Local Art Residency - Raphaela Neihausen

Robert: Raphaela! So happy to have your work up at the shop. Because you’re an OG local LOCAL - our team decided that each would ask a question of you for the Local blog.

My pleasure!

Robert: I feel like we discussed this opportunity a good time ago and here we are. How do you feel sharing a bit of yourself with our community here at your local shop? 

So true - I signed up to do this on a complete whim around two years ago and then poof, time flew by and the date was suddenly here. When I was curating exhibit images, I leaned into shots that were very much my personal view of the immediate neighborhood around us. Pictures that someone else might not have taken, or would have taken differently. I loved the idea of sharing these small moments with my friends and neighbors who walk through the same streets (and lineup in the same LOCAL line! ). 

Lucy: Your lifework is multimedia, with a particular focus in film  - how do these images connect back to your film heritage?

Whether film or photography, I’m always a sucker for beautiful lighting and visuals that allude to a story beyond the obvious. How we frame the world is how we see the world and I frequently obsess over visuals – both in photography and film.  For those curious about my filmmaking history, they can check out the short doc Joe’s Violin (free to view online!) and Miss GULAG (available via iTunes).

Lucy: Are the tomatoes from your garden?

Very much so! Gardening has always been a favorite hobby and my backyard fruits & veggies became a popular subject during this pandemic. On a sidenote: this tomato image reminds me of an abacus and I love reimagining traditional objects with modern spins. 

Adele: These photos are such a beautiful look into our Montclair community. If possible, what is your favorite aspect of our town?

Beyond the incredible people, and of course my local coffee shop, I love how the trees and flowers bloom in weekly waves during spring. How each home is painted differently.  The gorgeous parks and annual film festival (full disclosure: I’m its founding executive director, so might be a bit biased).  The way each season completely transforms the landscape around us, supplying us with a new palette of colors.

 Brenna: What do you hope people feel after spending time with your work?

I hope people feel some warmth, curiosity, and joy. 

Max: Did you pick your color scheme intentionally or are you generally attracted to objects that vibrant, bright and lively?

The latter – I am generally drawn to vibrant, bright and lively colors (as frequently reflected in my photos and wardrobe).

Sam: You mentioned that all of these photos were taken just a few blocks from Local? Was this intentional? Is there a narrative that carries through all of them?

When curating this exhibit, I intentionally selected a majority of photos that Local customers might recognize from their everyday surroundings. These are the small details that we often miss in our daily rush. The guiding principle is that you don’t need a fancy camera, tripod, or any professional tools to notice and capture a bit of beauty. A phone with a camera and willingness to look is enough.

Lastly, what is your favorite coffee shop drink?  :)

I’m a vanilla latte girl, although every now and then I’ll mix it up with a cortado or a flat white.

See more of Raphaela’s work on Instagram @raphaeladailyphoto and @raphaelaneihausen

Local Art Residency - MHS Senior, Max Myers

LC: Let’s start with some background. How did you get into photography and develop to the level of ability you have today? 

MM: Back in 2016 I started to get into drones, an up and coming trend that persists today. I started off with the smaller toy drones, learning as I crashed them. Eventually over the course of around a year I saved up and got a great prosumer DJI drone. On the drone was a high quality camera that I subsequently used to capture the first of my many photographs and videos. I firmly believe that having the ability to position a camera at any angle and height in the sky directly assisted my eye as a photographer today. I’ve been through four upgrades of cameras and lenses to get to where I am today, and I owe the level of ability I’ve developed to persistence, practice, and trial and error. I am proud of where I am today, being self taught, but I still have a lot of room to grow. 

LC: Your photographs capture a variety of subjects and scenes in a wide range of styles. How do you decide the what, when, and how of your pictures? 

MM: I definitely don’t have a central theme in this show, as I practice so many different styles and types of photography. I like to have some variety in my life, and my art exemplifies that. However with many of my projects, the process starts with an idea. Let's take the photograph of the Aston Martin in Chinatown as an example. That car is called the Dragon 88, and was created for the Chinese market. Only 88 of them were ever made, and the one I photographed is the only one in the United States. I thought it would be fitting to take it into Chinatown, an area I’ve always imagined photographing a car in. We traveled there with the car and captured it under the Chinese lanterns strung across the streets. It involved a long shutter speed and shining a light over the car to illuminate its deep maroon paint. I am very happy with how that photoshoot came out. 

LC: Clearly your life has included a fair bit of traveling. What are some places you’ve visited and do any stand out as favorites? 

