Hello, friends!

This morning I was pleasantly surprised by being nominated by the lovely Louise from Captured to Share for a travel photography competition! Thanks again, Louise!

“Welcome to the Thomas Cook Explore the Elements photo blogging competition. It’s all about capturing and expressing the four elements through travel photography.

We’re looking for bloggers to publish photographs they’ve taken which best represent one of the four elements. All the categories are open to your interpretation, so you can be free to take a picture of anything you feel showcases your chosen element.

Once the competition has finished our panel of leading travel experts will come together to select the best photos. Each judge will preside over one category picking a winner from each before they collectively choose an overall winner.

The four individual category winners will receive a MacBook Air, a Fujifilm X-T1 camera, or an iPhone 6 with Bose noise cancelling headphones, depending on their personal choice. The overall winner will be awarded an amazing £5,000 travel fund. Keep up with the conversation using the official hashtag: #ExploreTheElements”

For all the competition details, click here.

Below are my four entries:

1. Earth

Represents the hard, solid objects of the earth. Associated with stubbornness, collectiveness, physicality and gravity

This photo was taken at Glencoe, Scotland. The day I took this it was raining hard and it seemed like it would be raining forever. I felt humbled to be in such a beautiful, inspiring place. These mountains are thousands of years old, they have survived all of the elements and changes that have taken place in their lifetime. They are stubborn and solid. You can always count on the mountains being there, they are stable in a world that is constantly changing.

2. Water

Represents the fluid, flowing, formless things in the world. Associated with emotion, defensiveness, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness, and magnetism

Taken during a walk through the Hermitage in Scotland, also known as Birnam Wood in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This river winds through the woods and provides the peaceful sound of rushing water as you get lost in the nature. The fluid movement of the river contrasts against the dark woods around it.

3. Fire

Represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Associated with security, motivation, desire, intention, and an outgoing spirit

This picture was taken in Innsbruck, Austria near the site of the Olympic ski jump. In 2011, I traveled to Europe for the very first time and fell in love with traveling. For the first time in my life I felt like I was part of something bigger than me. This picture represents the fire that was created inside of me, motivating me to keep moving forward, to keep experiencing new things. I learned to be secure with myself and to accept the things that I can’t change.

4. Air

Represents things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement. Associated with will, elusiveness, evasiveness, benevolence, compassion, and wisdom.

I took this during my first hot air balloon ride in my hometown, Kalamazoo, Michigan. We glided over the treetops, over the city, just letting the wind take us away. I felt safe and free, like no one could touch me. It was one of the most beautiful and perfect moments of my life. I wasn’t thinking about school or work, I wasn’t worrying about the time passing. I was just enjoying the moment, living my life exactly the way I wanted to. I learned so much about myself during my short hot air balloon journey and was a much stronger person when we landed.

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Thanks for reading!

I nominate:

kelzbelzphotography 

retireediary 

Travelling the Word Solo 

Flux + Flow 

Travel Defined

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