Why We Should View the World From a Photographer’s Perspective

By: Valeria Ramos

A few years ago, an Instagram post by National Geographic photographer, Matthieu Paley inspired me to view the world from a photographer’s perspective. 

Men and women who make a living behind the camera find beauty in everything that they see, capturing moments and preserving them for future generations. I believe this makes photographers optimists by nature—they see the best in every subject they shoot, be it a person, place, or even an object.

Travel photographers, for instance, have the power to give people a look at life around the world, often from locations not represented in mainstream media. Take Pakistan—a country labeled by the West as a place of war and poverty. From the perspective of photographer Matthieu Paley, however, Pakistan is “incredible” and “often misunderstood.”

“[Mainstream media] can open your mind, amaze you, or narrow it, giving you a false impression of the world, of a people, ” Paley said. “When I hear something bad about a place or a country, I always have one question, ‘Have you been there?’ If the answer is no, I take that opinion with a grain of salt.”

By challenging yourself to view the world as a photographer would, you might be amazed at the beauty you’ll find in even the most ordinary surroundings. More importantly, you could discover a newfound sense of curiosity for your environment and that which lies beyond.

“I want my son to make up his own mind about the world, I will do everything to instill a sense of curiosity in him, of questioning,” Paley said.

In a world dictated by the media, it is important to question everything and, if you can, travel often. 

Follow Matthieu Paley on Instagram @paleyphoto for more travel photography and inspiration.