MM: I’ve been extremely lucky to travel around the United States and to Europe. I spend a lot of time in Arizona, because I have family there. I have also visited Miami, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Yellowstone, and many more places. In Europe I’ve been to Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome, Lisbon, and Barcelona. I really enjoy traveling, as it allows for an amazing new array of scenery and sights to photograph. Venice was my absolute favorite, and I was able to take my drone up there to photograph the Grand Canal, leading to one of my favorite photos of all time, which is in this show. 

LC: Can you tell us more about your service trip to the Dominican Republic, where some of these photos were taken? 

MM: I was able to go on a mission trip with my church to the Dominican Republic, where myself and a group were given the amazing opportunity to work with and assist a group of disabled orphans. Among the 50 or so children there, only 3 or so could even walk. The majority were strapped to wheel chairs, perhaps indefinitely. I still remember walking down the stairs and seeing them for the first time. I walked back up the same stairs for the last time at the end of my mission trip as a changed person, with a very new perspective on life. I was lucky to be able to document the experiences of me and my peers through my camera, and captured some moments of pure emotion that I think would be impossible to emulate in any other circumstance. The trip left a lasting effect on me, and I’ve decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from selling my photographs to the Mustard Seed Communities foundation which oversees the disabled children in the orphanage. They need it now more than ever as for the past few years they haven’t had their regular donations, of both money and supplies because Covid prevented travel to the orphanage. 

LC: What do you feel is your relationship to the stories being played out in your pictures? Are you preserving an existing narrative for memory or creating a new story within the image? 

MM: I feel as though the stories I tell in my photographs are created by myself, based on the way I have the subject positioned, combined with the lighting, editing, and many camera settings I hand pick. I feel as though I am creating a new story within the image. For example when shooting cars, most new photographers would merely capture the vehicle. I choose a scene and try to capture the car within the scene to tell a story. 

LC: For fellow photographers coming into the shop, what sorts of cameras do you use, and do you have a preferred go-to? 

MM: I’ve been through four upgrades of cameras since starting. I started with a Lumix G7, a great affordable camera for beginners. I moved to the Sony A7ii, which I highly recommend for mid range beginners. Then onto the Sony A7iii, which helped me delve more into videography, and now I’m using the Sony A7iv as my main camera and the Sony A6300 as a secondary. The A7iv is an excellent camera with 33 megapixels and many great video features, and will be my go-to for a while. 

LC: What’s your favorite coffee or tea beverage? 

MM: My girlfriend has been a huge factor in developing my love for the Chai tea latte, which is now my go-to whenever I’m out.

Visit Max’s website here: maxvuz.com

Local Art Residency: Ariana Gavriilidis

LOCAL: Ariana! So happy to have your work up at the shop. How do you feel sharing a bit of yourself at the shop through your photography?

ARIANA: Hey Local Coffee! Thank you for allowing me to show my artwork, as I’m lucky to be among the talented artists before me. Over the last year, I started showing this collection of black and white photo series titled Europe in Black and White around different cafes and coffee shops in New Jersey and Upstate NY. I feel it should have gotten easier with each show, yet it is still nerve-racking! I am always nervous about how others will react or what they might think about my style of photography. However, I am thankful to exhibit my photographs and not only get feedback on how I can improve as an artist, but connect with people on their travels. As a result, I connected with loyal patrons of Local Coffee about traveling, their favorite style of photography, and most of all, their go-to coffee orders! 

LOCAL: Tell us a bit about these photographs. When, Where and Why?

ARIANA: Europe in Black and White captures moments from when I traveled in the summer of 2019 and the winter of 2017. This collection pertains to the countries of Ireland, the United Kingdom such as England, Scotland, and other countries such as Amsterdam and Norway. I've been lucky to travel and take these photographs around Europe, either on solo trips or traveling with close friends and family. I love traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures and bringing my camera along is no exception.   

I shoot my pictures in black and white as I believe it forces the viewer to focus on the image while adding color, in my opinion, can complicate and distract from what is right in front of them. Photographs in black and white exhibit the simplicity of the world, and can reveal that we’re much more similar than we are different. In addition, I’ve always been a fan of timeless black and white films, such as Casablanca, Notorious, and The Maltese Falcon. If the movie stars Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant, I’ve seen it. My style and taste does not always resonate with everyone, but I believe there is something timeless with photographs taken in black and white that brings me back to a past life where we were not obsessed with editing an image to perfection.

