Having people to inspire you is super important. What’s coming up next is a list of people who inspired me (Eric) during 2017 and I know will continue to inspire me in the upcoming new year! They motivate me to do things, help me be more creative, and challenge me to be better. So here are 5 photographer travelers to follow in 2018:
Camilo J Universe:
I first ran into Camilo’s work while browsing through Instagram pages that feature Colombian photographers or photos of Colombia. Camilo’s work is absolutely amazing, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that he gets featured a lot on Colombian feature accounts. He mostly does night photography with awesome, interesting, creative compositions that make you wonder how he created each image. I’ve actually learned a lot about night photography from live tutorials he hosts on his Facebook page called Universe.
I’m really psyched to see more work from him this new year and to get inspired to get out there and make something myself. That should be a goal, to do more night photography in 2018.
Julia Wheeler:
I ran into Julia Wheeler’s Instagram page recently because I was searching for anything scuba-related. You know how you have a trip coming up and you get obsessed with it? Well, Lala and I were going to Isla Fuerte, and I just couldn’t get my mind off of scuba diving and underwater photography. So Julia’s Instagram came up because she’s a world-class free diver. And that’s not the only thing that makes her cool: she’s also an experienced photographer and loves taking care of our world.
One of my lifetime goals is actually to be able to free-dive alongside whales for over 3 minutes without going up for a breath. To be up close to whales is one thing, but to be able to do it for extended amounts of time is the goal.
I’m psyched to see where Julia goes in 2018, how she captures it, and how she uses her influence to encourage others to preserve our world so that we can follow suit here at Just North.
Roamaroo (Scott & Collette):
I found these guys this year and they immediately pretty much monopolized my attention for a good while. You see, they’re someone to look up to for Lala and I because they’re being successful at something we like to do. They’re a couple, we’re a couple, they like adventure and sports, we like adventure and sports, they travel, and we… like to travel!
On top of just being plain cool, their writing on each little Instagram or Facebook post or every comprehensive blog post is really captivating.
I’m psyched to see where their travels take them in 2018 and to keep learning from them!
Christian Byfield:
I discovered Christian long ago when I first started using Instagram. He’s an inspiring guy: Colombian, quit his job to travel the world successfully, and always smiling. I’ve honestly never seen him NOT traveling and smiling. From his social media, I’ve deduced that he loves nature, loves people, and has a general appreciation for our world – that is something Lala and I, at Just North, want to convey as well, so we look up to Christian and try to follow his lead wherever we can.
A secret hope we have that won’t be so secret anymore is to hang out and collaborate with Christian someday. Maybe that’ll be 2018, maybe not! Regardless, I’m psyched to see all the places he goes in the new year and to continue to be inspired and reminded to smile!
Mari Travesia:
I’ve known Mari since I was 12, when she took me and my family to rappel, and I cried just thinking of hanging off of that bridge (I didn’t rappel that day, but you could say I’ve grown into it). Lala actually works with her right now on Travesia TV! Travesia is the #1 travel and adventure show in Colombia. It’s been a crazy, amazing opportunity for Lala to be able to do what she loves right out of college.
Mari has been all over the world in her 15 years as a traveler, and I’m psyched to see where her adventures take her in 2018, beginning with Curaçao in January. You can keep up with her travels on Travesia’s YouTube channel… you know I will!
Conclusion for 2017: I’m psyched!
That’s a short list of people who inspire me. There are lots more, but that list would be too long! So who inspires YOU?! Let us know so we can check them out!
