Welcome, this blog is a mixture of life lessons and captivating images. I've decided to share a glimpse of my travel photography journey with you. Come with me and my camera as we capture the nature island of the Caribbean, Dominica. Not only is it the birthplace of my grandparents, but it is considered a paradise for outdoor lovers and adventure seekers.
HAPPINESS
As a travel photographer, it's important to embrace solo trips. You have to dare to be different and overcome the fear of being alone. Unlike journalism photography, where you purposely put yourself in challenging situations for the perfect story or picture, travel photography requires common sense, street smarts and research. Nevertheless, I decided to take a solo trip to the Indian River located in Portsmouth, Dominica. I was able to capture such rich images of the scenery while touring in a row boat of six people. It was an educational experience followed by a stop at the local bar.
Life lesson:
Happiness can be found in a simple, silent moment, A glance at the sea as the sun sets, or in the presence of a kind, giving soul. Dominica is full of hidden gems, romantic hideaways and spiritually rich neighbourhoods that are full of character and history.
THE FRUIT OF LIFE
Nothing beats waking up in the morning and entering your kitchen to see a basket full of big, juicy, ripe mangoes fresh off the mango tree.
Nothing beats grabbing one of those mangoes, sitting on the veranda, and watching the cruise ships pass by as you embrace the sun.
There's nothing processed about this mango; it's not packaged, it's not overpriced, it's tasty and free. I absolutely love the taste of mangoes. I love the flavour, the texture and I don't complain when my hands and surrounding areas of my mouth become sticky.
Life lesson:
Life can be sweet, delicious and satisfying, but to reach your full potential, you need patience. Many of us are not ripe yet; we're not ready. But when the time is right, our true potential will be revealed. Many of us are afraid of our gifts, because we're uncomfortable with the unknown.
You don't need to compare yourself to others, as everyone has their own goals, purpose and meanings to life.
Be careful with your decisions and who you surround yourself with, once an individual starts to rot, everyone around them will rot and no one likes a rotten mango.
Fruits from my grandads garden, the local market and the grocery store
THE BEAUTY OF PERCEPTION
Each person perceives life in a unique way. We project our beliefs, ideals and our worries onto every situation. Before I left for Dominica, I would wake up with constant anxiety and heart palpitations. I was deep within my thoughts, overthinking and trying to escape my own mind.
Some may agree, that being born in England is a privilege because there are a plethora of opportunities, however some may disagree because these opportunities come with a shadow of paranoia due to passive aggressive racism and systematic oppression against black and brown people. This unfortunate reality sparked the desire within me to return to the islands. I say desire but it feels more like an ancestral pull.
My longing for a peaceful life led me to assume that happy individuals in Dominica were also spiritually satisfied. To my surprise, I was wrong, I didn't consider their economy or the lack of opportunities they may face. While there are beautiful moments, many people leave the island for a better income and quality of life. Most people migrate to surrounding islands or the UK, America or Canada.
Life lesson:
The beautiful thing about perception is that it can be altered. It’s not set in stone; through experience, understanding and critical thinking our perception can become a tool for self-awareness, helping us recognise and correct misperceptions.
Mitchell Davis, a photographer and athlete from Dominica, embodies this. There is more to him that meets the eye, and I had the pleasure of capturing his essence. The portraits above represent the simple joys in life combined with balancing the weight of the world on his shoulders . The blurred image was intentional, illustrating how we can't always see the full picture. A single photograph can tell one story but have thousands of interpretations.
I would love to know how you perceived these portraits, please comment below.
DISCOVERING DOMINICA THROUGH MY LENS
Thank you for reading and viewing my post. I hope you have a deeper understanding of Dominica, an english and creole speaking country. Not to get confused with the Dominican Republic.
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I would also love your opinion on what you thought of this !
lovely