A JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH DIDYER ZARATE

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Didyer Zarate is a London-based creative freelancer passionate about travel, photography, film and cinematography. Take a journey into the unknown with him...

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Introduce yourself (name, current location, profession, passion and what interests you most about travel, etc.)

My name is Didyer Zarate and my current location is in London, England. I am a creative freelancer in the world of Art. What interests me about travelling is going into the unknown and experiencing something new – really taking myself out of a comfort zone; out of something I’m normally accustomed to. That culture difference, the food, the water, the air, and the people. It’s all an incredible experience for me to grow as an individual.

How does photography influence the way you travel and see the world around you?

Your perception can change in so many ways…When I look back at the image I can completely see something different. I love that I can get a different vibe from the image. It also influences me, because one of the things I can do when I take photos is I can harness a particular moment and really enjoy it for what it is – I love that I can do that. It’s almost like seeing it through another eye, because photography is just that.

What sparked your interest to travel to India? Which region(s) did you visit?

I think I’ve always for some reason wanted to go; it just seemed like a completely different country from any other country I’ve ever heard of or been told about – and it was!

I don’t normally like to have expectations of things, but of what I experienced I definitely say it was how I pictured it and more. When I was quite young I already had this image of how India was going to be my mind. Since I was 7, I’ve always been fascinated with it. I think it’s so beneficial for us to learn and grow. I visited quite a few regions; probably about 7 states (including Goa and Kerala). My first time going to India was incredible; the second was just as inspiring.

What has been your favorite approach to photography while travelling? Did you generally strike up a conversation with your subjects or just candidly capture the moment? How did people react to being photographed?

To be honest when it comes to photographing people I’ve had different experiences each time, for example the image of the little Indian girl (where she’s got the bangles on her wrists and ankles). I was mesmerised by her presence, even down to the details of her jewellery, the bunch of leaves she was holding and the textures of the wall. It’s almost as if that moment was synchronistically placed there in order for me to photograph it. These are the magical moments that define my photography.

With some of the other captures, I did have to pay the subjects (i.e. the lady in the green sari with the jug on her head).  She asked me if I wanted to take a picture and of course I was like “yeah!” but then after the picture was taken she was like “you gotta pay”, LOL. There was another candid picture moment of a guy with a turban and a white kurta with a brown jacket. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to have his picture taken, but looking back at the final image, it was the contrary. I’ve been conscious not to take people out of the natural moment, as that can change things. The image just doesn’t become real anymore. I think most of the pictures of the people I’ve taken tend to be candid and in the moment. My photography captures more of a natural organic flow of people’s raw emotion and life experiences.

How did you plan for your trip? How did you navigate between each city?

You know what? I don’t plan for my trips. I’m such a firm believer in going with the flow of time and trusting in the moment because I just feel like it always turns out so much better than planning. Planning takes me out of the now and limits my options, travelling freely and spontaneously is something I am practising more of. This was the state of mind that I preferred to have whilst I was travelling India.

Did you have any expectations or preconceived notions about the culture you would be exposed to? How did they differ from the way the culture actually was?

I had some expectations of India that were met but some weren’t necessarily true; it really just depended on where I was. For example, I didn’t realise there were so many religions and different languages. I also found out that in India some of the names given to certain curries are not the same that we have in the UK; they either don’t serve that dish or the name is completely different.

Please describe your travel experiences (what was the overall culture/experience like?)

When I went to India it was my first time travelling alone. I think my travel experiences usually bring many lessons of the self. Metaphorically speaking it's almost as if gateways of opportunity are open for a new look on life. Looking back to how my life was before, it made me become more aware and conscious of things about myself. When you’re living life on autopilot, sometimes you fall into the same habits of doing things unconsciously. Going outside of the norms of life forces you to wake up and see things in a different light. It changes many things (by choice) and made me think about life in a deeper way – with more gratitude. It reminds me that I am a self-empowered being and you realise with self-discovery that everything will be OK and we have so much to be grateful for. These types of experiences can bring anyone closer to being happier, healthier and more abundant.

What foods did you eat? Did you have any favorite/unfavorable culinary experiences? What kinds of people did you encounter? Etc.).

