The holidays provide us with an opportunity to sit back and think about the things that make our lives special. With this in mind, we tasked our Lowepro Storytellers with the mission of submitting photos that embody what “thankful” means to them. Please enjoy these heartwarming images and stories provided by our amazing community of photographers. Have a wonderful holiday!
Thankful by Viktoria Haack
“I am so grateful for my health (having experienced a period of ill heath, I fully appreciate a body that feels well). I’m thankful for the love and support of my family and I am incredibly fortunate to be able to work in a field that I love: The ability to follow my passion and creativity as a photographer is something I am truly thankful for. This self-portrait image encompasses a lot of those things for me: Leading a workshop into the back country of Lake O’Hara this summer, I was lucky to be enjoying this moment of incredible light and beauty with a great group of people!”
Thankful by Daisy Gilardini
“Thankful that there are still some almost untouched places on our Planet Earth! (Antarctica)”
Thankful by Sarah Dawson
“The rainy season was supposed to be over.
I just spent the last four weeks teaching a photography class in Kolkata, India to underprivileged children. There is a lot about that experience that will put life into perspective. This image was taken on my way to class, when the sky opened up and started pouring. No one anticipated the rain, and everyone was scurrying about trying to hide from the downpour. I arrived to my location drenched to the bone.
I chose this image because my camera has afforded me the opportunity to see, visit and experience an incredible array of stories. My time in India can only be described as beautiful, chaotic, exotic, heartwrenching, and heartwarming. I saw some of the most challenging of circumstances alongside some of the simplest and most caring gestures of humanity.
I love this image because it tells a story about when intentions meet circumstances. I’m convinced I’ll never see the world the same after this experience, and I’m grateful that my passion has afforded me opportunities to witness so many of the wondrous things this world has to offer.”
“Who hasn’t been lost, whether literally or figuratively, and eventually found their way home? This month’s mission theme gave me an opportunity to create an image which actually completed a story for Gill-man, whom I simply call Gil. A couple months ago I created an image of Gil wandering hopelessly lost through this same dry, unforgiving area, unable to find his lagoon. So I know for a fact that if Gil were real, he’d be extremely thankful to have finally found his way home.” – Mitch Wu
“Family” can mean the people you are related to, or the adored motley crew of misfits and malcontents one has assembled over the course of a lifetime. I wanted to capture a little of both through this Toy Story image. However one defines it though, ‘family’ is something we should all be thankful for every single day.
The word ‘Thankful’ can have many different meanings depending on the context it’s used in. For me, I am thankful for my family and for my home, which was the inspiration behind these two images. Both images were created using the Canon 5D Mark III paired with the Canon 135 f/2L. I use practical (real) effects in my images, meaning whatever you see was photographed in the scene real time. The only time I might use digital tech to create an effect is if I’m creating a laser blast or lightsaber effect.”
Thankful by David Cheung
“We had stopped for gas as we travelled through the subsaharan African desert when these kids came by to see ‘the foreigners.’ This smiling boy and his make-shift toy made out of nothing more than sticks, a water bottle, and broken slippers reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for.”
Thankful by Matthew Clark
“I am most thankful that in a world that is so switched on, where for the most part most people feel overwhelmed by everything that is at your finger tips, you can still find wide open spaces where very few roam, a place to disconnect from the complex and enjoy life in its simplest form.”
Thankful by Glenn Bartley
“Being out in nature always makes me extremely thankful. Not just because I am lucky enough to be able to go exploring, but also because of the unbelievable wealth of natural treasures and interesting creatures that we share this beautiful planet with.”
Thankful by Rachid Dahnoun
“I am thankful for moments like this, standing under the stars with my wife. I am on the road constantly and we regularly don’t see each other for weeks at a time. When we are together we always try to make every moment count.”
