[KELP JOURNAL] These photos are just stunning, Clarissa. Let’s talk technique for a minute, how ever did you capture all these blues?
[CLARISSA CERVANTES] Thanks for the compliment. My appreciation and gratitude go first and foremost to Mother Nature for “all these beautiful blues.” We all live in a “Blue Planet” with 71 percent covered with water; we just don’t realize that on a daily basis! For this photography series, I have incorporated my favorite technique, “to be present at the right place and at the right time” with my photography equipment, letting the composition unfold organically and naturally.
[KJ] Unfortunately Kelp doesn’t publish titles next to our photos (due to space constraints) but titling a photograph is an art unto itself. I was struck by the titles of yours: “Together We Stand,” “Together We Grow,” “Together We Flow,” “Together We Glow,” “Together We Go.” Can you tell me about your process into coming by these names and what inspired them?
[CC] The photography titles were also inspired by nature. Afterall, we are all one with nature, always together, moving and evolving! My vision for the photo series “Together We…” is to raise awareness and make waves for ocean conservationism. Together we can impact the environment around us, through public awareness and support for ocean and marine life conservation and prevention. In our togetherness, we can protect, conserve, and enjoy our natural surroundings. “Protect the ocean and you protect yourself” – Jean Michael Cousteau
[KJ] I am always interested at the intersection of art in people’s lives, I know that in addition to your photography you work as a research associate. Do you think that influences your art? Does it shape how you approach your work or what you choose as a subject?
[CC] Yes, absolutely, as a researcher and explorer, I tend to look for subjects with different lenses, a more detailed approach. Quite often, I’m searching for answers to an initial question to be answered. Photography as a research method can also be a very useful and powerful tool. Research provides a critical framework that illuminates awareness and extends subject knowledge.
[KJ] Origin stories are always fascinating, tell us what is yours? How did you get into photography? How did you become a travel photographer?
[CC] I became a travel photographer and explorer, when my research work started to evolve around the world. My quest also evolved, I not only wanted to document places or beautiful things, but tell stories about people, the environment, and how cultures develop. The world is for sure a big place, but as humans we are more similar than we think; during my travels I see that we all have basic emotions and necessities such as water, love, and happiness.
[KJ] Photographs are often more than a pretty picture, is there something that you hope people take away from your work or a philosophy you are trying to convey?
[CC] Sure, “beauty is at the eyes of the beholder.” My compositions attempt to reflect a sense of place, history, philosophy, and activism, all in one final image. Sometimes, the final composition can also be a beautiful thing!
Clarissa Cervantes is an outdoor travel photographer. Clarissa also supplies freelance travel articles on a variety of travel destinations for newspapers, blogs, websites, and magazines, such as USA Today and LA Times. Clarissa's photo gallery includes unique images from all over the globe, where she finds inspiration to share her photographs with others through creative lens, inviting the viewer to look closer, question, and explore more the world around them.