Photobloggers Exposed: Photographers From Around the World

One of the amazing attributes of the Internet is its ability to bring together people from all over the world.  Never before have we been able to so easily chat with a friend on the opposite side of the planet or see how life is lead in a strange land we likely will never visit.  The Internet allows us to go from New York to London and from Cairo to Beijing, to see the sites and glimpse the culture, all with just a click of the mouse.  

Photobloggers from around the world are sharing their lives and interacting with each other, shrinking our planet.  One day we may all be homogenized, but until then a brief trip around the world through photography can open our eyes to new lands. 

Photographer Lee Gribbon is an English teacher living in Japan, in a small, rural town not far from Takamatsu on the northern coast of the island Shikoku.  A native New Zealander, Lee is spending three years teaching in Japan absorbing its rich culture and documenting along the way with his camera. 

Lee’s interest in photography began at age 18 when he borrowed his dad’s Olympus OM-10.  He was instantly hooked. Despite many unsuccessful endeavors, Lee continued to shoot. He finally saw a vast improvement in his work and felt much motivation after purchasing a digital SLR.  Now, six years later, each image created by Lee is a masterpiece of diligence. 

Being far from home, a photoblog is a fantastic way of sharing new adventures with friends and family left behind. After a suggestion from his brother, Lee decided to take his curiosity in web design a step further by designing and coding his own site. Decoys Like Curves is a voyage through a land unknown to many and a journey through the mind of a man who enjoys the solitary life he is now leading in Japan. 

Lee’s photos reflect his feelings of being on the fringe of a society that prefers he stay there.  A stranger in a strange land, Lee explains, “Japan is a fascinating country to live in due to it's relatively closed nature to foreigners…I have never, ever once felt like I was anything but an outsider, although I'm happy with that arrangement.”   Despite depicting Japan with such integrity and grace, his images often feel like they are from the perspective of an observer rather than a participant.   

Article Author: Chantal Stone

Chantal is a professional Wedding & Portrait photographer based in Central Ohio. Her portfolio can be seen at Chantal Stone Photography. She also maintains a blog, where you can see much of her recent work, and a not-updated-nearly-enough photoblog.
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