Thankful by Ryan Struck
“For this month’s mission I’m sharing a image of my grandma, Maureen. She raised me since I was younger and I’m incredibly thankful for her being in my life. I photograph my family often when visiting, so it’s like an ongoing body of work. I’ve realized it’s important to have photos of the loved ones around you; I love the snapshot feel of photographing my time hanging with friends and family.”
Thankful by Elisabeth Brentano
“I’m usually most thankful for pumpkin pie and autumn colors in November, but this year I’m especially thankful for my health. It’s amazing how much we take for granted — until it’s suddenly taken from us. Something to think about as we get older, wiser and learn more about ourselves…”
Thankful by Emily Polar
“To go out into the world and feel as if it is my home, for this I am thankful. A relationship that defines whether we feel big or small, connected or disconnected. I am thankful for the experiences that make us feel as one and, most importantly, sharing them. So, if your thing is to take on the world in a speedo, go for it. Don’t let anything hold you back. Share your crazy love, I’ll be there to take your photo. Thank you to those who inspire and break down boundaries between people however they may do it. Get out there and love.”
Thankful by Joseph Roybal
“Each year at this time we come together with friends and family giving thanks. As I look back over the past year up to this point, I can’t help but be grateful on a daily basis for the ability to be outside in God’s creation witnessing landscapes such as these for my job. While photographing this scene along Oregon’s northern coast, I was reminded how powerful and beautiful Mother Nature is with each boom of the waves crashing on the rocks and ocean spray raining down on me. It is so easy to go through each day not paying witness to the simple sights and sounds that make it one to be thankful for.”
Thankful by Shawn Talbot
“At this moment I am most thankful for my family, friends and loyal clients. I am also thankful to live in a time and a place where there is a direct correlation between the effort that I put into my work and the success that I can achieve.”
Thankful by Scott Woodward
“I have lived in Asia for more than 20 years, and I typically see my family just once a year when I return to Canada for a summer holiday. My dad, brother and I share a passion for motorcycles, so a number of years ago we started an annual tradition: every summer we embark on a father and sons motorcycle road trip together – just the three of us, our Harley-Davidsons and the wide open road in front of us. This past June, we undertook our most ambitious two-wheeled adventure yet, riding for 11 days and more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) across four Canadian provinces and five American states. This photograph of us – which I made on the side of the road outside Port-Daniel, Quebec on the rugged Gaspé Peninsula with the mighty St. Lawrence River over our shoulders – is how I will always remember us: joyful and carefree together. And I will always be thankful for these special shared experiences with my dad and my brother.”
Thankful by Frank Lopez
“I am thankful for all those around me, specifically my soulmate who constantly supports me and my art. Inspiring me to work hard, dream big and never give up on what you love. For that, I am truly grateful.”
Thankful by Michael Teague
“There’s really only two things I’m thankful for this holiday season. Well, actually, many things but these two are my absolute stand outs this year. It’s been a crazy past few months for me with lots of twists and turns but one thing is always a constant, my son. As he grows older and becomes a young man I see him less and less. We’re both so very busy and his young life is just taking off. I’m absolutely elated that we get to spend this holiday together and get back to what father and son are and that, simply put, is family. Secondly, I’m just happy to be alive. Since surviving sarcoma cancer in 2012 every year, every month, everyday is a gift. The fact that I can open my eyes and greet another day is all I need for a positive and productive day.”
Thankful by Tara Shupe
“As a large family, (three in the military) all of us being together for the holidays isn’t the easiest task. It’s during this time of year I feel the most thankful for my family and all the crazy family corks, but it was on our adventure in Alaska that the word “thankful” was repeating in my head.
The photo that captured my feeling of being “thankful” was taken with numb fingers and wet camera gear while balancing in a kayak in the Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. My family and I were the only ones out that day, besides a seal playing peekaboo in the distance and we even heard a glacier rumble and fall in the water. The whole day was one of the most surreal moments of my life. It is easy to say I will forever be thankful for that experience and the photos that never let us forget.”
