Capturing Each Continent

Traveling The World with Photographer Alex Stead

All photos by Alex Stead

We’ve all seen photos of places we long to visit, and perhaps even places we never considered as travel destinations. And that’s the beauty of photography — allowing us to get a glimpse of a place or moment so far out of our comfort zone, we gain the perspective of what it would be like to stand there and take that picture. Photos that transport you somewhere else entirely, maybe even making you pull the trigger on finally booking that trip. We can thank photographer Alex Stead for encouraging people to travel the world through the power of an image. Having stepped foot on every continent, he is a testament to taking the road less traveled, while also inspiring you to do the same. We were able to catch up with him for the rare weekend he was home to talk all things travel, perspective, and connection. 

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

 

You’ve been to every continent and 72 countries. Across so many cultures and languages, how does photography help bring people together, no matter the differences?

For my work, especially when encapsulating a country to the best of my ability, I focus on the most positive aspects, including the landscapes and the beauty of the country. Obviously, there is a huge range of photographers, and some look at the really heavy-hitting issues and harder points. I have huge respect for the photographers who do this. 

But I really like to celebrate nature and those destinations as best as I can, highlighting the wildlife and nature in a world that is city-based and structured. It is so nice to enjoy the landscape and remind people that there is positivity in the world in terms of exploring. I want to celebrate the world and how amazing and beautiful it is. 

Any advice you would give to somebody picking up a camera for the first time?

Just go do it. Go out and shoot as much as possible. Shoot a range of things; don’t be scared of trying different areas. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do. I tried street photography, car, and studio. Just try as much as possible and go out and fail, then go back and figure out where you went wrong. Look at your work in the harshest possible light, then try again and again. That’s still what I do now. I always review after every shoot and look at what I'm doing well, what I’m not doing well, and what I missed and could’ve done better. And it kills me a little bit inside, but constant reflection on your own work, reviewing it and trying to get better, is key to understanding. 

Instead of thinking, “Oh, I’m a professional photographer, I’m done. I don’t need to learn anymore,” I think it’s always a learning process, and you have to keep learning. 

Serengeti, Tanzania

How do you capture the essence of a place and translate the feeling that you are experiencing in that moment through photography for people who might never get to travel there?

For me, capturing the essence of a place is largely about the light and capturing the scale. It doesn’t matter if it’s a perfect sunset or a storm — I focus on capturing the incredible atmosphere. I also use a number of lenses to capture the scale of places, with people or animals for perspective in a lot of the photos.

 

 

How do the people you interact with behind the scenes contribute to the photos or change the narrative of the photos that you take? 

Especially when I work with tourism boards, it’s very much guide-driven. It’s a meeting point between what the tourism board wants to showcase — the ultimate goal is to highlight the best features and attract people there. But sometimes what they don’t understand is how we do that as photographers, and that time and space in which we create. 

We usually have a guide and a local person, which is super cool because they have usually lived there their whole lives and know the place back to front. Working with local people is super cool, because we usually only have a view of the country based on what we’ve viewed online before we get there. So, having their local knowledge is super good. 

If there isn’t a guide, I’ll reach out to local photographers and try to gain knowledge of the area. Meeting up with local creatives is another way I get to know a place. 

Antarctica

 

And it depends on what kind of person they are, to be honest. A lot of the photographers I meet are similar to me, fairly camera-shy, and are more comfortable behind the lens. And some tour guides are real characters who want you to tell their story. 

I was in the country of Georgia, and we were going up to some of the most remote regions, and the driver was such a character. And I love telling the story of the country, but I was telling it through him adventuring through this region in his car. Sometimes it's cool to highlight those sorts of people and characters who have such a passion for their country and get so excited to show you their region. It’s these kinds of people who really make the journey. 

It’s said that travel is beneficial for mental health and wellness. How has traveling to so many places changed your personal outlook on life? 

I’ve been doing this quite a while now, 10 plus years professionally, and I've been traveling quite a lot of my life, so it always makes me feel very grateful for having been able to see and experience so many locations. I usually travel to about 20 to 30 different places a year, and it makes me feel very humbled and grateful. 

Especially when I do expeditions to more remote areas, those make me really appreciate nature, the world, and the wildlife that we have. Getting really remote reminds me that the Earth is very raw and can be dangerous. Sometimes when you live in your house and in your bubble, you’re in a safety net. And I get pushed outside of that almost every week into a different experience.

Throughout my life, it’s humbled me in terms of the way some people live really tough lives. It reminds me that we have it very well, and I get to see that insight into their lives and struggles, be it political or geographical. But seeing people around the world really gives that perspective. 

Antarctica

A photo of yours that tells the best story.

High up in the Arctic Circle is the incredible surfing spot of Unstad. While I was on an assignment for a company, the CEO joined the trip. Living in California, he was keen to experience another world of surfing. With freezing temperatures, snow, and stormy weather, I just love how this photo captures him taking up the challenge.  

Lofoten Islands, Norway

A project or photo that unexpectedly exceeded your expectations, and why?

I was in Nepal on a tourism trip with the government, and I had just spent a week exploring some incredible places in the west. However, Nepal is famous for Everest, and we didn’t have enough time to head to base camp, as that’s days of hiking. The guide mentioned you can rent a helicopter for the day and explore the area, but the cost wasn’t going to be covered under the tourism trip. 

So me and four others came together to make it happen. It was probably one of the most unexpected and incredible days I’ve had. However, I’ve got to admit it was slightly scary as we reached heights of 21,000 feet over the Khumbu Icefall. When flying back to Kathmandu we also managed to convince the company to drop us off at our next hotel.

Nepal