Follow my dreams and fight for them, had become one of my life rules since a couple of years ago and once again this year,  life showed me that I have been doing the right thing. Early this month, I was invited to visit Raja Ampat on board of a beautiful wooden yacht … Sequoia.

Raja Ampat have been on top of my wish list for ages, specially since I start scuba diving, back in 2008. Although this specific trip was more an out of water photography trip than diving live aboard, after 11 days on board, I couldn’t hide my smile.

Busy with the shooting of Sequoia’s experiences, this time we only had the change to visit the only village during this trip … Yenwaupnor Village, in Gam Island . We woke up at 4am to hike for our birdwatching experience: we were trying to find the famous Paradise Birds (Cendrawasih) dancing. It was still dark when we started and on the way back we stopped in this incredible village that was starting to wake up for a new day.

Around Indonesia, on each island I explore, I’ll find a different “mood”, a different vibe.  The Yenwaupnor villagers, with their skin strongly kissed by the sun and salt water and their face features, almost looked like coming from Africa. The expression of the kids was almost like they were adults stuck in children bodies. They danced and sang for us and by the end they give us the most precious gift … their big smile and welcoming

I felt they never had seen a polaroid camera, as when I took the first photo, they were very shy and some of them run away. Soon as they saw what  it was, they were following me to ask for more.

Hope to go back!!!