Recent Work – Powerful, Thought Provoking Travel Photography

emeraldlakefilms

#gentoo #penguin baby and parent. These are our so

#gentoo #penguin baby and parent. These are our southern most wildlife captures at 65° south, just 1.5° shy of the Antarctic Circle. The captain of our little sailboat suggested we bounce after only 8 of our allotted ~11 days in Antarctica to take advantage of a good weather window to sail across the intense and unpredictable Drake Passage. It was our coldest day, and the windchill was much colder, but when you’ve got only a few more hours left of such an experience, you warm up quickly. The sailing took exactly 5 days. That’s 120 hours aboard a 65’ sailing vessel with nothing to do but focus on feelings of motion sickness. So, don’t ever do that. 😉
.
Shoutout to @jjusticeimages for winning the caption contest (lolll), check out his feed for some great band shots and the best looking poptart I’ve ever seen ;)
.
.
.
#Antarctica #Antartica #Antartida #Antarcticadventure
#farsouth #penguins #babyanimals #cuteanimals #marineconservation #derps #animalsbeingderps #wildlife #onthemove #beachlife #trav3lr #earthimagined #adventuretravel #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #earthcapture #flirtingwithnature #travelmore #worldtravel #traveldiary #staywild #7continents #poletopole #dreamer

#CaptionThis! #DeceptionIsland, #Antarctica. IG sh

IG contest: free shoutout for anyone that can gues

IG contest: free shoutout for anyone that can guess this location!
⠀
I was going to ask everyone where this is but realized very few people know about it or have heard of it. So I’ll give you a hint, it’s very, very far south. If no one gets it, I’ll let you know in my next post.

#HierveElAgua, near #Oaxaca, #Mexico. This is a re

#HierveElAgua, near #Oaxaca, #Mexico. This is a really cool place outside of Oaxaca City. The structures are formed by minerals deposited from the naturally flowing spring water.
⠀
Lots of tourists were there, and it was a really gloomy day, but if you're patient enough, the tourists will leave and the sun might come out like it did for us. ⠀

Getting there, we were really running low on gas, but we picked up a hitch hiker on the way, and his family was able to get us enough gas to get back. That kind of thing happens to us a lot for some reason. ;)
⠀
#landscapeoftheday #OaxacaMexico #HierveElAguaOaxaca #travelMexico #Mexicolindo #igMexico #vivaMexico #vivaMéxico #visitaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild #dreamscapes #splendidEarth

#UnderwaterWednesday Look at this beautiful animal

#UnderwaterWednesday Look at this beautiful animal. These guys live around #Akumal, #Mexico and take way too much abuse from tourists to the point that they area is getting more and more protected. Tourists, right? I can't even believe I am one. ;)
⠀
They're challenging to photograph because they couldn't be bothered by you. They just slowly swim away from you and your awkward underwater photon recording device. Around sunset, when the tourists are all gone, I suspect the locals feed them so they stick around. In this case, two of them were fighting over a fish carcass, and this one seemed to have lost the battle. It then came after me because my fins looked similar to the fish they were fighting over. About a second later, it bounced, cruising through the water effortlessly, disappearing in murky water faster than a blink of an eye. I didn't know they could swim so fast.
⠀
#turtle #tortuga #AkumalBeach #underwater #underwaterphoto #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild #dreamscapes
⠀

⠀ ⠀ #underwaterwednesday I have been wanting t

⠀
⠀
#underwaterwednesday I have been wanting to take underwater photography more seriously for years, but was always turned off by the price of a decent UW case + dome port that would eventually get bricked once you upgrade your gear. But I finally found an incredibly good deal from a Chinese manufacturer and had some good times with it in #Bacalar, #Mexico.
⠀
#swimming #turquoise #colors #underwater #underwaterphoto #underwaterphotography #underwaterworld #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild #dreamscapes
⠀

⠀ ⠀ “Doing the work the güeros wouldn’t d

⠀
⠀
“Doing the work the güeros wouldn’t do” is a line from a #Springsteen song that opens up a deep-seated look into #Mexican labour practices. While the song differs in the way of cooking methamphetamines, most of the food we eat in North America has been, at one point, held in the hands of a Hispanic person. I have nothing but respect for the hard work and little pay these people earn. On the other hand, I’ve heard they can do quite well during the high seasons when skilled labour is at a shortage and farmers need to harvest crops as soon as possible to prevent waste.
⠀
#cacao #cocoa #cocoapods #chocolate #finca #hacienda #Comalcalco #Tabasco #Mexico #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild
⠀

