Travel to LIVE - Giving back along the way - spread HAPPINESS wherever you go.

Greeting fellow steemers & steemer-ettes!
I've been a traveler at heart since 1989 which is when my love of photography & travel began. My name is Conrad, I do hope to contribute much here in the form of sharing my work and thoughts on travel, culture, food and photography.

(Krabi, Thailand - poorly placed ir remote)

I've been very fortunate in that I was able to travel extensively thus far. Among my favorite places are India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Peru, Costa Rica and Cambodia. Each of these places has shaped my world view in some way whether it be through cultural exchange or the sheer beauty of the landscape. (To view them a bit larger, right click on the image and view in another tab/window).

(a little jewel of an island Ao Nang - Krabi)

(Pilgrims at sunrise in Mahabalipuram ask me to do some group photos)

(Ingredients for Crab Curry Fried Rice - I was helping a woman who runs a cooking school in Ao Nang)

(Singapore is the antithesis of places that make my heart sing, nonetheless, it's fascinating & interesting)

Photography is more than just 'beautiful places' that we all want to go to. In 1992, I visited Montego Bay thinking I would just soak up a bit of the good life on the beach. What I found was the hardship going on right next to the airport in a shanty town. I walked through it - slightly terrified, however, by the time I had stepped across the open latrine in the center of town, I'd already been invited to dinner by complete strangers who had just caught fresh barracuda and offered a place to shelter. I learned, one should always walk with an open heart. I also knew, I'd never take another so-called vacation. There would always be a purpose in my travels, in the exchanges with those that I met ...with those that view my work... at the very least, I would try to spread a little bit of happiness via this medium.

While out shooting off the coast of Thailand in Krabi (Ao Nang), I hired a longtail boat to take me out on the water. Lost in translation was that I wanted to be out and not moving at sunset... alas, we were heading to shore and still determined to at least grab a bit of what I saw (including his snaggle toothed pair of shorts)
:

(I offered my sturdy North Face nylon shorts and he graciously accepted them)

Around 9 years ago, I started to give back after witnessing some things that were too stark to just walk away from... I began taking supplies into the landfill in Phnom Penh. Initially I visited with one close friend, Ed. We distrubted around 75 pairs of flip flops and 25kg of rice (woefully inadequate) but we came on motorbikes that time, 50 or so toothbrushes which no one had a clue as to how to use them. In subsequent visits, I would collect some donations at home and later buy the majority of items once in country, I led a small group of people to assist with the group that inevitably shows up when they sense people with good hearts arriving. This allowed me time to document the process. There are amazing organizations still providing ongoing assistance and I've managed to follow a few that have risen out of this lifestyle into one where they are able to flourish.

Have a look at a few of the images:
http://conradolivier.com/albums/steung-meanchey-landfill/

http://conradolivier.com

(all of my imagery will be linked from my website, you'll know that they are my photos)
please respect copyright & if interested in any usage please inquire via the site.
#introduceyourself #photography