New on Steemit: Photographer who likes sharing my travel stories and photography tips. Hi all!

"Dude, it feels like the old days of the Internet again," my photographer friend Mikey.

"Really, how so?" I asked.

"I've been posting a lot on Steemit for the past month and people are showing me a lot of love," said Mikey.

"Really? I'll have to check it out..."

That was my introduction to Steemit. (By the way, you should checkout Mikey's posts: @lightenup). So here I am.

Where do I begin? I would like to keep this introduction brief. I have been working as a freelance photographer for a decade, but I really love travel. I have been to every state in the U.S. except for Alaska and Hawaii. I've also traveled to 16 countries and lived for a year in Colombia. That's part of the reason I speak Spanish as well. Recently I decided to create a YouTube channel that shares my travel stories and photography experiences.

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Photography and travel was a natural evolution for me since I had been working as a newspaper writer out of college. I began adding my own photos to freelance articles, and wanted to connect with a wider audience. That is why I decided to move to Colombia and learn Spanish. Living in South America, I learned a lot more than that. It gave me a new perspective on life I never saw living in the United States. I still feel like it was one of the best things I ever did. At the time I began taking photography seriously and started a blog, which is still online here: http://www.lifeofbrett.com 

Recently, I have been working on a photography project about tobacco farmers  in Cuba, which you can see here: https://brettgaramellaphoto.com/habano-men

Some of my most enjoyable shoots have been working on personal projects in rural areas of Cuba and Colombia because the people I photograph have the values and character traits I admire most - hard work, persistence, remaining humble, and helping others. This is why I admire Estaifan Shilaita. Who is this man? I met Estaifan spontaneously in downtown Chicago. He is taxi driver who was waiting for a ride, and we began talking. His story was an improbably one - growing up as Iraq's best light heavyweight boxer and soccer goalkeeper - but I later discovered was completely accurate. After meeting his family, I was convinced his story needed to be heard. Fast forward several years, and the short film I co-directed about Estaifan's life qualified for an Academy Award and is featured on National Geographic: 

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Every project I work on, I try to make it better than anything I have done previously. I believe this is the best way to expand as an artist. I also believe it is important to surround yourself with talented and supportive people. For this reason, I am glad to be a part of the Steemit community, and I look forward to meeting you and seeing what you are doing. I don't believe we have to have the same interests or work to be inspired... inspiration is everywhere if you are open to it!