Outdoor/Travel

I think using a 35mm lens encourages you to make more informed, more creative decisions. Even before you bring the camera up, you’re starting to position yourself to include, or not include, certain background elements. You’re making decisions about what’s important—and where to stand to get those important things in the frame. The choices you make help create your point of view. Not to mention the fact that standing closer to your subject helps you establish rapport.

Next time out, take a 35mm lens with you and see what stories you can tell.

One of the camel traders at India’s Pushkar Camel Fair. The background tells the story of who he is and why he’s there

He’s the elder of a small village in the Altiplano area of Western Bolivia. Behind him his wife is weaving a wool garment. Isolation is part of their story, and by standing in the doorway of their hut, I was able to show the area’s vastness and remoteness.

(Bottom): In Yunnan Province, China, these grandmothers come to the school to pick up their grandchildren while their children work the fields. This story is about the relationships of children, parents, and grandparents.

Maynard Switzer’s website (www.maynardswitzer.com) features several portfolios of his travel images.