LOCAL: You're still young and have been able to travel to many places many of us are still dreaming about. Tell us how you've been able to prioritize travel in your life -

ARIANA: For as long as I can remember, I had the travel bug. I will never turn down an adventure or the opportunity to go somewhere new. With my father being Greek and moving to America at 27-years-old, I got the chance to fly and visit my dads' side of the family from a young age. I knew traveling to Europe as a family was a privilege that not many kids my age had the opportunity to go. Once I knew places such as Athens, Mykonos, and Crete existed, I wanted to experience more of not just what Europe had to offer but the rest of America and the world. Being the youngest sibling, I traveled with my mother and sisters across the county for soccer tournaments or to see college campuses. Traveling has been a way of life. When COVID hit, I did not know if I could travel again. As much as I love New Jersey, there is so much more of the world to see. I learned that to grow not only as an artist but as a person, we need to step outside of our comfort zone and be open to new experiences. Additionally, it helps that my mother also loves to explore and travel, so I always have a travel buddy.   

 LOCAL: Was there one place that stood out where you felt super-connected to the environment?

ARIANA: One place that stood out to me when traveling in the summer of 2019 was the country of Ireland, especially the Irish countryside. I saw well-known cities such as Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Killarney and got the chance to explore Northern Ireland and tour Belfast, and crossed the National Trust Carrick-a-Rede bridge in Ballintoy. If you haven't seen it, you have to look it up! It is a wooden bridge that leads you to a remote island. I surprised myself by crossing the bridge. In addition, visiting The Cliffs of Moher, which are sea cliffs located at the southwest edge of Ireland that look out to the Atlantic Ocean, was a surreal experience. It’s breathtaking being on the edge of the world. Not only is Ireland's vast green landscape and the rolling hills unbelievably beautiful, but the people are friendly and welcoming. Growing up in North Jersey, I'm familiar with heading to Upstate NY and seeing a remote landscape, but Ireland's extensive history and open space needs to be experienced by all. 

 LOCAL: Is there a special location OR geographic environment that you have on your roadmap?

ARIANA: I’ve always said that before turning 30, I wanted to complete a road trip out west and explore the landscapes of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah and visit either Glacier National Park or Yellowstone National Park. There are so many places in America that I have yet to tour. I would pick mountain ranges and forest landscapes any day compared to a beach setting. I’ve never been a person that chooses an island or a pool vacation to relax and unwind. Back in 2018, I climbed to the top of St Mary’s Glacier in Colorado, which at the peak is around 11,000 ft above sea level. I remember feeling small amongst these gigantic pine trees, and there wasn’t a feeling quite like it. It reminded me how important it is to look past what’s right in front of us and look at the bigger picture. I have three years left to fulfill this goal and now that I work remotely, I’m hoping to accomplish this vacation sooner rather than later as it has never been easier to work while traveling.

LOCAL: For our fellow photophiles out there, what type of camera(s) are in your arsenal and do you have a 'go-to' camera for special moments?

ARIANA: That is a difficult question! In total, I own ten cameras as some cameras I inherited from relatives and other cameras I purchased. Although the camera I can never leave the house without, besides the camera on my iPhone, is my Nikon FM 10, which is a manual 35mm. This camera I used for the Europe in Black and White series. It’s been with me everywhere and my most prized possession. I seem to be a brand loyalist to Nikon. It was the first camera I purchased back in middle school when I started adventuring into photography. My parents bought me a Nikon CoolPix L24 Digital Camera, in the color red, and Nikon has been my go-to ever since. The rest is history. 

If I somehow forget to carry my Nikon FM 10, I like to have either my Nikon DSLR handy, a Fujifilm color 35mm disposable camera or an Instax Mini 9 in my bag for some fun quick shots with friends. I love the feeling of sending in the camera in order to see the photographs.    

 LOCAL:  What's your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

ARIANA: Personally, it depends on the season. In the winter, I love chai with soy milk, and in the summer, it is either an iced coffee with soy milk or an iced tea with some honey. The honey I buy is from Local Coffee! Over the last year, I've been on a honey hunt for the best honey in New Jersey, and the Raw Honey available to purchase here goes with me everywhere!   

To learn more about Ariana and follow-along through her many journeys: https://linktr.ee/ag_curate

Local Artist Residency - Lindsey Wilderotter

Lindsey! So happy to have your work up at the shop. I feel like we discussed this opportunity a good time ago and here we are. How do you feel sharing a bit of yourself at the shop through your photography?