I ate Indian food in different parts of the country (which had its own type of food). Some of my favourites were naan [bread] with garlic and cheese; also I loved the breakfast servings of the south Indian cuisine – idli [rice-cake] and some of the veggie curries (with chickpeas or lentils).

I wasn’t really a fan of their sweets (which I found waaay too sweet). My least favourable food experience was the spice, to be honest. I’m getting better at it, but unfortunately I don’t do well with food that has too much spice! Sometimes in India I would struggle with this. I remember one experience when I went to a restaurant, I was so hungry and I was hoping that it wasn’t too spicy; I asked the guys for no spice and they were like ‘yeah’. When the food came it was like spice galore!

I encountered all kinds of people from all over the world.

How did this trip differ from trips you’ve taken in the past? What surprised you most about your experience?

Each journey is never really the same for me; they all pretty much differ. I experience many different things on many levels whether that is emotional or physical. One thing I can say that was different was travelling on my own which was challenging at times, but saw the beauty in doing this on my own.  

What surprised me the most? I remember one time when I was in a place called Om Beach, Gokarna (state of Karnataka). I was woken up in the middle of the night, hearing ‘om’ noises and it was almost as if people were chanting outside. Was it the waves creating that sound? I don’t even know, but it was very mysterious and I was fully intrigued.

What would you like people to know about your experience within the country that is little known?

I think I would strongly advice people to make up their own minds about India or any other country for that matter, instead of listening to negativity from the media or even hearsay from others. I heard a lot of this prior to going India but I wasn’t going to let this stop me. In the end I had a wonderful experience! My advice: trust yourself and just go for it, if this is something you want to do then do it and create your experience.

Travel has a tendency to look very glamourous, though that is not always the case. What types of challenges have you had during your trips and how did you overcome them?

I think there is a tendency to experience loneliness whilst travelling by yourself – it’s understandable, but there’s two ways of looking at it. You can either feel ‘lonely’ or ‘alone’ there’s a difference. Being alone - I consider to be a positive state; a time to reflect, be comfortable in your own skin, enjoy the freedom that solitude brings or even just have fun with whatever you’ve chosen to explore in this world. On the flip side, we can feel lonely which is a negative state that tends to need the external approval from others, companionship and material distractions etc. Each challenge being unique to the individual but nonetheless loneliness is absence of others whilst aloneness is the presence of oneself.

What is your favourite/funniest memory from your trips? Is there a particular moment you would relive given the opportunity?

One of my favourite experiences was in Cambodia and it was my birthday! I met quite a few people and the person I travelled with (a close friend of mine) surprised me with a birthday cake and it was so good! We went to a beach called Otres beach, it was such a beautiful experience. Everything about it; I remember feeling so much peace and tranquillity. I had a beautiful birthday – one I’ll never forget. Everything about that experience was great.

Please pick and note your favorite picture you have captured during a trip and share why it is your favorite. This could be anything humorous or interesting that the reader would not know from just looking at the image.

My favourite picture has to be the image of the Indian girl I’ve spoken about previously with the bunch of green leaves in her hand. I just love this image because it really captures the rawness of India. In fact if I could manifest a person that represents India, this would be her. From the green symbolism she carries in her hand to represent the incredible lush jungle and green scenes I have experienced to the innocent vibe she is giving of that I feel also correlates to the innocence this country had to offer.

What’s next for you? Do you have any final words of photography tips or advice?

I am delving more into film and cinematography. I love film and capturing intrinsic moments. I’m currently working on new film projects that will involve a more surrealistic approach. Sometimes I can go into the fields of fashion and music production. I’m an open artist who doesn’t limit myself, and let whatever needs to be expressed through any means of art, whether that be painting or even dancing.

Advice? I find one of the things I’ve come across is that a lot of people tend to doubt their photography based on external expectations, but I think you should just do what you wanna do and be content and happy with what you’ve shot, because there’s so much to an image that you don’t see in that particular moment that later on you’ll see what you’ve captured is beautiful, because there’s only beauty to be captured. Don’t try to make everything feel perfect and right. Do what feels right in the moment and trust that. Enjoy what you do and be happy with that.

