Elders are cherished in Asian cultures. I find their wrinkles full of stories and their eyes full of wonder. They remain extremely active, work hard, continue to move well into their later years, and never complain or accept pity, being too proud to sit and allow others to tend to them. I spent a lot of time trying to capture the expressions in these faces, but only a few came through to the camera. I have often, at the time of photographing and after, tried to imagine what they were thinking.

Hoi An has special special character. I had been living in Thailand prior to my travels in Vietnam so, naturally, I was comparing the two countries. Thai are quicker to smile. Vietnamese appear to be harder workers. Thai food is spicier while Vietnamese food has more flavor. The Vietnamese seem a little more determined to have their own identity; they are proud of their culture and exhibit this in their personality and work ethic. Thai people are extremely laid back, content and very pleased with whatever they have been given. In Hoi An, one can turn any corner and see something very perfectly placed, with character and poise. It is a colorful city, full of vibrant energy.

This still stands as one of the best cultural experiences of my life. From Hoi An, I hired a private, local person to take me on a two day trip up the Ho Chi Minh Trail from the south of Vietnam to the north. On this trip, my guide brought me to many small villages which were usually comprised of only a few houses (huts). When we pulled up to this village, the kids came running with their monkey. They were excited, very excited, to see me. In Vietnamese culture it is not impolite to stare at someone, so these children examined every square inch of me, but mostly, they stared right into my eyes. Most of them smiled and laughed and giggled and tried to speak to me, but these two didn’t move, just stood and stared. Their gender is unclear to me. At one point, I felt like they were looking right through me and that they might know everything about me without exchanging a word. When I lifted my camera, their expression didn’t change. I politely took three quick shots and put my camera away. The next day I sent prints of these images back to the village with the guide so he could give them to these children... who lived in the small village... of only seven houses.

The tiny Island of Inis Oírr (pronounced Inish-ear), where I often lay my tent down in solutude while I am in Ireland, is the smallest of the Aran Islands, inhabited by only 200 people. There lays the cargo vessel, Plassey, which shipwrecked in the 1960's on Carraig na Finnise reef. The ship has a peaceful feeling. The bow almost looks like an eye… watching. I think the ship itself likes the fact that it is rusted. It's not simply rusted, it is changing colors and transforming itself. It's quite beautiful and to be alone in and around the vessel is an exceptional experience. This one small spot on the side just drew my camera in.

Inís Oírr, Aran Islands, Ireland, Plassey Shipwreck, 2005	My Tent on Inís Oírr Aran Islands, Ireland, 2007

Although I thought the trip from Saigon to Phnom Penh would not be so interesting, I was quickly proven wrong. I had been unaware that I would encounter people in Cambodia who would want to sell me absolutely anything and who would go to great lengths to do so. I was on the bus when I suddenly realized that the bus was driving onto a ferry, necessary in order to cross the river. Immediately after boarding the ferry, hawkers (people who sell things) crawled out from under cars and buses, and climbed onto the outside of our bus. As they hung on, they banged on the windows, asking us to buy anything from fruit and newspapers, to jewelery and clothing. Most of them were children under ten. This woman was just one of the few adults.

I rented a motorbike and ventured out to the smaller villages outside the city of Hoi An (which is not very big in itself). As I was a pretty tall (even though I only stand at 5 ft. 4 in.), white and an obvious foreigner, many locals came out of their homes to see who this strange person was, buzzing by and occassionally stopping to take photographs in their neighborhood. On my way out of town, I passed this woman, sitting on a stoop in her front garden and she immediately caught my eye. She had a look about her and, upon my return, she waved me towards her. I stopped and asked her in my minimal Vietnamese if I could take a photo. Her family cheered in the background. I spent a brief time trying to capture whatever it was she was thinking. She put her hand out. Ah, I understand. I reached into my pocket, handed her a small amount of money and she sternly returned back to her stoop and sat... waiting... for her next modeling job.

This image was taken during a trip with my students. It was very special in that I was able to experience many traditions and customs of their culture outside of the classroom. We spent a lovely couple of days exploring temples, playing games and enjoying the sun together.

A fellow teacher entertaining students. Phuket, Thailand, 2010,	One of my students participating in a language game. Phuket, Thailand, 2010

The desert in Australia was, to me, a completely different world from the rest of the country. There are ongoing problems in Australia between the indigenous people and the white settlers. Many conversations with both helped me learn about aboriginal history itself so that I was less inclined to focus on the conflicting views. I drove 3000 km from the east of Oz into the center in the Northern Territory. During this road trip, in which I traveled in a camping vehicle, I met an aboriginal man at a rest stop who told me he spoke nearly six different languages. The aboriginal communities are all separate, each with its own language (not dialect) and it is estimated that there are 300 different native tongues. This gentleman was lovely and explained how there is also rivalry between different tribal groups. I learned later that the government is currently pulling people from their indigenous communities and forcing them into society; often members of these rival tribes are forced to live together in the same community. Accustomed to living off the land, they are suddenly given houses, electronics, alcohol, etc. and problems arise. This has been a struggle for both indigenous people as well as the government.

