Category Archives: Travel Photographer

Top Ten Travel Photos of 2010 | Travel Photographer

By Joshua Seale | Published January 11, 2011

Last week I shared my top ten wedding photos of 2010. This week I thought I would share my top ten travel photos taken during the same year. I might not have traveled as much as I would have liked to in 2010, but I sure traveled to two special places: Lebanon, where I lived in 2006 and a country that remains close to my heart, and Malta, my girlfriend’s home country

If you know me well, you would know how much I love traveling and how instrumental that influence has been on my photography. It was a trip to Brazil in 2007 that convinced me to buy my first DSLR camera, and a trip to Guatemala a year later when I fell in love with travel photography.

When I am in a foreign country, I love walking streets, taking in the different sights, sounds, and smells. I enjoy observing people as they go by their everyday life, their ways and customs often new to me. Much beauty is to be found in such observations and I have indeed encountered beauty in the most unlikely of places, time after time on my travels. Whether it be the slums of Africa or a street engraved with history in Europe, I always spot something beautiful and inspiring.

As aforementioned, in 2010 I had the opportunity to travel to Beirut, Lebanon and Malta. I shot thousands of photos in my short two and a half weeks of travel and so it was hard to pick my favorite ten. Below is my final selection (in no particular order). Some photos focus on the lands, others on their people. I hope you enjoy the selection!

A fruit seller, photographed in Beirut, a common sight in the city.

I especially love the colors of the dilapidated apartment block in this photo,also shot in Beirut.

This young man’s portrait was taken in Beirut. I was photographing a street when he stopped me and asked me to take his photo. Usually, when this happens, the photos tend to be more posed, but I find that this photo allows us to see more than just a man posing for a picture.

One of Valletta’s beautiful balconies overlooking the harbor.

Preparing for night: a lantern in Mdina lit up just before sunset.

One of the many alleys I got lost in while discovering the beauty and mystery of Malta’s fortified old capital city, Mdina.

This night shot of Mdina captures the romance of this city. Even the stars are noticeable on such a perfect night.

Valletta as seen from Birgu.

Birgu’s harbor at night.

Thanks for going through my favorite travel shots of 2010. Please feel free to comment on your favorite.

Tagged Beirut, Humanitarian Photographer, Lebanon, Malta Travel Photography, Travel Photographer | Leave a comment

A Little Vintage Flair | Malta Travel Photographer

By Joshua Seale | Published November 29, 2010

This is officially my last post from Malta until I return, which I hope will happen in the near future. I have truly enjoyed sharing photos taken during my week in Malta, and through them introducing many to this little island in the Mediterranean.

While I was in Malta I was constantly reminded of how historically rich it is. Often I was reminded of old times just by looking at a door, an alley crowded with houses, or an abandoned little chapel by the side of a street. There were many moments when I got carried away, my imagination taking me back to times passed. This is why I decided that, for my last post, I would try to communicate Malta’s historical nature through photos edited to enhance the vintage look I experienced as I enjoyed the island. I hope that you’ll like this last post from Malta.

I found this old van in Mdina’s main square.

The infamous Maltese bus, which is slowly being replaced by newer, more modern busses.

I loved this vent in Mdina…

…and this weathered gate in Valletta.

And to close with, some more photos from my favorite Maltese city, Mdina.

A view of St. Paul’s Cathedral from Fontanella’s Tea Garden, known for its divine Chocolate cake.

Also posted in Malta Travel Photography | Tagged Malta Travel Photographer, Vintage | Leave a comment

People (Part 2) | Malta Travel Photographer

By Joshua Seale | Published November 16, 2010

I have a passion for photographing people. If you spend any time with my portfolio, you would see how this is the case. While I love shooting landscape and architecture, I love the challenge and art of photographing people. Getting close to people with the aim of taking their photo naturally involves a level of interaction, and when traveling internationally this interaction can be challenging due to language and cultural barriers. Also, some people just don’t like their photo taken, and as interesting as I might find them, I have to respect that. Photographing anybody always involves momentarily earning their trust, and the greater the trust that you can earn, the more moving their photo can be.

I have already shared one post of the different people I photographed during my time in Malta. Here is my second collection of favorites.

To start off with, a few photos from Malta’s National Beer Festival:

A well-entertained crowd, watching the beer drinking contest where the winner downed two pints of beer in about eight seconds

An old man sitting on his patio in the village of Burmarrad

Old women walking the streets of Birgu

A musician taking a break in Valletta

The square of Birgu at night

Also posted in Malta Travel Photography | Tagged Malta Travel Photography, People, Travel Photographer | Leave a comment

Windows and Doors | Malta Travel Photographer

By Joshua Seale | Published November 8, 2010

I wanted to share some more photos from my time in Malta this last summer, this time specifically of doors and windows pertaining to houses, cafés and churches. I had a lot of fun these last few weeks editing and developing these photos for my portfolio, and couldn’t resist sharing them.

Also posted in Malta Travel Photography | Tagged Malta Travel Photography, Travel Photographer | Leave a comment

Mdina by Night | Malta Travel Photographer

By Joshua Seale | Published September 29, 2010

This is my sixth and final post about Malta, and my second post on the enchanting, former capital city Mdina. I figured I would start and end my posts with my favorite city in Malta. Nathalie and I are currently saving towards a million dollars to buy one of Mdina’s gorgeous antique houses. It’ll take a while, but alas, these houses do not appear on the market all that very often.

Here is how I previously described Mdina:

“Mdina is a labyrinth of alleys and piazzas, perched on a hill with a spectacular view of the eastern half of the country. It is called the “Silent City,” as only residents are allowed to drive their cars in. Mdina hosted many who passed through the Maltese islands, as did the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Apostle Paul, the Normans, and the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, amongst others.” (The first post can be read here.)

So here is my second set of photos of Mdina, taken my last night in Malta just as the sun was setting. After visiting Mdina on my second day in Malta, during the day, I insisted with Nathalie that I wanted to go back and shoot Mdina at night. While night photography can be challenging, I love what can be captured with long exposures and a bit of creativity. The results that I got were stunning, and what I am sharing with you are some of my favorites.

A horse-drawn carriage