⠀
⠀
#cacao pods are usually out of the farmer’s reach so they use this tool attached to a long wooden pole. We were told it’s called a #luco, although I couldn’t find anything online about it. The most common English name I found was a cocoa knife (how clever), or a pike pole. The hooked blade is simply steel that gets ground down to keep it wickedly sharp so the cacao pods can be removed with relative ease. When not being used, it’s rested on the ground because if it’s left leaning on a tree, the wind can knock it down and injure someone.
⠀
#cocoa #cocoapods #chocolate #finca #hacienda #Comalcalco #Tabasco #Mexico #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild
⠀

⠀ ⠀ I want to be where the #magic is. ⠀ We w

⠀
⠀
I want to be where the #magic is.
⠀
We were planning a trip to Ecuador to shoot #cacao / cocoa production, but we met a guy that suggested (to put it lightly) that we go to his home town in #Tabasco, #Mexico. That was a good idea.
⠀
We know Mexico well and it’s very easy to get around. Unlike in Ecuador where flights seem really cost prohibitive and taking long bus rides through the winding mountain roads gets old fast. While each region will have its unique attractions, something about the Mayan Civilization being the birthplace of chocolate was also very intriguing.
⠀ ⠀
#cocoa #chocolate #finca #hacienda #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild
⠀

⠀ ⠀ 7:00am at a plantation in #Tabasco, #Mexic

⠀
⠀
7:00am at a plantation in #Tabasco, #Mexico, awaiting the mysteries contained within.
⠀
#cacao #finca #hacienda #travelMexico #igMexico #vivaMexico #exploreMexico #hechoenMexico #goexplore #exploretocreate #adventuretravel #mothernature #justgoshoot #getoutdoors #getoutstayout #naturelovers #travelphotography #travelmore #trav3lr #traveldiary #wild #staywild #dreamscapes
⠀

⠀ ⠀ #ToketeeHotsprings, #Oregon. ⠀ I previou

⠀
⠀
#ToketeeHotsprings, #Oregon.
⠀
I previously asked, what's your holy grail? Personally, I'd love to own land with naturally occurring hotsprings.
⠀
We go through great lengths to get to these sites because we've witnessed that, even in a few short years, they change dramatically. They get popular. People leave trash and that attracts bears, or they get developed and they make pools out of concrete and tiles and start charging an entrance fee.
⠀
While it may be difficult to acquire land, a more realistic end goal would be to have some form of self sufficient mobile dwelling outfitted to live near the hotsprings for a long while. One place in particular would be the Liard River Hotsprings in the winter. I heard it's beautiful, but temps can reach -30°C.
⠀
It's tough to survive in that kind of wilderness setting and anything could go wrong with a little bad weather. But having an RV, van, or trailer with good insulation and a wood burning stove can make it quite manageable and cozy too. Wood burning stoves are great because, unlike propane furnaces, they cut down humidity.
⠀
Well, that's the dream anyway, I'll bore you with further details later...
⠀

⠀ ⠀ "Some men are searching for the Holy Grail

⠀
⠀
"Some men are searching for the Holy Grail
But there ain't nothin' sweeter than riding the rails"
⠀
Being free on the road often leads to surprises. We heard about Toketee Hotpsprings in Oregon after talking to some locals. The nearby waterfall is worth checking out as well. Traveling east on highway 138 we were stopped at a road closure. After suffering from mild disappointment (it was a bit of a drive), we were told that we could proceed only up to the hotsprings but had to be prepared for evacuation. The wildfire smoke is thick and ugly, but I can't decide whether it makes for better photos or not.
⠀
Smoke, pollution, and a world on fire aside, what's your Holy Grail? I have a pretty good idea myself.
⠀

⠀ ⠀ "I sleep like a baby with the snakes and t

⠀
⠀
"I sleep like a baby with the snakes and the bugs." #TomWaits #JoffreLakes #BC
⠀
It's the time of the year when we are reminded how a natural environment makes us feel happier and healthier. Any ideas on how to live in the bush and earn enough income to live off the land and cover expenses? Anyone else planning to live in a van down by the river?
⠀

"I woke up this morning with the cold water." I th

"I woke up this morning with the cold water." I think Tom is on to something. #JoffreLakes #BC

#Eh? #Sorry. What's going on today? National holid

#Eh? #Sorry. What's going on today? National holiday or something?

