Reflections on the Road

A traveling photographer's blog about the world around us, and within us.

30 Years Ago, Leaving On A Jet Plane

By

Me, about to board a flight from Port Moresby to Singapore (May 9, 1990) When you take a picture and then look at it the following week, it’s a straightforward action: you are looking at a recognizable person or place, an event still fresh. But tuck the picture away a while and then pull it […]

Chris Hedges And How To Save A Life

By

Bosnia (October 5, 2013) Sitting early one morning in this train compartment traveling from Mostar to Sarajevo, I wasn’t looking for milk. But it’s very possible that as I looked out at the foggy Bosnian landscape I remembered someone who once was. The story is recounted in Chris Hedges’ book War is a Force that […]

Yes, Here and Here…and Here

By

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (August 2019) A few months ago, while walking on the Kota Kinabalu waterfront in northern Borneo, I met Michael and Santina from Zurich. I liked Michael’s tattoo. And in this picture, I like how Santina’s fingers seem to pull back a curtain to reveal the world. The picture brings to mind […]

9 Photos: 2019 In Review

By

It’s that time of year again, when I inadequately summarize the year that was with a line of statistics based on international travel. Here it goes: In 2019, I traveled for 159 days and set foot in nine countries: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China, and South Korea. […]

Dale Christensen, Medal Of Honor Recipient Killed In New Guinea,Writes A Letter Home In The Event Of His Death

By

Seventy-five years ago this week, Dale Christensen, born in Iowa, lost his life in what is now Papua New Guinea, not far from Aitape. It happened during the Battle of Driniumor River, which took place between July 10 and August 25, 1944. The Medal of Honor citation says that he died in Dutch New Guinea, but […]

Snippets Of Conversation From A Month In Iraq

By

Almost two years ago, in May 2017, I spent four weeks in northern Iraq, meeting an eclectic mix of people, from youthful backpackers to weary soldiers, from Catholic nuns to restaurant cooks. I think often of these people, and am thankful for the small glimpses they gave me into their lives, hearts, and work. To mark the two-year anniversary of the visit, here are eight snippets of conversation jotted down in my notebook:

Keep Some Room In Your Heart For The Unimaginable

By

“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable,” wrote poet Mary Oliver. Much of the news, and sometimes much of our heart, is filled up with frustration, not least when we look at the political situation in Washington D.C. But I don’t want to write about the negative stuff right now. The picture above […]

15 Photos: 2018 In Review

By

It’s that time of year again, when I inadequately summarize the year that was with a line of statistics. Here it goes: In 2018, I traveled for 129 days and set foot in nine countries: the United States, Portugal, Ireland, England, France, Morocco, Spain, Germany, and Switzerland. Compared to 2017, which was 302 days in […]

The Threat To Tweety Bird

By

In the mountains surrounding the Panamanian town of Boquete, there is a rather phenomenal coffee farm called Hacienda La Esperanza. It is run by Jose Pretto, a Panamanian citizen of Italian descent seen in this photograph. We met one day in 2008, two hours into my walk down a curvy two-lane highway, where I was […]