When I've mentioned that I've sometimes traveled alone, people have typically provided me with weird stares. The stares hasn't necessarily been on the destination, but rather on the fact that I am married and have two children; so how could I ever fathom going away with a camera for a week without them, especially when photography is not necessary my full-time profession. It's no secret that sometimes, being a photographer can be a solitary endeavor, therefore I will always be thankful for having a very understanding wife who supports my love for the craft.

As a photographer, I never think of traveling as a way to escape but rather as a way to better appreciate, document, and reflect. The truth is I’ve always found inspiration in stories of people's quests for introspection and self-discovery through travel. Stories that we commonly hear about everywhere and yet, somehow we rarely feel worthy enough to attempt anything similar ourselves because we categorize it as something “we just don’t do.”

The idea of solitude or being on your own is always depicted as being shameful. I've experienced some of my most interesting days traveling alone. If I wanted company, there were a lot of other travelers nearby, but I soon realized that I don't need constant company and that being alone was soul-satisfying and immediately gave me more time to exhale, eat as quickly or slowly as I please, surpass 12,000 steps without compromise, meet the sun as it rose or set, or spend time in my hotel room in the middle of the day to offload video and photos from my SD card.

Good things take time. As someone who frequently strolls around with a camera and whose main interest is people, there are very few days when admiring a portrait I took hasn't first involved spending time developing conversation with them. Chatting to them about their thoughts, perspective, or just listening to how passionately they articulated what they do, served as the impetus for approaching them in the first place. You’d be surprise how resilient, friendly, and eager people are to share their culture and craft with visitors. From the street vendors to the surf instructors, everyone I met had a story to tell and a smile to share.

By virtue of the camera, I am so inquisitive about people and places that, from afar, it may seem I am traveling alone, but when I’m peering through the viewfinder, I perceive things differently. It's like viewing a huge flock of birds glide through the air. My eagerness to view them up close is motivated more by curiosity than by the capabilities of my camera. I want to zoom in and find out what they’re all about and a lot of times, you have more freedom to do so at your own pace alone because not everyone is gong to understand that what you value as a photographer takes time. It’s not always as easy as “snap and go”.

As the late Anthony Bourdain once said, “Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind."

The sense of independence and personal growth I have earned from my solo trips may be its most important achievement. In new situations, I've learnt to trust my instincts and rely on myself, and this newfound assurance has permeated other aspects of my life as well. Books are an investment in yourself but so is travel. It helps you think more clearly, be kinder, see the bigger picture, and improve at the things that matter to you.

I've been to El Salvador a few times on my own and I've learned that no place or person stays the same over time and that going back may feel both familiar and foreign. While it's lovely to be able to share that experience with someone, there's nothing wrong with finding something profound on your own as well. A place takes on meaning based on what we bring to it, take from it, and leave behind.

Natalie Brown is a model and fashion designer based in New York whom I've had the opportunity to work amidst her busy scheduled. Pior to my solo adventure trip to El Salvador we met up once again to create.

It’s better to be lost and open to possibilities than it is to be so focused that you close yourself off to future opportunities. Having direction is beneficial, but closing your mind is f**king fatal.

We don't always require everything to be presented to us in life in a positive light. Sometimes we need something as brutal as the truth to help us realize that what we're doing might not always be the greatest course of action and if there’s anything that calls it like it us on a Tweet it’s Kyle Creek.

With social media being what it is, it's fascinating to learn that, in a time when we always strive to project the ideal image of ourselves, what others tend to gravitate to the most is usually the complete opposite of what we're trying to achieve.

There will always be a place and a time for those polished, well-lit videos of ourselves, but sometimes it's those very videos that we strive to create that discourage us from doing anything because they feel like such a challenge to produce. I love using my iPhone to create videos, and more importantly the videos in which I unwillingly speak to the camera because it's a skill that no one will be able to take away the more you develop the confidence in doing it. "Show up imperfectly as you are!"

In studio with Meghan Hayden in a Brooklyn studio. I became aware of Meghan back when she was a personal trainer at an upscale gym in New York City called Performix House and since then has gone on independent and continues to grow Take Off with Meg.

For people who have been debating whether to start their own online personal space that is independent of services like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc: 

Buy that domain name. Carve your space out on the web. Tell your stories, build your community, and talk to your people. It doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t need to duplicate any space that already exists on the web — in fact, it shouldn’t. This is your creation. It’s your expression. It should reflect you.

