Photojournalism
I believe there is something missing in much of today’s travel journalism, great stories!
Information for information’s sake is readily available at every turn, in print and online, including such content as price comparisons, ratings, directions, must sees and must dos. What I believe people want is insights into what happens between route guides and TripAdvisor recommendations.
Over the years that I have spent traveling the planet, I found there to be a fantastic dynamic somewhere between pre-travel expectations and “in the moment” reality. Travel is a process that’s alive and breathes, it is not the static description that sits on the page of a travel catalogue. Between those details is often where the drama, the excitement and the memories are made. That is where great stories come to life.
In my work, I spend more time contemplating how one may feel, why certain things move us, are relatable and emotionally charged, than I do on a checklist of “must dos”. I believe in providing the detailed information travelers want, but never absent of a great story.
Recent Work:
September 20, 2019, The-Message.ca -- Best Advice, A bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
September 5, 2019, GoNomad.com -- Scotland: A Tipsy Distillery Walk (Top 10 Story of 2019)
September 3, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
July 18, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
June 7, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
May 17, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
May 10, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
May 1, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
April 25, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
March 14, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
March 5, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
February 12, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
January 31, 2019, The-message.ca -- Best Advice, a bi-weekly column created by Kevin Spreekmeester and Jack Neary
January 18, 2019, The Globe & Mail -- How I Learned To Settle Into Florida’s Sunny Paradise Of Naples
Credits:
- Australian Photography
- British Journal of Photography
- Canadian Homes and Cottages
- Canadian Living
- Canadian Press Services
- Dreamscapes
- MacLean’s Magazine
- Metroland Papers
- National Geographic
- National Post
- Newfoundland Life
- Ottawa Citizen
- Outdoor Photographer
- PC Photo
- Photo Life
- Quill and Quire
- Saltscapes
- The Globe and Mail
- Toronto Star
- Toronto Sun
- Wknd Trips
Author:
- Magic Lantern User Guide – Nikon D2xs, Lark Books, 2007
- Magic Lantern User Guide – Nikon D2x, Lark Books, 2006
- Death By Exposure (With Eric Walters), Beachholme Publishing, 2004
- Have You Ever Been Pecked On The Pants By A Penguin?, Wyndham Press, 2001
Awards:
- Nominee – International Color Awards, 2006
- Multiple Honorable Mentions – International Photography Awards, 2004 and 2005
- International Travel/Tourism Photographer Of The Year, 2003
Floe Edge
Floe Edge
Arctic travel is subject to extreme turns in weather. In the summer, that can mean dense fog that only the experienced traveler should test. Our guide used what looked like a spear to test the thickness of the ice when even he wasn’t sure it was safe to continue. We dared not move without his signal.
Floe Edge
Camping at the edge of the ice, were the summer thaw separates what is attached to the land with what will soon find its way into the currents that end up passing Labrador and Newfoundland is very exciting. Every time the ice cracked we stood still and got very quiet listening to see what might happen next.
Floe Edge
Our journey toward the floe edge took us between the northern coast of Baffin Island and the southern coast of Bylot Island. Over frozen Eclipse Sound we journeyed, past towering mountains and massive glaciers. The summer light in the Arctic cannot be replicated. The landscape offers perspective, beyond its obvious immensity. It forces you to contemplate your place on the planet, in the nicest way. It is a privilege to have been there.
Churchill
Churchill
It’s impossible to visit and experience the bears without being moved. It’s disheartening to think that this apex predator is so vulnerable to the mess we humans have created. It’s almost embarrassing to watch them from the safety and sanctuary of a tundra buggy, knowing our actions threaten their very existence. And yet, getting close to them, in their domain, is one of the most powerful ways to create the empathy we need for change.
Churchill
Sunsets in Churchill, Manitoba are often illuminating. But this atmospheric occurrence, known as a solar pillar brought our group to life. It was as if together we were experiencing some sort of harbinger, or a message from elsewhere.
Other
West Coast, Greenland
It seemed as if the mountains and fjords along the mid-west coast of Greenland pointed to one of our zodiacs, welcoming us to a land of great adventure and epic vistas. (This image won International Travel/Tourism Photographer of the Year in 2003).
County Kerry, Ireland
The Ring of Kerry is a veritable vista-palooza! Everywhere you look a photograph awaits. We hadn’t been stopped for long when the crowd thinned, the sky cast a haunting light over the land and a lone, selfie-taking stranger wondered to the edge of the ruins. Life, like photography is made of moments, learning to see them is what it is all about.
Tofino, Canada
On occasion, in fact often, I am inspired about places I visit through local art. In Tofino is a gallery of Canadian artist Roy Henry Vickers. I was so moved by his work that I became obsessed with capturing the coastline of Vancouver Island in a style that paid homage to his work. Every night I took my camera out to try to truly see the light the way Mr. Vickers does. To learn about Roy Henry Vickers visit www.royhenryvickers.com.
Akko, Israel
In Akko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are all the things they tell you about before going to Israel. Inspiring museums that take you back thousands of years, a fish market, hummus, falafel… what they don’t tell you about is these delicious nut and seed cakes, all held together by caramel. Buy and eat lots, worry about calories when you get home. And buy them in the moment, we thought we’d surely see them again, alas we went nut-free for the rest of our journey.