I hear someone yelling in Spanish, but I don’t know what they’re saying.  “Danny, what’s going on?” I ask my guide.  “What’s he yelling about?”  “There’s a tarantula.  A big one,” he says excitedly.  “Do you want to see it?”  “Yes, of course.”  We pick up the pace of our hike along the bank of […]

“Oh this is going to be great,” I say to Danny, my naturalist and interpreter.  “I love to visit villages in foreign countries and see how different people live.”  “Well, I think you will like this one.  It is very small and has only thirteen families living here,” We walk into the village, and we’re […]

It’s my last morning here on the Amazon, and I’m excited to be in a skiff headed to the small community of Nauta for their weekly market day.  There’s a slight mist in the air, but it feels refreshing to me after the past few days of intense heat and humidity.  I’ve been warned that […]

I lie in bed listening to the rain hit the hotel rooftop and hope it will stop soon.  I glance at the clock…  3:17 a.m.  I have to be up in two hours…  I roll over and snuggle into the covers hoping this downpour will pass so I can photograph Machu Picchu in the early morning […]

As I travel through Peru, I note how the women here dress and accessorize simply with hats and hair braiding.  Every country is different, so I find it fascinating to see the beauty routines that have been passed down for generations and become characteristic of the culture.  When I was in Ethiopia in January, I […]

What has surprised me most about Peru is the incredible food.  No one told me about this hidden gem in the country.  Each day I fall more in love with its aromas and flavors, and I’m not even a “foodie”.  I am, however, someone who travels to many countries where the food sometimes challenges my palate.  […]

I jump out of the way, barely avoiding another crash with a donkey.  Wow, that was close…  The pile of baskets on its back is so high that I doubt it’s able to see.  It’s a challenge to find a clear path with this congestion, and lugging my heavy camera gear adds another layer of […]

“You have about 45 minutes to explore this village and take your images of the Mursi people,” someone from the National Geographic Photography Expedition team says.  I look at my watch and think that’s not much time, given that it took me three flights, two days and a two-hour drive on a bumpy gravel road to get […]

I’m standing in the middle of a playground at Omo Child, a non-profit shelter for rescued Mingi children.  A little girl runs right to me, as if she knows me, and gently intertwines her tiny fingers with my fingertips.  “Hello, sweet girl,” I say.  “Who are you?”  She stares up at me with her big […]

I’m standing in the dry riverbed of the Keske River, which during rainy season, would be flowing freely.  Today it is a beautiful landscape behind the Hamar tribal women I photograph.  I visited the Mursi tribe yesterday and learned how they adorn themselves, so now I can make the distinction between the tribes — in […]

“What’s the name of that pretty tree?”  I ask Gare, my driver.  “It’s the desert rose,” he says.  “I think we’re stopping so you can take some pictures.”  I look ahead to the first Land Rover and see that it’s pulling over.  That’s the cue for the rest of the drivers in our seven-vehicle caravan […]

It’s funny that I’m being asked for one of the few things I took out of my luggage before traveling to Ethiopia.  “You’re sure that’s what she wants?” I ask Dono, a twelve-year-old boy who speaks English and acts as my interpreter.  He walks with me through the Kolcho village, which sits on cliffs overlooking […]

There is a man standing in front of me holding his green cotton hat in his hands.  With the help of a boy named Antonio, who translates for me, we’ve just had a conversation about his life and what it’s like to live here with the Dasanech tribe.  The man, Lucil, told me about his […]

I look ahead at some large, yellow water containers that are stored in a tree.  I wonder why they’re up there like that.  I move closer to get a better look, and I’m surprised to see a teenage girl working hard, carrying a full container.  As she sets it down near her home, I approach […]

This is the last village I’ll be exploring before flying north tomorrow and heading back to the country’s capital, Addis Ababa.  I have mixed emotions about leaving the Omo Valley, especially because I’ve worked hard this week to connect with the culture and learn about the people’s day-to-day lives.  I’ve focused my lens and curiosity […]

I feel like I should be tip-toeing as I gently weave between blankets that are spread out on the ground.  Hundreds of Christians sit, kneel, stand and pray around me as the sun slowly rises over this early morning vigil.  This time of day is delicate, and it adds another layer of softness to this […]

“You guys ready to go in?”  Tarry, one of our four guides, asks.  In where?  I wonder.  I thought our visit to this cheetah conservancy was going to be from this side of the security fence…  “We’re going inside the fence now so you can photograph the cheetahs without it obstructing your photographs.”  Say what?!!   “When […]

I hear someone say there are two giraffes at 9 o’clock.  As the Jeep slows down, I turn and see them in the distance.  They’re standing motionless on the side of the road and looking in our direction as if they’re not sure what to make of us.  The giraffe closest to the road decides […]

“Anyone see one?” I ask.  I hear, “Nope,” from the second row of the Jeep.  “Me neither.  Nothing,” from the first row.  “Just a lot of tall grass.”  We continue driving in search of twelve lions that our guides said are in the area.  The pride was spotted nearby this morning.  We all know they […]

