As a “bule” (the name the local people in Indonesia call to the foreigns) carrying a bag pack full of photo gear and walk into villages and local’s life to get photos can be intimidating (both for me and for them). But somehow, so far, I was able to connect with all of them and capture amazing moments.

The 3 years I’ve been living in Sumba, I developed the taste for cultural photos (specially portraits) and the best way I found to thank them for being so kind and smiling for me, was by showing them their photo in the screen of my camera.

I can say that 99,9% of the times I would get an even a bigger smile than the one I just ended up capturing. Smiles mixed with having a group of locals giggling and laughing by seeing their faces in a screen. Something that it might not happen to often as most of the tourists won’t take a few minutes of their time to show the photos.

These remote places don’t have access to the most recent technology. Their mobile phones are simple, no camera most of the times. The ones with camera, looks like the old Nokia, that we used to play “snake” … small screens and not good quality photos.

Then, between Flores and Alor (Indonesia), after my last photo adventure, the idea crossed my mind. During 8 days, I stopped in even more remote islands than Sumba and I felt that I had to give them something more than a simple glimpse of my camera screen … but I couldn’t.

Soon as I stopped in Singapore to go photo-shopping I new what else I had to buy … a Polaroid camera!!!!!

Now I’m carrying some extra weight on my back, but at the same time is a weight that doesn’t hurt carrying as I know that it will make a lot of smiles on my journey.

This blog is just about that … sharing with all of you the smiles!!