I am so happy to have my work up at Local! I remember reaching out last year and you telling me that the next available time would be Fall 2021 and it felt like it was going to be forever away but now we are finally here and it feels great. It truly feels amazing to have something that I created displayed and shared with your shop. When I have walked into Local to grab a coffee, I have seen so many beautiful artists' work hung up on that wall and it feels really cool to have that be me for this month. Photography has been such an outlet for me and I love telling stories or evoking emotion through my photographs so I am really excited to have some of those be shown to the local community.

Tell us a bit about these photographs. When, Where and Why?

These photos are from a few different places but mostly the timeframe is between fall and early wintertime. The first section of my photos are some of my favorite fall photos from local spots around New Jersey. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love to watch the leaves change and the world around us come to life with color. It is truly so beautiful and I love to capture this time of year through my lens. Most of the fall photos displayed are from Verona Park and South Mountain Reservation. The second section is more of my travel photos from both Scotland and Canada. I went to Scotland a few years ago with some friends and was so taken aback by it’s beauty that I literally had my camera in my hand every second I could. And it was the same in Banff, Canada. That place was truly special, there were mountains everywhere I looked and it really took my breath away. The third section is a combination of both travel but also adding in some more colorful lighting. A theme that I wanted to show through this display was not only the travel/landscape side, but also in a few of my photos I love to capture reflections. Especially with the changing of the seasons, I tend to do a lot of reflecting on where I have been, what I have seen and where I want to continue to go. These photos remind me how grateful I am to have stood where I have but also tells me how much more there is to see.

I ask this question of most of our photographers - how do you feel about the discipline now that we all have a camera in our pocket and take a gazillion pictures each day vs. purposely setting out to capture some specific image or topic?

It is really interesting how easy it is for people to just whip out their phones and take a picture of literally anything at any time. There are times I find myself reaching for my phone just to take a quick snapshot of the sky that looks cool and I usually kick myself for not having my real camera to get a better shot. It is crazy how well iPhones and smartphones can take a photo, sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between a real camera and a phone which to be honest makes me a little sad because I just love digital and film cameras so much. But I definitely still set time aside to go out with my camera, to go to different places with the purpose of getting some good shots of either something particular or just walking around a certain area for a few hours and seeing what I can find.

Before the pandemic, one of my favorite things was going into NYC and just walking all around Central Park, down to Bryant Park, and through the Flatiron district with my camera at my eyes the whole time, taking it all in and clicking away. I loved that, going in at different seasons and seeing the city change through my lens was so cool.

The composition on these images are really special. How do you set out to frame your photos? Do you perform a good amount of editing post capture?

I try not to edit my photos too much, I try to capture them in a way that shows what I am trying to tell. I always want to show a real version of what I see when I put the camera back down. However, there are some that I have edited a bit darker or to have more of a “moody” effect which I have been loving. I love to get a different shot, something more unique that I feel is my own. When I am out shooting, I try to look at things more artistically and see how I can capture the scene in a way that people may not always see when they first look out, but also something that draws people in. It is a little hard to explain but I am always trying to get that unique shot, through the trees or by getting down on my knees from a different angle. I love to still show the beauty that I see but maybe in a way that is original, if that makes sense.

These images represent a good amount of travel. Was there one place that stood out where you felt super-connected to the environment?

I think one of my favorite places that I traveled to was Scotland, where a few of these photos are from. It was such a breathtaking and amazing place to be and I feel so grateful that I was able to see it in person. I spent a few days in the city of Edinburgh but the majority of the trip was exploring the Highlands and smaller country towns of Scotland. It was really so cool to see the landscapes of this beautiful place and the wildlife. I was able to see horses on the farms we passed by and the infamous highland cows. The highland cows are gorgeous and during the trip we actually pulled over on the side of the road where we saw some eating some grass and just watched them. One of my favorite things about traveling is to be fully immersed in the culture and environment of where I am, and it was so easy to do in Scotland, with it’s stunning landscape, friendly people, and unique wildlife. I definitely plan to go back there.

What camera/ cameras do you use in your discipline?

I use a Canon Rebel T6s. I got it for Christmas a few years ago and it truly has changed my life.

What's your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

Oh my favorite question! To be honest, it does change with the weather and when I am looking for something warm, I always go with a mocha latte with oat milk but if it is a nice summer day I am for sure grabbing a cold brew with oat milk :)

See more of Lindsey’s work here

Local Art Residency: Q+A with Photographer Leslie Granda-Hill

Thank you for sharing your impactful imagery here with us at Local. The feedback has been overwhelming. Tell us what India means to you that sparked your desire to visit on several occasions and capture daily life in the second most populated country in the world?