The internet is vast. It’s endless and so it was this concept of owning something that’s yours whereas you can document anything was one of the two factors that first inspired me to start personal blogging back in 2010. The second element was my obsession with Anthony Bourdain's storytelling style.

With him, no existing concepts were reinvented. He wasn't adopting a different role. He wasn't trying to please everyone. He was honest, unflinching, and most importantly, he was truly interested in what he was reporting. He had earned the right to produce the kind of art he desired, and it was this freedom that struck a chord with viewers.

Although social networking platforms are everything nowadays, I still appreciate the idea of having my own personal website serve as my home base especially in times where every other platform can become unstable at any moment. 

It's really difficult to add much commentary to Nathan's statement because it stands on its own, has undoubtedly crossed your mind at some point, and is something that everyone needs to hear regularly.

It's so easy to self reflect with questions like "What am I doing with my life?", "I can't even qualify for this I'm too old", "I wish I would have done more," and "I'm never going to be that successful”.

So rather than comparing your life to 30 people, ask yourself questions like: "Do I feel content in my work?", "Do I feel valued at my job", "Are there some things I can do to improve my career?", and (my favorite), "If you could tell the 21 year old version of yourself what you're doing now, would they be impressed?"

The Leica Q2 has remained a complete joy to use, even in those situations where I'm not sure whether I'll be using it, but because it's compact and powerful, it's still worth having along, especially in New York City where the chances of encountering someone worthwhile are great.

In hopes to further her artistic career, tattoo artist Klaudia Klonowska, who is originally from Poland, is temporarily residing in New York. On a gorgeous Fall day, we met in Soho and worked together on a quick photo shoot while we strolled the neighborhood's historic cobblestone streets.

I find it difficult to decide what makes a great portrait. Of course, factors like lighting, location, perspective, and even the reason for taking the photograph lend additional levels of significance to the final image, but the person's story usually makes the whole endeavor more enjoyable. In an ideal situation, I would have already built up a substantial repertoire with the subject to the point where a portrait was feasible, but regrettably that's not always the case. Sometimes you simply have very little time to and you just have to create as you go.

I'll admit my blogging habits haven't been as consistent as they used to be. However, I do have rough drafts of ideas in my head that still need to be shaped and colored to demonstrate my aim. These unfinished ideas are actually more for myself than anyone else, with the sole intent of helping me comprehend, define, and make sense of many topics that may not always be related to photography but rather life in general.

Some people would argue that there is no longer any value in blogging, and anytime that momentary notion occurs, I am reminded of a statement made by Robin about how anything might be valuable to pursue further because "everything adds up":

"A blog post can anything...your career will thank you for it later and no-one can take it away...but you’ll never know unless you write that half-assed thing that’s in your head right now...everything is worthy of your blog. Everything."

Body and Bell, a program that uses kettlebells as its primary modality and one I've faithfully followed for the past two years on the Ladder app, was created by New York-based personal trainer and nutrition coach Lauren Kanski, who specializes in strength and athletic conditioning. 

I absolutely value her knowledge and perspective, especially on social because it is honest and raw. She recently replied to a question about "selling yourself" that I've been struggling with, and even though her response was directed toward the fitness sector, it was still very applicable to freelancers in general, not just photographers like myself.

Lauren said:

Fitness is a tough crowd. People don't buy programs, they don't buy bands, they buy you! So the biggest thing I used to ask myself was would I buy me?

I wasn't confident, I didn't think I was smart enough, I wasn't giving my biz everything I had and that was a big problem.

We usually forget that the most important piece of selling anything is that we truly believe it is a solution that can help others. Gaining that confidence starts with walking the walk and showing up for ourselves first, then we don't have to "sell anything"!

The Colombian city of Medellin is a destination rich in culture, history, and scenic beauty.
In the last few decades, the city has undergone a significant transformation. It has both an old heart and yet a vibrant creative energy that is felt the moment you arrive.

I've never met a Colombian person who hasn't spoken highly of their country, which is why I was eager to experience with my wife. However, there are so many things to do and see in in this city that it can be challenging to know where to start. The city is enormous! Although there are excellent public transportation options, the area is fairly dispersed, so choosing a place to stay is important because it can facilitate your journey.

Prior to any trip, I always do a ton of research on YouTube to get a firsthand perspective on other travelers' experiences to wherever our destination will be. In the case of Medellin, I totally loved this vlog of Medellin by folks at Attaché because it wasn't just insightful; it also had a very documentary feel that was reminiscent of a classic Parts Unknown show by the late Anthony Bourdain.