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Tell us about yourself
I’m a 36 year old Mexican national living in the US, I’m a video engineer by trade, and have the pleasure of traveling all over for work, which has allowed me to pursue my hobby of travel photography. I started photography at the age of 14 with film cameras, and eventually migrated to digital cameras with Nikon as my main travel kit. I’ve been really lucky to have traveled as much as I have, having visited most of the US and 39 other countries outside of the US. My favorite place for photography has been Iceland, and my overall favorite place to travel is the state of Alaska.
Why do you travel and photograph your journeys?
I’ve always loved photographing city landscapes and traveling allowed me to share my experiences and incredible sights along my journeys. But mostly, photography for me is a way to get out and see different views and experience new cities in a different way.
What is your favourite thing or item to photograph
Cityscapes and landscapes.
What’s your go-to travel hack?
Travel hack is a simple one, from years of traveling all over for work. Always walk with a purpose. Even if you’re new to the place and not sure of where you’re going, act like you know. This is a quick way to not stand out and make an easy target for someone. Don’t check your phone often, have a planned route to and from your picked spot, and always be vigilant of your surroundings.
Got any gear you can’t travel without?
Extra batteries, sounds simple enough but i made that mistake on my most recent trip and my shutter release ran out of batteries. This kept me from being able to do longer exposures on my night out photographing Boston.Also, tons of lens wipes. They’ll save a shot, but come in handy for cleaning your phone or glasses if you wear them.
What destination are you eager to go back to?
Iceland for sure. And i would love to go back to Australia one day, that trip was all work and no play didn’t even pack my DSLR. So I’d love to go back and be able to get some proper pictures of Sydney.
How do you stay safe when you’re travelling?
Be vigilant, act like you know where you’re always at. Read up on the places you’re visiting, where to watch out for pickpockets and what’s the risk level to you. Always let someone know where you’ll be and when you’re expecting to get back to your hotel. Leave your passport and the most cash back at your hotel, have another form of ID on you or a photocopy of your passport.
What’s the best way to experience a destination like a local?
Simple, ask a local. I always try and visit most of the tourist locations because that’s the main reason I’m there.
But when it comes to food and drink, I always try and stay away from tourist traps. If you’re on a guided tour, ask your tour guide where he/she goes to eat. Let them know you want somewhere away from the tourist traps. If you’re out wandering with your camera and not on a tour, ask the locals they often have great recommendations.
What’s your favourite word in another language?
More of a saying, and it’s from Costa Rica. “Pura vida”, which roughly translates to “pure life”. Just a great state of mind, and approach to everything.
When and where are you next travelling?
I have a lot of work travel coming up, am currently in Boston while answering these questions, and will be in 4 different cities over the next 3 weeks. International, hopefully, things reopen soon and if everything stays as planned for now I’ll be in Madrid come January.