You can find Didyer at www.didyerzarate.com and @didyerzarate

Images taken by Didyer Zarate

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TRAVERSING WITH MARTA CAMARADA

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Marta Camarada is a London-based freelance photographer and digital marketer who's passionate about telling authentic stories through her work, documenting subcultures and the intricacies of everyday life. Growing up between Angola, Kenya and Lesotho, she came to London for university. When she's not working/shooting she's planning her next trip, watching ocean documentaries, gaming and spending time with loved ones. 

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Introduce yourself (name, current location, profession, what interests you most about travel, etc)

My name's Marta Camarada. I'm currently based in London and I'm a freelance photographer and digital marketer. I grew up across 5 countries and travelling runs in my veins. I'm into telling authentic stories, outer space, deep sea, and all things to do with Africa, art, and travel.

How does photography influence the way you travel and see the world around you?

Before my love for photography was my passion for travel; I think as photographers we are more attentive to the details around us so that definitely leaks into how I see the world around me. Ultimately I'm a documentary photographer first. I'm always looking around me and almost everywhere you look, even without trying, there is something to capture. I see the beauty in even the most mundane things.

What sparked your interest to travel to Angola and Mozambique? Which region(s) did you visit? How did you plan for your trip? How did you navigate between each city?

I'm from Angola and although I grew up around different African countries Angola has always been home and my parents made a real effort to keep us rooted and close to home. I traveled to Mozambique because my dad was actually working there, so I spent 3 separate Christmases there with my family. My family is big on outdoorsy things, so most of these countries I have seen by car through road-trips – this was our main mode of exploration.

In addition to the capital city Maputo, where I was based, I visited Tofo Beach; an incredibly underrated beach town. There's loads to do here, like snorkelling, diving, surfing, enjoying the nightlife, and a pretty solid health and wellness scene. Another region is Ponta do Ouro in the southernmost part of the country – this is very close to the South African border, so there is a huge South African influence here. English is widely spoken in this part of the country. My favourite part of Mozambique has to be Vilanculos (Vilankulo) a little further North of the country. This has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in the world. I'm talking pristine seas and white sand: highly recommended. It's very close to the Bazaruto Archipelago (a group of 6 islands) and the Bazaruto National Park (a place rich in rare marine life).

Unfortunately, I have not seen as much of Angola as I'd like to (for now), but Luanda is home to some of the greatest beaches in Africa and we're very blessed to have that right in the capital, as it's pretty rare. I've been to Huambo, the second largest city in Angola and the place I was born; it's in the highlands, so the energy is very different to the hot and humid capital. Huambo is quieter and many say that the people's temperament is much different; a lot less of that big city aggression. I've also road tripped around the Cuanza Norte province where my extended family own a farm. So much of the country is empty and it's beautiful to see so much nature – totally raw.

What has been your favorite approach to photography while travelling? Did you generally strike up a conversation with your subjects or just candidly capture the moment? How did people react to being photographed?

A mixture of both. It’s all about assessing the situation. You can't strike up a conversation if you're trying to capture a candid moment because you risk ruining the moment. It all depends on what I'm trying to capture. Often candid shots should just be captured and not interfered with. But I also find walking up to someone and asking for their photo extremely fulfilling; it pushes me out of my comfort zone and it’s a beautiful way to capture something unexpected. When you smile at people they automatically become less guarded, so even if they say no it's a warm 'no thank you'. I've never had someone be outright rude or mean to me asking for a photo as long as my approach was warm and friendly.

Did you have any expectations or preconceived notions about a culture you would be exposed to? How did they differ from the way the culture actually was?

Cuba. I've always wanted to go to Cuba. Angola has very strong ties to Cuba which date back to the 60s where the Cuban army fought alongside Angolans during our civil war. There's still a Cuban community in Angola to this day, so I've always heard wonderful things about the country. My dad is also a huge fan of Cuban music, so Cuba has always felt like a place that's far but connected to us. I didn't really have preconceived notions about Cuba other than it would be totally different to the places I usually travel to, which are mainly in Africa and Europe. What surprised me was how similar our cultures were – being in Havana made me feel nostalgic and reminded me of how Luanda felt when I was a kid. I can't really explain where that came from, but I felt at home in Cuba.

