I am fortunate to have lived and traveled all over the world, experiencing and learning about people and their cultures. The differences are remarkable, yet the similarities are very real. But I am always amazed how so many families around the world are so poor, yet rich in spirit. Travel gives me the opportunity to interact with people in their own environment. This helps me better understand and respect their ethnicities and cultures. I enjoy connecting with people and while there is usually a language barrier, the unspoken word can be an effective means of communications. A smile or friendly gesture is sometimes all it takes to make a connection and open the door. Photography gives me the opportunity to capture this interaction and a country's character; and it helps me archive what I've seen and learned. I gravitate to peoples' faces and their eyes as they tell so much about the life and soul of a person - hardship, determination, kindness. Photography is my diary - in local colors, textures, patterns and emotions. This website is a sampling of countries and their people and cultures I have encountered over the past seven years. My travels and photography have helped me better understand our world and I hope my images will do the same for others. Wink Willett |