Some photographs just seem to capture the essence of travel in a clear and perfect way. These are the images that inspire us to book flights, pack our bags, and embark on the next great adventure that awaits.
We created a list of eight such photographs and asked the photographers behind them about their travel experiences — how seeing the world has changed them, what they’ve learned, and why travel is important to their lives.
“I want my photos to evoke what I was feeling in a particular moment. In this case, I’d just arrived in Switzerland. The air was fresh and cool on my face, the train speeding along through the Swiss landscape.
Travel itself is my first love.”
“To me, travel means following something you’re curious about. Without it, your mind becomes stagnant and ceases to feel alive. Travel is movement and movement is life.”
“Travel is my source of creative growth. Every time I go somewhere new, the places become part of me. Through travel, I learn about myself, but also about the people around me. Travel has made me the person I am today.”
“Traveling is the best kind of education. It has taught me so much, and opened my eyes to my surroundings. Travel shows me that, though people think differently all around the world, we have the same desires and want to live together in peace. I appreciate life more because I’ve spent time in so many different places.”
“As an airline pilot, my entire daily life revolves around travel. I’m on the road for about two weeks every month, and packing my suitcase feels completely natural to me at this point. Over time, I’ve grown more humble by my profession, realizing how lucky I am to travel for a living and look down on our beautiful planet from thousands of feet in the air.”
“Travel is life. Travel is moving to discover or rediscover places, new experiences and opportunities, and new ways to understand who we are. I am a photographer because of travel, and my goal is to make my life a never-ending journey.”
“Travel is a way of learning. I’m a curious and visual person and, when traveling, I try to understand new information and feel the context of what I see. I learn by seeing, which means I may humbly comprehend the feeling and presence of a particular place. This nourishes my photography and, thus, fulfills me.”
“Travel is the tool for my personal growth. It’s the freedom. Travel broadens my mind to the possibilities of life, showing me that the world is not just black or white. After the challenges of seven years on the road, I’ve learned that I can do anything and be anyone I want to be. It’s quite a relieving feeling to realize this.”
Header image by Peter Yan
