The first time I picked up a camera I was eight years old. I was visiting family in Hawaii and they took me snorkeling. As soon as I dived into the water I was surrounded by a menagerie of tropical fish representing every color of the rainbow. It wasn’t just cartoons anymore that were bright and beautiful; dazzling colors existed in the real world, too. The day I fell in love with photography was also the day that I truly fell in love with color.
In a time when oversaturated and heavily edited photos are all the rage, it’s inspiring to see that Mother Nature, mural artists, and indigenous cultures the world over truly can be bright, beautiful, and better than a picture can ever convey. There are lakes in Patagonia and Canada that are bluer than the mind can conceive of; there are sunsets in the tropics that Photoshop can’t improve upon; and there are pops of color in the regalia of chiefs and hill tribes tucked into all corners of the world, just begging to be discovered.
As photographers and world travelers, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to show the world why nature and culture is so worth protecting. Over the past seven years, as I have traveled solo to many remote places, I have seen glaciers shrinking and trash filling the ocean. But I have also seen people becoming more concerned with “leave no trace” principles, preserving what we have, and recognizing the importance of asking people if it’s OK to photograph them before taking their picture. As the world becomes more and more connected through social media, it’s each of our responsibilities to fiercely protect and preserve it.
I hope that this book makes you fall in love with our gorgeous Earth and its people like it has for me. Let’s all work together to love, share, and responsibly enjoy this beautiful world we live in.
Kristin Addis
@bemytravelmuse