Thank you for exhibiting my images in such a wonderful space! I appreciate the chance to show work in my community.

I’ve always loved going to diverse places and photographing the story of the human condition.  Experiencing places that are so different from how I live here in New Jersey is something I have a passion for. Seeing other people’s photographs of the colorful imagery in India was inspirational for me. I just had to go! I’ve felt this way about taking pictures in many areas of the world- Africa, Cambodia, Mexico, to name a few. India stands out for me. The combination of light and color along with the spirit of the people has me hooked.  I can’t wait to go back.

I investigated some interesting facts about India and was surprised to learn that it is the only country never to have invaded another land. What did you learn about the people that can validate this statistic?

The people seem to be more respectful about the human condition than other cultures I’ve visited.  I know the country has many problems. The existing class structure creates vast inequities amongst themselves.  This can be so conducive for upheaval. I was there in 2016 when there was a huge financial crisis. The currency was changed overnight and the entire county was greatly affected. Fortunately I had credit cards to use, but many of the people in the villages never had a bank account and were in a difficult situation. The people of India have a respect for their neighbor and have a strong family bond. Generations of families live together. They live their lives on the streets creating a strong sense of community. I hope this doesn’t change. The internet makes our world smaller but the only way to truly understand other cultures is to experience it in person.

Have you developed any relationships in the country? How has these relationships created a new thread of thinking about life? 

I have worked with a local guide while traveling and that is an invaluable resource for learning to navigate a wildly different culture. Together we are able to navigate congested cities and go to remote villages that would otherwise be unlikely. I am respectful of the fact that I am a foreigner from the other side of the world, yet I found the people to be welcoming and warmly curious about me. Relationships with the subjects of my pictures is quite important to me.  I’ve photographed a family in Mexico for ten years.  I’ve documented the children growing from toddlers into young adults.  It’s similar to watching your own children grow up. Developing ongoing relationships with the people I’ve met has been essential for me. I’ve become aware of other thoughts and beliefs in a way not possible if not for seeing how other people live their lives. Feeling their kindness, happiness and struggles firsthand is very rewarding. Whenever possible I send photos back to people that may never have prints of themselves.

What do you hope to accomplish, if anything, by sharing these images?

Accomplishments from an exhibit is a very tenuous thing.  It’s nice to receive recognition, yet somehow it is dwarfed by the internal satisfaction from completing a theme I’ve worked on.  The people who speak to me about my images helps validate my own thoughts, and also becomes an ongoing source of new perspectives and inspiration about my own work.  I really love when other people look at my images and see them differently than what I see.  Good photography is never one dimensional, and talking with other people about my photographs is an important part of the evolutionary process. I hope the viewer learns something and more importantly, feels something about images.

How did you get started in photography?

I have loved capturing images as long as I can remember.  I think it was my way to become involved.  Growing up in a small town, my exposure to the world scene was pictures and television.  TV felt to fleeting for me.  Photography has a permanence that provides deeper meaning for me.  I started to take workshops to better refine my understanding of the tools for self-expression.  I took courses at ICP, the various workshops, and attended many lectures from the masters. All of these things have helped me find my own way. And of course, there is nothing more important than taking a lot of pictures. I have worked on several projects that have enriched my life immeasurably- my “Coming Home” series about wounded veterans from many wars, in particular, was life changing. I learned so much about a big part of our society and was able to photograph some true heroes.

Photography is a quite a journey. What has your practice taught you over time?

Photography has taught me so many things.  From an aesthetic perspective, photography is a medium for self-expression. My love for the documentary genre has made me better understand the cultures around the world. My world has become both bigger and smaller simultaneously. We are all so different, and all so much the same.  Each culture has its own unique blend of special qualities and also the problems. Understanding how each culture works out continuing strife has given me a bittersweet understanding of my own environment.  Getting to know individuals from vastly different backgrounds, I can embrace the spirit that unites us all.

What's next for you in this space?

I will continue to return to India and continue to photograph different locations.  I’d like to document both the similarities and differences within the national culture.  I expect the conditions in each region will define the differences- the sea towns will differ from the interior areas- so a sequel will certainly be a possibility. But I am also considering presenting my images from Cuba. That is similarly a country with rich visual interest as well as welcoming people.

What is your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

I like English Breakfast Tea

Learn more about Leslie here

Local Art Residency - Q+A with Wanderlust Photographer Peter Yacobellis

Thanks so much for sharing your work @ Local! Initial response has been overwhelmingly positive. Tell us about these images, how and when did you decide to start chronicling your trips abroad.

