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Daniel Benjamin
@danielbenjaminphoto
Best of the week 32 at #nomadict 2020
Ten years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. With an enormous amount of uncertainty, the only thing I could do was to plan and hope. While going through the process of chemo and radiation, I had a goal: Travel to every continent and 30 countries before the end of my 30th year. Last October I checked off the final country; I can look back at the last ten years and be proud.
My father was a pilot so I grew up traveling and I have had a camera in my hands since I was 8 years old. Being 31 now, these passions are simply rooted in experience. It’s hard for me to imagine expressing myself in any other way than through visuals. So, the mix between photography and the constant craving to see new places constituted this new goal and focus, and supported me throughout the difficult period.
"I have always had dreams and ideas, but cancer sent me on a path around the world to understand myself and others."
The people and memories sculpted by those experiences inevitably rerouted my life. Each country, each person has contributed to who I am today. Nevertheless, my time in China left me with a deep yearning to understand cultures that are radically different from my own. I began practicing mindfulness there when I spent a morning learning Tai Chi with some local elders. To watch and learn without interruption. Literally, mindfulness is an ongoing practice. Having the awareness that not everything is written plainly for myself to understand and so I have to consider how to understand what happens around me and the impact I may make. Caring about the places I photograph, the story that is being told and the people I meet along the way are all interactions I need to be mindful of, just to mention some examples related to traveling and content creation.
The winning shot is a perfect illustration of a mindful experience, being truly present in the moment. On a whim I decided to drive five hours across the state of Washington to shoot Palouse Falls. It is relatively iconic and I was hoping for something slightly different than what I had seen before. I met another photographer, an old school type of a guy who was just full of stories and insights. As we sat there talking and when switching up compositions I took a peek at his frame and saw the water below had a whirl.
"I immediately knew I wanted a long enough exposure to capture the whirl of the water and the motion of the clouds."
The end result is exactly what I had hoped to create. I wanted the waterfall to feel cool and stark white while flowing into a blue pool lit up by the moon. And I actually always lean towards blue hues at night. All of the elements blended perfectly to create a singular image that has the essence of what I saw. But above all, the image is special because of the conversations under the stars that night. Listening to the wisdom of someone who has lived many more lives than I and transcribing it into my own art.
WINNING PHOTOGRAPH
BEST OF THE WEEK 32
I do not think I would be where I am without all my experiences to date. Overcoming and dealing with cancer was a challenge, but traveling and doing it mindfully is a huge challenge too. In that regard, completing the circuit in Torres Del Paine, Chile, has been my most impactful event. Four planes, two buses, and 95 miles of hiking lead to the most fulfilling experience I’ve ever had. Coming face to face with your own perceived limitations only to realize you still have so much more to give… I was stronger than I thought I was, more willing to seek discomfort than I thought I was willing to and at the end of the day being capable of chasing my own dreams, dreams that I first expected to remain dreams.
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