At Home Abroad

21 Questions with Globetrotting Travel Photographer Michael Runkel
The German native has traveled to every country on Earth and shows no signs of slowing down. We discuss going to outer space, the coronavirus outbreak, what makes a good travel photo, and why long-term travel with kids doesn’t suck. Michael Runkel at the North Pole (Photo: Michael Runkel) Where…

Art or Act?: The Ethics Behind a Photograph
Stilt ‘fishermen’ off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. One of the more interesting debates in documentary travel photography is the use of local artisans to portray ‘authentic’ experiences. In nearly every corner of the world, traditional ways of life are giving way to the economic realities that rising costs of living,…

That Time I Went Back in Time…
I stepped off the twelve-seat prop plane and onto the tarmac in Wamena, West Papua, without a plan. Burdened with only my bag, camera, and no small amount of disquiet, I had arrived at one of the world’s few remaining primitive frontiers. Inspired by a worn-ragged copy of Carl Hoffman’s …

Trainspotting in Sri Lanka
Just standing on Galle Road, the main artery that runs north and south along the western edge of Colombo, for even a few minutes, will give you a great glimpse into what this place is all about. You will be enveloped by the cool sea mist off the Indian Ocean,…

Diving for Idols
At Trincomalee, on Sri Lanka’s northeastern coast, there boasts a spectacular promontory and temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. High atop Swami Rock overlooking Gokarna Bay, home to seasonal blue whales and one of the world’s largest natural harbors, Koneswaram Temple has been a religious pilgrim center since 400…

Fêting Buddha’s Tooth
The Kandy Esala Perahera, also known as the Festival of the Tooth, is Sri Lanka’s most elaborate and revered festival. The Perahera, or procession, is said to date back to the 3rd century BC. Originally a request to the Gods for rainfall, the Perahera was adapted to celebrate Lord Buddha’s…

The Philippines in a (Coco) Nutshell
Splayed out like a shattered jade dinner plate across the South China Sea, the Philippines is home to nearly 8,000 islands, many adorned with stunning white-sand beaches and breathtaking landscapes, and a population of just over 100 million. Weathering generations of bloody conflict, political upheaval, destructive earthquakes, and severe flooding…

Siargao: Tourism Exemplar or Coal Mine Canary?
Siargao Island (pronounced “shar-gow”) has received a fair amount of tourist attention in recent years, particularly the town of General Luna. In 2008, then-president Gloria Arroyo initiated the Super Regions Program, aimed at increasing economic activity through infrastructure improvements and tourism development. A longer runway was built at the Siargao…

Editor’s Pick: El Nido, Palawan
With gin-clear waters and staggeringly tall limestone rock formations that lord over the ceramic sand beaches of the northern tip of Palawan Island, El Nido is the Philippines’ glittering jewel of the South China Sea. Rivaling its western neighbors Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, and the Phi Phi Islands of…

India and the ‘Killfie’
Google ‘selfies and India.’ Within hours after landing in India for the first time, I soon detected a pattern emerging - and I did just that. One of the first things you are likely to notice here is a shocking amount you see taken just about everywhere, and almost exclusively…

Death and the Hindu Culture
Visiting Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi was perhaps the most confounding, jaw-dropping, mystifying experience I have ever had in my life. Photography is strictly forbidden here, but with the the help of my friend and widely known local photographer @vinyatripathii we were granted access to shoot. Manikarnika is the main burning…

The ‘Mud Wrestlers’ of India
Wandering the ghats of Varanasi, you might stumble upon the Tulisi Akhada. Believed to have been established in the mid-16th century, this akhada is one of about a dozen that can be found in Varanasi. Part 24-hour gym, part wrestling ring, men of all ages from across the city come…

A Monument to…Delusion?
Just west of Mandalay, and across the Irrawaddy River, sits this collapsing colossus - an ambitious incomplete stupa constructed by King Bodawpaya in the 18th century. And KB, it seemed, liked to go big. Really big. For it’s construction, the King requisitioned thousands of prisoners and slaves acquired from the…

Wandering the World’s Largest ‘Book’
Built during the reign of King Mindon Min in 1857, Kuthodaw Pagoda stands at the foot of Mandalay Hill and contains the world’s largest ‘book.’ Each of the 729 white stupas houses a marble tablet, and inscribed on each side is a page of text from the Tripitaka - making…

Railway Market at Mandalay
Among Mandalay’s many colorful charms, their street markets aren’t to be missed. Nearly always busy, they are great places to watch the chaos of commerce - what the local culture demands and sells. The market at Thu Ye Zae, just a few blocks north of the city citadel’s northern perimeter,…

On Assignment: 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Recently shooting an assignment for @911memorial, I spent the day photographing students from Utah with their parents as they experienced the 9/11 Memorial & Museum for the first time The students had the opportunity to learn more about the events of that day with the Museum’s knowledgeable and friendly education…

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