“Her name is Huyguriva,” Nestor, my interpreter says, “but her nickname is Chicken.”  “Please tell her that it’s a pleasure to meet her, that my name is Lisa, and I’m from America.”  I listen as Nestor translates my message.  I don’t know the woman, but I’ve imagined meeting her ever since I saw images of […]

“There’s a zebra!”  I blurt out, excited to see my first zebra of the journey.  “We’re going to see a lot of zebra,” my guide Tarry says in his thick African accent, making the “zeb” rhyme with “web”.  “When we head north, there are going to be so many for you to photograph.  They will be […]

As kids, my sister and I drove our mom crazy asking, “How much farther?” when we traveled from our town on the Canadian border of northern Michigan over the Mackinac Bridge and continued south to visit relatives in southwest Michigan.  It seemed like we were in the car for days.  Actually, we had to entertain ourselves […]

I feel the heat from the bonfire on my face.  I bring my camera as low as I can in the sand and aim my lens upward toward the passionate dance in front of me.  The three San Bushmen I joined on a four-hour bush walk this morning are now chanting, clapping and rhythmically move their […]

One virtue required on a safari in Africa is patience.  Patience with the process of traveling all the way to a country like Namibia, which is at least two to three flights away from the United States.  Patience with the physical effects of the time change, which depend on a traveler’s adaptability and sleep patterns.  […]

I’m not a “birder.”  I swear, I’m not.  But I think I could become one.  I’ve travelled with “bird people” before and didn’t get it at first.  I used to think, “What’s with all the fuss over some pretty feathers?”  Looking back, I was bordering on being a bird snob.  Then one of my Facebook […]

While on safari, there’s always a little bit of excitement when pulling up to a watering hole because you never know what type of animals will be there.  Usually something is there.  So far, I’ve seen elephants, zebras, impalas and giraffes — or nothing at all.  The disappointment is almost palpable when the latter happens.  […]

There is something special about seeing a male lion while on safari, especially one that is side by side with a lioness.  That’s what I’m seeing right now.  The pair is a quintessential symbol of Africa, and they also represent the romance I associate with the continent.  I love everything about being here.  The people.  […]

Eyes…  I keep noticing them everywhere I go…  The interesting shapes and sizes of people’s eyes here in Siem Reap, Cambodia, as well as those that are carved into stone.  I just spent nearly two hours at Bayon Temple photographing many of the beautiful stone eyes on the serene, peaceful faces that are there.  Now […]

What’s with everyone offering me the peace sign today?  Everywhere I go, I see boys and girls making the peace sign when I ask to photograph them.  From one temple to another, from one side of town to the other, they answer my question by saying “yes” and then hold up their fingers.  The first girl […]

“About how many people do you think will be here this morning?”  I ask my guide, Sieng, because I think I misheard what he just told me.  “About 1,000,” he replies nonchalantly.  Though I believe him, I’m having a hard time imagining that many people would get up around 4 a.m. and drive here to […]

One of the things that strikes me the most about exploring the temples here in Cambodia is the presence of thousands of women who have their likenesses exquisitely carved into the temple walls.  I’m told that they are called either an “apsara” or a “devata,” depending on the size, location and the meaning behind the […]

My brain can’t process what my eyes are seeing.  It’s so new to me.  I look up to the top, back down, and then across the breadth of the tree in front of me.  It’s huge!  I take a few steps forward to get a closer look, and I rub my hand along its smooth […]

With every step I’ve taken today, I’ve been aware of a new and vulnerable feeling that I’m carrying with me.  To those I’ve just met and am traveling with on this National Geographic Photography Expedition through Myanmar, I might seem the same, but I know I’m changing.  I’m a different person than I was when I […]

I can’t believe the beauty I’m seeing.  This is the first time I’ve witnessed a full moon setting on the western horizon as the sun simultaneously rises to the east.  The moon dips behind the Minwun Mountain range, and the light slowly shifts from early pre-dawn darkness to soft, gentle colors that only fill the […]

Tradition and rituals run deep in Myanmar, and I have to say I like it.  One such activity is removing socks and shoes before entering a Buddhist pagoda, which is what I’m doing now at the Sandamuni Pagoda.  It’s a tedious process to lace and unlace my hiking shoes throughout the day, but I don’t […]

“You were a nun?” I ask with surprise.  “Yes.  I went to a nunnery when I was 10 years old.  My grandmother sent me to learn the discipline of a nun to help me with the public world.”  I’m sitting in a car, and the woman in the front seat who’s dressed in business attire […]

The woman sits on the floor of a traditional dying and weaving workshop.  She takes white thread and wraps it around a spinning wheel, which is connected to another spinning wheel.  The thread is then fed onto a large spool in front of her.  I can tell that she has been working hard because she’s […]

I’m reading an article about the tobacco industry in Myanmar, and I learn that British American Tobacco, one of the world’s largest cigarette manufacturers, has finalized a $50 million investment over five years to produce, market and sell its brands in Myanmar.  It doesn’t surprise me because the country is opening its doors to the […]

I stop walking to watch an elderly monk cross in front of me.  I don’t think he sees me…  His head is down, and I can hear a faint shuffling sound with every step he takes.  My initial instinct is to help him, or at least offer him my arm to lean on, but I […]