My apologies for temporarily blinding you, sir.
⠀
I didn't catch his name, but this gent had just come down from his perch, deep in one of #CerroRico's many narrow, twisting passages. There wasn't much room to breathe in there. The air felt thick and wet, full of fine silica particles. The worst working conditions I have ever seen.
⠀
...Continued from my last post:
⠀
You would then crawl into a humid, oxygen depleted and very tightly enclosed, phobia inducing pocket to access a silver vein and start chipping away at it with a hammer and chisel, being careful not to upset "El Tio" (English: "the uncle"), more on that later... You'll be chewing coca leaves throughout the day because the stimulant makes the job more bearable, and it also suppresses your appetite so you can get more work done. Food is overrated and cheap sugary drinks provide you with enough sustenance throughout the day. Your expected life span would be about 40 years, and you're likely to succumb to silicosis, a disease caused by years of inhaling silica dust. If you survive, you'll probably have breathing issues that are exacerbated by the fact that you live in the highest city in the world, literally more than four kilometers above sea level.
⠀
The mine could collapse at any moment and may not be around much longer. That doesn't bode well for the safety of the workers, the economy of Potosí, or the curious folks that want to visit. However, El Tio, the god of the mining underworld offers protection. The grotesque, naked and fully erect shrines are adorned with offerings of bagged coca leaves, bottles of 192 proof alcohol, and usually a lit cigarette in his mouth that slowly burns down before being replaced by another.

I'm filing #CerroRico de Potosí very high on the

I'm filing #CerroRico de Potosí very high on the #mustsee list. It's a 500 year old silver mine with what seems like 500 year old mining practices.

To be a mine worker, you would enter the mine, duck your head and swiftly run through the mineshafts before retreating - video game like - into a small recess while other miners run heavy carts of silver ore past you. Once they pass you continue running until having to dodge a few more carts. A cool breeze and the roar of a freight train echoing throughout the tunnels make you very aware of the potential danger of each passing cart. You would then walk along some narrow, 100 ft high cliffs and climb over some wooden planks that allow you to traverse deep, dark holes in the ground. There is no order to the mine. No real safety measures in place. No fences, no ropes, and not much light. Just empty carts going in, and silver ore going out.

To be continued...

I judge places by the way the dogs behave. In the

I judge places by the way the dogs behave. In the case of #Uyuni, Bolivia, it isn't pretty. We were walking down the road to a pizza shop that literally saved my life (that's another story) and on the way we passed this little dog. Three blocks down the road, that same dog, after quietly following me, bit my ankle!
Funny enough, in the nearby town of Potosi, where dogs are really friendly (and super mangy), one dog had to chase and bite the mud flaps of every passing car or truck. Sometimes when you're bored, lonely, or suffering from a bit of culture shock, a quick friend could be had in a homeless pup... except in Uyuni, they're jerks there.

In this pic, I saw the dogs running and turned to photograph them just when the lightning struck behind them. It's kind of a useless image, but I still hope you enjoy. ☺

"Coca. Cocaína. Frutas. Verduras." A #Bolivian mi

"Coca. Cocaína. Frutas. Verduras." A #Bolivian migracion official belted out a somewhat authoritative warning to make such declarations before crossing the border towards Chile. If it wasn't for the building, a bus, and a few signs it would have felt like the middle of nowhere.

We were supposed to be in South America right now, and after spending a good amount of time there, I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to spend the rest of their lives exploring these incredible lands. I try not to overuse a word like 'incredible,' but when I was a kid, working on renovating rooming houses and painting around the sprinklers, my boss told me to be careful because the high pressure sprinkler system would "knock my eyeballs out." That's probably a good way to describe running around South America. Just looking back on images captured, without exaggerating, they're taking my breath away. For now, our family needs care, and as much as I'd sacrifice anything to travel and explore, one thing I obviously couldn't give up on is my family. In the meantime, I'll try to take you across the borders, virtually.

Translating the border guy, he was asking about lawfully cultivated coca leaves, commonly chewed on as a mild stimulant, also being the base of a more potent and processed cocaine, and the usual declaration of fruits and vegetables.

#LasColoradas, #México. The answer to my previous

#LasColoradas, #México. The answer to my previous challenge is crocodiles and flamingos. This pink lagoon is near Rio Lagartos, Mexico, and that translates to Crocodile River in english. I think that had something to do with Spanish settlers thinking the lagoon was actually a river and the crocs may have been less than forgiving at the time. The estuary attracts a certain type of pink coloured algae which is consumed by brine shrimp. Those shrimp are then eaten by flamingos and that gives them their pink colour, otherwise, their feathers would be white. To get there, rent a car in Cancun and drive north west for about 3 hours. Watch out for unscrupulous police (literally always drive under the speed limit and feel free to video record all of your police interactions). Stay in Rio Lagartos because there are a lot more rooms there, and then drive 20 minutes east to Las Coloradas whenever you get a chance. With a rental car, you can easily drive around the lagoons and see a lot of flamingos at certain times of the year. That cost us $150 for four days. I <3 Mexico!

Load More Follow on Instagram