My time in the desert, among this red sand, was VERY special. I learned about traditions, dances and most importantly, storytelling.  Stories are passed by word of mouth and by drawings in the sand (a fallen branch from this flower was used while our guide was telling us a story in the picture). Certain members of a family pass on certain stories. So, if people died in a family and the story had not been passed on, the words died as well. When many aboriginals were killed by white people, many stories and legends died with them. I wonder, if at any point, stories were drawn amongst these flowers, in the red sand and I wonder if these stories still live as the flower does...

This image, although often mistaken for HDR, is unaltered. It was suggested to me to arrive at these remote sand dunes around dusk to capture the pure color and vibrance of the sand. When I arrived, after a long motorbike ride and a few wrong turns, I was even more fortunate to see the sky the way it was. This picture depicts the all-consuming silence of the place. There were no footsteps and sound did not travel far so, even if you saw people in the distance, they could not be heard. I walked for hours in the sand and, as soon as the sun set, the colors disappeared. Spectacular.

Sledding on the dunes. Pure enjoyment. Red Sand Dunes, Mui Ne, Vietnam, 2010	Bau Trang (White Sand Dunes) Mui Ne, Vietnam, 2010

Just three days after receiving a pretty hefty case of food poisioning, I was invited on a trip into the rainforest of northern Thailand. While this trip is often taken by foreigners, this particular one was organized by an individual man whose village is in the center of this forest approximately nine hours walking distance from the city of Chiang Mai. Despite my weakness I gratefully accepted. In the middle of the hike to his village, he stopped at a neighboring town. It was obvious the people there knew him well. They gave us some sticky rice and we waited while the torrential rains passed. It was monsoon season and a big burst of wet left all of us with many leeches, but it was still quite special. I spent two days in the forest, riding elephants and bamboo rafts, interacting with locals, children and animals.

Chiang Mai Forest Thailand, 2009	Chiang Mai Forest Thailand, 2009

The lotus is considered one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhist teaching and represents purity and enlightenment. The pink Lotus is the supreme lotus reserved for the highest diety. I became very fond of the lotus while living in Thailand and many other religions and cultures value this flower. This one in particular was quite special and was residing on the street, in a suburb of Bankok.

(Please see the image titled “Three” below for an additional story regarding lotus flowers.)

Bangkok, Thailand, 2009	Bangkok, Thailand, 2009

Just after taking this canoe shot, I walked down a quiet bank in between two swamp-like patches of water, on the edge of some rice fields. A man saw me and came running to me. He didn’t speak English, but I knew he was telling me to wait where I was. He went into the water and began picking lotus flowers. He was very focused on which three he chose and pulled them from the base of the roots. He returned from the water and proceeded to turn the petals downward in a very specific fashion. He was very humble. When he finished, he returned to the water to get three leaves. He handed me the bunch containing everything he had prepared. It was quite beautiful and most of this was done without any exchange of words. I know now that the number 3 is quite sacred in the Buddhist religion and when presenting lotus flowers, they are always presented with 3 sticks of incense or 3 leaves.
Three has always been a very special number for me.

(Please see the image titled “Supreme” above for an additional story regarding lotus flowers.)

Hoi An, Vietnam, 2010	Hoi An, Vietnam, 2010	Hoi An, Vietnam, 2010

I was living in Ireland, in my tent, for the summer, traveling from music schools to festivals learning to play Irish music, meeting amazing people, and photographing astonishing and unpredictable scenery. On Achill Island, off the west coast, I was attending the Scoil Acla music school for a week with enthusiastic Irish children and adults. Every morning I walked 45 minutes to the little schoolhouse for our class. Sometimes it was raining, other times, it was glorious. This morning I had just turned down several offers for a lift because I had seen a blue door I wanted to photograph. When I approached it, it was as if the sheep knew I would be coming. They were waiting. Thinking. Watching. It was a perfect moment.

My family, on both sides, originates from Philadelphia yet I had never had the privilege of visiting Longwood Gardens. Even my most temporary homes I prefer to grow and tent to plants and, even now, a large, home herbal garden. This incredible place consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows. My initial attraction was to the exotic plants and cacti. While there, I encountered perfection in many forms… this Calla Lily was breathtaking.

From Hoi An, I hired a private, Vietnamese guide to take me on a two day trip up the Ho Chi Minh Trail from the south of Vietnam to the north. On this trip, my guide brought me to many small villages which were usually comprised of only a few houses (huts). This was the third village I came to and the kids were brilliant and followed me everywhere! They were so curious about the camera. Their smiles NEVER went away the entire time I was there. The adults were hard at work cleaning, cooking, smoking tobacco, harvesting and more. Everyone seemed to be doing something. To be in a small village like this, with such innocent, good-spirited people, was quite humbling.

(Please see images “Seven” and “Pensive” as they will provide more information regarding this trip.)