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Richard Emblin

Pit stop on the way to Kenai, AK.

Alex Strohl Los Angeles, CA | Vancouver, BC Canon EOS 5D Mark II | Bronica RF45

You obviously travel quite extensively. Which place would you say has inspired you to develop your point of view as a visual story teller?

It was a trip to Iceland in 2012 that really made me realize that there was just too much out there to see and experience. We just rented a 4x4 and spent 10 days wandering about the island without a precise itinerary. Back then our trips where more spontaneous but I always try to leave a few aspects of travel to just “luck”.

Please tell us a bit about your involvement in the Alberta 1×1 campaign for Travel Alberta? How did this come about and where has this taken you as a photographer?

We wanted it to feel authentic and organic, like a week-long trip with friends. Another thing we had to keep in mind was the attitude and character of each individual, since we were going to be traveling together for eight days! We also looked closely at the quality, consistency, and tone of their photographs, plus their aptitude to travel and be part of a group. As for the itinerary, we closely worked with ExploreCanada and Travel Alberta to create a flexible road map that would generate a large number of photo opportunities.

At the outset, we were all a little worried about ending up with the same shots at each location, but as the trip unfolded, we all relaxed and everyone did their thing. There was also a strong creative energy that kept us inspired throughout the trip. There were many moments when someone would literally jump out of their seat after seeing something they liked, excitedly asking the driver to stop for a few snaps. It was also fun to share knowledge between us — we all have different methods of scouting, shooting and editing. We all picked up some new tricks and techniques, simply by watching each other work.

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