photography

India

India. The word evokes many images. A land of more than one billion people reaching from the vast Indian Ocean to the stunning Himalayas, India is awash in unparalleled color and beauty. Few locales in the world match its stimulating effect on the five senses — the exotic sights, a cacophony of sound, and exotic smells, tastes, and sensations of a vibrant place. The essence of “India” goes far beyond its exotic, and at times mystical, reputation. Its reality is far more complex that its ecologically diverse geography with dry deserts, towering peaks, and subtropical lowlands; ancient history spanning centuries of kingdoms and modern incarnation; and cultural and spiritual enclaves offer the casual eye at first glance. India is a country in the midst of change that honors its rich heritage as it establishes itself as one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing economies in the world. Millions of tourists journey to India each year to see it for themselves, drawn by the lure of Taj Mahal in Agra, the Golden Triangle, the Land of Kings, Rajasthan, Kerala, and elsewhere. Most soon discover that India is so much more than that. It is a home to countless languages, religions, and traditions — even gods. It’s impossible to absorb it all in just one visit. One must take a pilgrimage or a life-changing experience to begin to understand what India personally means.

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Philippines

The Philippines is a land of contrasts. An archipelago of more than 7,100 islands with almost 100 million inhabitants, it is the most Hispanic nation in Asia but a place all its own. From shades of Spanish culture, Roman Catholicism and Islam, American-style malls and fast food, and its very name in honor of King Philip II of Spain, the country has long been shaped by foreign influences. Combined with its indigenous heritage, the Philippines has become a nation diverse and unique. From the millions of Filipinos who work hard around the world to provide for their families back home to the tragedy of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) that devastated the central part of the country in November 2013, the Philippines is a land filled with resilience and hope. Poverty and an increasing sense that life is getting better for most. Beauty and bad traffic. Gorgeous volcanoes that wipe out cities and villages. Delicious food cheap and fattening. Warm and friendly people who live life and make the best of what may come, for better or for worse. If you have the chance to visit the Philippines, take it. But don’t simply head to a beach resort for scuba diving and a tan. Hop in a Jeepney and go off the beaten path. You’ll never know what you’ll find in this incredible archipelago.

A View of Taal Lake and Volcano Island in Tagaytay

2014_04_12 Philippines Tagaytay IMG_9287-1

Sunset over Manila Bay

2014_04_11 Philippines Manila IMG_8095-1

Entrance Gate of Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila

2014_04_13 Philippines Manila Intramuros IMG_9456-1

Kilometer Marker 21 of the Bataan Death March and Mt. Samet on the Bataan Peninsula

2014_04_14 Philippines Bataan IMG_9686-1

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Interview with Writer/Photographer M.G. Edwards

Special thanks to artist, editor and cover designer extraordinaire Elinor Mavor for interviewing me about my book Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill.

Click here to read the article.

Elinor’s blog, Mavor Arts, cover the arts and pop culture as well as various artists, famous and almost famous, sometimes herself, plus talented family and friends. I’m honored that she included me as a writer/photographer. The photos posted were taken by me or my travel companions during our Kilimanjaro climb in December 2010-January 2011.

Kilimanjaro photo licensed from ShutterStock.

About Elinor Mavor

Elinor Mavor is a professional art director, editor, writer and illustrator. She is a longtime contributor of artwork for the advertising, publishing and gaming industries. Her popular blog, Mavor Arts, features articles about her own work plus other well-known and emerging artists. She has been an editor since 1978 and was Editor and Art Director for two famous magazines, Amazing Stories and Fantastic Stories. Since 1982, she has edited magazines, newsletters, brochures and more recently started editing novels and designing cover art for self-published authors. With more than a decade of experience in full service graphic design and illustration, Elinor knows what is involved in designing, illustrating, writing and producing a project from conception to printed piece. Her BEHANCE Network/My Portfolio includes samples of her cover artwork. She welcomes writers who need editing services, including copy editing, proofreading, and critiquing, and/or book cover designs for their books. Click here to contact her.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He is author of Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, a non-fiction account of his attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain and a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories. His books are available as an e-book and in print on Amazon.com and other booksellers. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, on Google+, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.