncovering these answers. I didn't always travel like I do now. I used to go on regular trips. I'd do ample research and make all sorts of little plans. By the time I boarded the plane I was carrying so many ideas and visuals, there was little room for new stories. Once I arrived, I'd invariably break those plans and go exploring, rebelling against my own established order. So now, I always explore.
Exploring is emptying my cup, remaining vulnerable and naive and heading out into the unknown. It's making mistakes, making connections with others and despairing over how little I really know. In our hyper-connected world, it's not about being first, but seeing and experiencing things fully.
Every time I head out the front door I have the opportunity to see with fresh eyes. A camera is a simple reminder to stay curious. Picking up a camera creates this small space between myself and my subject. Inside that space I can reveal, reflect or influence my surroundings. I can tell a story. The more I photograph, the more I see photographs. And the more I see photographs, the more I see.