The Captain of our military escort was very into selfies, so I had promised him a photo with my camera, which of course led to most of the unit, but it gave me a chance to play with my newest lens: The Petzval 55 Mark II

Life will try to convince you Women don't belong in certain spaces, but in my case, it's not my camera allowing passage into the intimate moments of life, but the cross-cultural bond of women.

My time in Tanzania didn’t seem unique at the time as I bounced along dirt roads photographing Tanzanian families, but looking back I realize it’s significance. I was 17 weeks pregnant at the time and “planning” on not skipping a beat as I entered my own motherhood journey.

Welcome to the highest point in the Atlas Mountains and all of Northern Africa. Located 63 km South of the city of Marrakesh, it’s a popular addition for outdoor lovers visiting Morocco.

“Refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, with the same hopes and ambitions as us—except that a twist of fate has bound their lives to a global refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale.”

— Khaled Hosseini

I drifted in and out forgetting where I was at times, when the sound of somebody being sick threw me wide awake again at 4am. I then clearly remembered where I was and decided to step out of the tent for a starlit view of Everest. I crawled out of the tent to see a stream of headlamps moving across the Khumbu icefall and the stars lighting up the mountain.

LET HER DREAM

I've pushed this idea away over and over, telling myself I do not belong in this space. Then I realized, this isn't about me - it's about HER!

So I decided I’m going to start sharing recorded “interviews” or what I hope can feel more like casual conversations with girls facing adversity in different areas of the world.

At one point Orma told me a story about a girl walking home from school that was too slow for her friends. When Orma found out the girl was walking alone, she told the girls, “Walk Fast, Walk Together.” The quote stuck with me. It represented something deeper in the culture and to women globally.

Nine years and many village sunsets later, I have come to realize how even the best intentions can’t make marketing photos for quality organizations legal. Photographing with the desire to share humanitarian stories, is not always acceptable without a few ethical guidelines.

When you think of Italy you think of driving vespa’s along windy roads, eating the finest Italian cuisine paired with endless wine, art and romance. It’s a country on the top of almost every travelers list. Averaging over 50 million tourists a year.

I never really thought I would be given the chance to see this seventh wonder of the world, yet there I was standing in front of all her glory. The Taj Mahal.

There’s a certain charm about this deeply rooted religious city. Cows wander around every corner and white marble is littered with flowers for Hindu Blessings. It’s grungy, cultural and a solo traveling photographer’s dream!

So here I was asking myself that “why” question while traveling through Iceland with my friend Kelsey. We had discussed every aspect of each other’s lives, but on this day we asked each other…"why do we travel?”

The statistics in India are devastating when it comes to the amount of children being sold into illegal activities such as drug peddling, organ trade, labor, entertainment, adoption, marriage and sexual exploitation.

This is a woman I photographed in Ongole, India that was running her own street side shop in a village. I’m sure she faces far more struggles than I could imagine when it comes to starting a business, but she was so happy to show off her hard work.

The streets in this Indian slum were flooded on my second visit and as I was making my way through the tiny streets I noticed this mother and her child. They were cuddling and laughing, just like any other moment a parent would have.

The By Grace Foundation operates a vocational training facility in Tamale, Ghana. In Ghana, becoming a seamstress is a highly esteemed profession, but is only available to women with capital.

When you feel fear, you are on the threshold of something great. When you step through fear, there is always love on the other side. - Shaa Wasmund

Black and White frames of Rouen and Etretat, France captured on my Minolta x700 with Kodak Tmax100.

We booked a ticket on WOW airlines, rented a van for a week, packed our bags and headed to freezing cold Iceland. There are pros to visiting during the off season, but I have to say...a seven-night camping trip, in freezing temps wasn’t exactly what we expected.