Thank you for giving me the platform to share the work. You do the community a great service by giving back and offering artists like me these opportunities.

I've always chronicled my trips but have leveraged different mediums to do so. I used to love to write in journals and then with the advent of social media it became easier to both catalog and chronicle my life in varied ways. In terms of photography, I first discovered my passion for architecture when I was standing outside of the Louvre in Paris, admiring the perfect symmetry of the corridor of archways that run along the courtyard. I knew then that I had a passion for symmetry, diversity of textures and light, playing together. Later in life as I educated myself more on the plight of animals and the natural world in general, I decided to experiment with wildlife photography. What you see in Local today is actually my first attempt at it.

Photography is a passion project for you, yes? At what point in your life did you take that next step to learn more about the discipline so that you would be able to articulate the journey?

Yes it is. I actually took a photography course in college, back when we had to develop our own film and I remember the professor telling me that there were two things that she observed had come naturally for me: composition and use of light. From there it's been a journey that has paralleled the development of technology from digital point-and-shoot to eventually digital SLR cameras and even the iPhone with it's incredible capability. About 6 years ago my fiance gave me my first true digital SLR camera and encouraged me to take some more courses, which I did. I'm so appreciative that he helped resurface this passion of mine.

Lot's of animal photos which are remarkable in that there are some really visually stunning images. What did you aim to capture in these photos?

I hoped to capture their spirit, in a moment. In my online shop I tend to refer to a lot of these portraits as "Faces of God". And to the extent I believe that god and Mother Nature are one in the same, their faces are the faces of god to me. Personally, I'm an empath. I feel strong connection to animals. It's palpable for me. So when many of them seemingly posed for me, I took the shots in hopes of capturing the moment when I felt they were letting me see their souls. I feel a great deal of frustration at our disconnectedness with nature. I don't think people realize how quickly habitat is disappearing and how truly endangered so many of these beautiful creatures are. I think they're a big part of what makes this earth remarkable and it's our loss to not know them and protect them, as fellow life forms.

What type of camera(s) are in your arsenal?

I shoot with a Nikon 7500. It was important for me to be able to capture photos in very high resolution because I knew that I would want to see these photos enlarged and with the fine detail reflected. I think too often we look at photos on small screens which doesn't allow us the same kind of captivation that I think a physical image does, at scale. To the question just before this, notably with the animal shots, my hope was that I could show these shots in an imposing way.

How, why and when do you decide on specific destinations?

I've always been an explorer. As a kid, I wished I could go to space. And then I actually signed up for the Air Force (later discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell") because I wanted to experience and gain perspective in a way a lot of people aren't able to. When those things didn't pan out for me the next best was exploring our own world and going to places off the beaten path while still admiring many of the places that are on those paths for a reason. These days I look for those dream locations, which for me have: history, beautiful architecture, unique geology and wildlife.

You mentioned the Game Of Thrones photograph and I had to embarrassingly mention that I didn't watch the series. What stood out to you in visiting the location vs. what you viewed in the show?

Well, firstly -- you're not alone. Not everyone is a fan of my second favorite TV show of all time. Ha! Well, what I loved was how much of the actual places they used to film the show exist in reality. You can be there and walk the streets and feel it. Sure, the actual city is about 25% the scale of what's portrayed in the show. And there are no castles reaching to the sky or dragons to burn them down. But the beauty is consistent and in some ways so is it's history. Something I found shocking was that as recently as the 1990s this city was nearly leveled by war. That made me sad and angry and was some of the inspiration for me to decide to donate proceeds from the sale of these images to UNESCO's World Heritage Sites program. But seriously, you have to watch the show.

Is there a destination that you have been wanting to visit that you have already made some plans in your mind for what to capture?

The top of my list is Antarctica, and especially an expedition to see the Emperor Penguin colonies which aren't reachable by many of the major charter companies. That's my unfulfilled dream. But there are also some really significant countries where I would like to spend some time; notably Japan and India. I think my portfolio, and in fact my heart, also crave exploring the Middle East and capturing some of the amazing culture, stunning architecture and unique wildlife. There's a lot to be told -- and I'd argue desperately needs to be told, about that part of the world. And if I can contribute in some way, I'd love to. 

What is your favorite coffee or tea beverage?

An oat or soy milk latte with cinnamon, turmeric and a bit of cayenne .

More about Peter here