Please describe your travel experiences (what was the overall culture/experience like?)

Cuba was hands down one of the best travel experiences I've ever had! And if I'm being completely honest, my trip to Cuba cemented my desire to take photography seriously. This is one of the best places in the world for street and documentary photography. The people of Cuba were often friendly and open to having their photos taken – it was incredibly inspiring. Cuba is still an affordable place to travel, so friends and I took road trips to Varadero – a quintessential Caribbean beach town, and Viñales - the mountainous part of the country where most of the tobacco is grown. These road trips were arranged with our Airbnb drivers and done in vintage cars – with no seat belts! It was awesome to be able to see the country by road, which in my opinion is one of the best ways to really know a place. Most of our days in Havana involved walking every inch of Old Havana and exploring the city centre. Old Havana felt limitless. We must have gone back 4/5 times at different times of the day and night and still I think there was more to explore, especially from a photographer's perspective.

What foods did you eat? Did you have any favorite/unfavorable culinary experiences? What kinds of people did you encounter? etc.)

Personally I'm not a foodie and food is usually the last thing on my mind when I travel. Food is not one of Cuba's selling points, however I really enjoyed their arroz con pollo (rice & chicken) served pretty much everywhere. It was difficult to find good places to eat in town; the options were limited. I'm sure given the political history of the country it makes sense why this is. But we did discover a little cafe next to our Airbnb in Jaimanitas that specialized in local dishes, and we ate every day. In fact, most of us ate rice and chicken everyday (if it ain't broke don't fix it, aye?) to avoid any disappointments when going into town. The alcohol is also very cheap!

How did this trip differ from trips you’ve taken in the past? What surprised you most about your experience?

What surprised me the most about Cuba was definitely how at home I felt. I was also surprised at the heavy African influence, from the people practicing Yoruba religion to the music to the food. Portuguese is my mother tongue so I could speak broken Spanish; this pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me speaking to people in a language I've never had to speak – I guess you could say I surprised myself in Cuba, which says a lot about this place.

How can travellers contribute to Angola or Cuba while visiting the country?

I think the best way travelers can contribute to any country is to spend money and support local businesses and people. In Cuba for example, instead of paying triple the price for a touristy coach for a day trip, hire a car from a smaller taxi service, speak to people and get recommendations (make sure you're being safe about it). Tourism in Angola is still fairly unexplored, so if you're ever in the country I recommend you eat local, buy from the national supermarket and avoid buying imported goods – these are little things that give back to our economy.

What is your favorite/funniest memory from your trips? Is there a particular moment you would relive given the opportunity?

The first thing that came to mind was my dad on a paddle board in Vilanculos, Mozambique. He lost his balance and fell into the water. I captured every second of it (which unfortunately I can't share), but that's hands down the funniest memory to me.

I'd relive one rainy afternoon in Old Havana, where I split from my group and wandered around by myself taking photos. It was one of those 'time stopped' moments in my life where I was just present and in the moment – it was pretty beautiful.

Please pick and note your favorite picture you have captured during a trip and share why it is your favorite. This could be anything humorous or interesting that the reader would not know from just looking at the image.

This was taken during a road trip in Angola. This little girl was so extroverted and playful she kept running around giggling with her friends, looking at my camera and giggling some more. I asked her for a photo and she didn't hesitate, but her expression changed completely; she got very serious. It was like when a teacher tells you to behave during class, except there was no teacher and she behaved for the camera. I found that so interesting. She was back to her playful self seconds after :)

What’s next for you? Do you have any final words of photography tips or advice?

I'm planning a trip to the Philippines this summer. South Africa in the fall and back to Angola for the holidays! My best advice to photographers is when you have the urge to capture something do it immediately. It doesn't have to be the best photo in the world, don't ignore that gut feeling to take the photo!

For more of Marta's travels and photography, follow her instagram @martymarts92 and check out her website: www.martacamarada.com

Images taken by Marta Camarada

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