Portf lio
Sure Travel Journey: How did your
relationship with photography start?
Samantha Reinders: It started by accident, as
most best things do. My father was an avid
photographer and travel addict. We camped
a lot in the Karoo and the Kalahari. That’s
where I took my first photographs, alongside
him. When it came to studying I really wanted
to do medicine but didn’t get in. Journalism
was always a Plan B. Funny thing, Plan Bs…
Was there a specific moment you
realised “this is what I want to do”?
There was a moment, weirdly enough. For
my third year university project I spent
some time with “rainbow people” in the
forests around Knysna and then more
broadly around South Africa as I travelled
with them for a bit. Spending time with one
of the families in particular made me realise
I wanted to tell stories with my camera, as
opposed to just taking pretty pictures.
How did you get into travel
photography?
I don’t see myself as a travel photographer
specifically – more of an all-rounder; you
kind of have to be. But the travel part of it
comes from a genuine love for exploring –
not only far-flung places, but also my own
backyard.
Do you have a specific idea in mind of
what you want to shoot when you hit
the road?
I try to go with as little planning as possible
and see where things take me. The beauty
is often in the surprise moments and
unexpected encounters. Accept random
invitations. Go with the flow.
What destination has had the greatest
impact on you?
Kathmandu in Nepal. I went for two weeks
in 2011 and stayed for almost a year and
have been going back ever since. I now live
there for three months of the year. There
is a magic there amongst the chaos and
pollution, a poetry of mingled religions and
everyday life lived to the fullest. It’s the
complete antithesis of my life back home on
a Karoo farm. I guess it’s also that contrast
that I feed off.
What’s the most harrowing incident
you’ve experienced while travelling
and shooting?
The second earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015.
That stuck with me.
And the funniest or strangest?
I broke my leg in seven places chasing a
penguin on a remote island. I’ve dunked a
rusk with a Tibetan monk. I had a gorilla fall
on me recently, I’ve had a camel snot on me
and had a gangster shoot at me while I took
cover under a casket. I’ve also flown on Air
Force One.
How would you describe your
photographic style?
Not perfect. So many travel photographers
strive for perfection in their images. I don’t.
I prefer reality. No over-Photoshopped
excellence. Life isn’t cropped or blemish free.
What role do you see social media
playing in terms of being a professional
photographer?
For me it is a great way to have wider
audiences (and editors) connect with my
work. But I think the cons do outweigh
the pros. It makes everyone look like a pro
photographer without showing the ridiculous
amount of hard work that goes on behind the
scenes if you’re trying to make a successful
and sustainable business from it.
Any destinations still on the bucket list?
Both the Arctic and Afghanistan are on my
list. Both are changing so rapidly that I’d love
to tell their stories before they’re gone as we
know them today.
The best piece of advice you could give
aspiring travel photographers?
Read, read, read. Before you travel to a
place absorb all you can about it. Historical,
fictional, current political stuff … anything.
Then set it aside and go. Bits and bobs you’ve
taken in will guide you as you go and make
you a smarter traveller.
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 27