One of the things I love about travel photography is finding subjects that are completely different from what I normally encounter as a South Florida photographer.
While traveling through Costa Rica, we took an excursion into a volcanic region where naturally heated water is used to create a series of thermal pools and hot baths. The temperature of the pools varied depending on how much cooler water was mixed with the naturally heated volcanic water.
There was even a special volcanic mud area where visitors could cover their skin with mineral-rich mud before washing it off. Whether or not it actually made me look any younger is another question, but it certainly made the experience memorable!
This photograph shows one of the natural thermal water sources. The warning sign makes it very clear: don't touch—high temperature.
What interested me photographically was everything happening around it. The mineral-stained rocks, unusual colors in the water, tropical vegetation and steam rising through the area all helped communicate that this wasn't an ordinary pool of water. There was geothermal activity taking place directly beneath us.
I photographed this image with a GoPro. While the camera was extremely convenient for traveling, I was never completely satisfied with its still-image quality and eventually sold it after the trip.
Nevertheless, I've always believed that an interesting photograph isn't created by the camera alone.
Today I often travel with sophisticated Fujifilm cameras and professional lenses capable of producing extraordinary image quality. But technical quality is only one component of photography.
A photographer still has to recognize the subject, understand the composition and decide what is worth photographing.
That's something travel photography and event photography have very much in common.
As a South Florida wedding and event photographer, I photograph weddings, mitzvahs, corporate events and celebrations where moments can happen extremely quickly. You don't always have perfect lighting, unlimited time or complete control over your surroundings. You learn to work with what you have and find the photograph.
Travel is much the same.
Whether I'm standing beside a volcanic hot spring in Costa Rica or photographing a once-in-a-lifetime moment at a wedding, my goal remains the same:
Find what makes the scene interesting and create an image that allows someone else to experience a little of what I saw when I was there.
That's one of the reasons I continue photographing when I'm traveling—even when nobody has hired me to do it. Photography isn't simply what I do for a living. It's how I've learned to look at the world.
Location: Río Negro Hot Springs, Hacienda Guachipelín, Costa Rica.