Standing in the middle of this peanut farm in Myanmar reminds me of my grandmother, who was a farmer.  She had more than 100 acres of apples and pears.  I learned the value of growing food at a very young age, and I learned that some people made their livelihood from that.  As I watch […]

Brrr…  There is one heck of a chill in the air this morning…  I wonder what the temperature is…  I wasn’t expecting it to be this chilly, but then again, the sun is just starting to rise…  I pull a blanket over my lap and feel grateful that the owner of this long-tail boat supplied […]

Another early morning…  I reach over and turn off my alarm.  It’s 4:15 and time to get up.  I sit on the side of the bed, groggy and feeling like I didn’t sleep at all.  Visions of everything that I’ve been photographing flashed through my mind for most of the night.  I try to shake it […]

I’m editing my photos on my laptop from the last week of shooting, and I’m struck by how expressive some of the women and children are in their poses.  I never tell people how to pose, so I’m surprised that so many women and children showed me their strong side when I asked to photograph them.  […]

18. Inspiration

Posted on December 28, 2015

It’s just after lunchtime, and I’m sitting in the lounge of the historic Strand Hotel in Yangon.  I have only a few hours left before I fly to Vietnam and begin yet another adventure in a new country.  Though I’m excited for the trip, the departure from Myanmar is bittersweet.  I’ve quickly grown to like […]

I open my eyes to a serene scene that’s unfolding on the water.  The floor-to-ceiling windows in the cabin of this houseboat allow me to get a glimpse of Ha Long Bay in the early morning light.  I get out of bed, wrap myself in a comfy blanket, and step out onto the private terrace […]

I’ve been looking forward to seeing this for quite some time.  The John Lennon Wall in Prague has become a piece of “live” street art that has evolved daily since the 1980s.  Since then, artists have come here to create messages honoring John Lennon and the ideals for which he stood — Peace.  Love.  Hope.  Today, […]

I feel like I’m in a different world in Prague since it’s so bohemian.  Now that “different world” has another layer of surrealism.  I see a poster for a Marilyn Monroe photography exhibit opposite the entrance to the St. Vitus Cathedral, which is on the grounds of the Prague Castle.  It is an odd place […]

I feel tears pooling in my eyes, and I’m almost overwhelmed by what I’m seeing.  I shake my head in disbelief.  My voice wants to audibly say “no,” as if all of the names on the walls around me aren’t real.  But sadly, I know they are.  I’ve read about them and know that it […]

I don’t know how many times I’ve crossed this pedestrian bridge since I’ve been here, but once again, I find myself walking across the Charles Bridge admiring the panoramic view of Prague.  The view is beautiful, but I’m not feeling inspired to photograph the bridge itself, which is a very famous landmark in the city.  I’m […]

Yes, I’m one of those hopeless romantic types.  And I’m in one of the most romantic cities in the world — Paris.  Also, as a photographer, I’m a bit of a voyeur.  In this incredible city, there is always an opportunity to people watch.  I enjoy discovering moments between people, especially those infused with authentic […]

I stand in line and excitedly wait to visit des Catacombes on the south side of Paris.  We’re told upon arrival that it’s about a two-hour wait, but for me and my BFF traveling with me, that’s okay.  She agreed to come with me today to experience something really different after a day of museum […]

I’m drawn to hands and what they share with the world…  with a profession…  with a lover…  Hands can be hard and calloused or soft and manicured.  They can look young, old or weathered.  They can be tightfisted or open to receive.  Hands help to lift up people when they are down.  They nourish and […]

I look across the street from my hotel room terrace to the picturesque Tuileries Gardens.  I try to walk through them each day on my way to or from my hotel.  They provide a little bit of Zen to balance out the very busy schedule I’m keeping here.  Back at home, the summer flowers are long […]

Should I know who she is?  She’s luminous.  Is she someone famous?  Dressed like that, she should be.  “Good morning,” I say.  “Good morning,” she says, pouring her orange juice.  “Fabulous outfit.  You must be part of Paris Fashion Week.”  She looks surprised by my statement.  “Yes, I am.  Thank you.”  “Wow.  It must be […]

“You’re sure that this is going to be alright?”  I ask my Balinese guide, Mr. Lucky.  “They won’t mind being photographed while they work?”  “It will be fine,” he says calmly.  “Just be mindful of your step and follow me.”  I can’t believe  I’m doing this…  we’re doing this…  hiking into a rice field…  with […]

I see a saturation of color everywhere I look.  There is an extreme richness to the green hues that blanket this island.  The sky seems bluer here.  The clouds seem whiter.  The soil looks richer.  It’s all around me and can’t be ignored.  Even the fabrics in the marketplaces are woven in rich, colorful patterns.  […]

14. 9:15 – 9:30: PART II

Posted on December 26, 2015

I can’t believe it…  It’s happening…  I unlock the door to my villa and step in.  I want to jump up and down with excitement, but I know I don’t have time to waste.  I need to focus.  What should I do first?  I need to pack, eat dinner and get ready to go to […]