Paul Ware, a photographer from Monroe, Louisiana, is coming to Loyola to speak about his latest picture collection in Iceland. Ware is talking at Loyola on September 11 in Monroe Library to assist encourage college students to make the most of the J-term research overseas journey to Iceland.
From an early age, Ware knew that nature was his calling.
“I have a ravenous desire to explore around every bend, over every mountain, into every cave. I want to go to the depths of the ocean. I want to explore everything as much and as thoroughly as I can,” Ware stated.
This deep connection to nature intertwines with Ware’s upbringing attributable to his father’s navy service he relocated to completely different environments which developed his love for journey and pictures. “You know, they had Polaroid, and my dad also had some 35mm film cameras, like Canon AE-1. And I remember seeing those and shooting just everything and anything” he recollects.
As a photographer Ware finds success when he takes photos that make folks assume.
“Any single picture in my life that I have ever created causes someone to think more deeply,” he stated.
Being in a position to doc the second permits him to “experience a sense of awe and grandeur,” Ware stated.
For Ware, journey fuels his pictures since he believes that “travel is as essential as breathing.”
A specific place he’s fascinated by is Iceland.
“It feels like you’ve frozen time and stepped into another plane of existence. Out in those remote parts, it’s just you and the wilderness,” he recollects.
Ware shares his expertise with Icelandic tradition.
“It will make you feel small. It’s definitely humbling. The people are incredible, truly. They’re people of few words, but their words have a lot of weight. They’re very friendly. They’re very welcoming. They’re direct. They’re very helpful. They want you to be there. That’s been my experience.”