Posts Tagged ‘photography travels’

FairMail Photography Trip – Huaraz 2018

Tuesday, October 9th, 2018

January and August are without any doubt two special months for FairMail. We all look forward to these 2 months with anticipation because it’s when we leave the desert Peruvian coast behind and we embark on some crazy adventures on the Andes or in the jungle.

We spent the first week of August exploring the Ancash Region on the Peruvian Andes. FairMail photographers Paul, Melany, Julissa, Medalit and Gerardo went on the trip and we were also joined by a group of 5 travelers from Germany, Switzerland and Italy.

The Ancash region is home to some of the most breathtaking snow-capped Peruvian mountains that make up the Cordillera Blanca and it offers a strikingly varied scenery and we surely weren’t short of opportunities for fun!

We climbed up to 4300m, bathed in thermal baths, paid tribute to Mother Earth with the Pachamanca ceremony, learned about local culture and history, we took a lot of pictures and most importantly…we had a lot of fun!

We now hope that many of the pictures that the FairMail teenagers took will become cards soon!

Click here to watch the video of the trip.

If you want to join us on our next adventure, read here.

Video report: Photography Trip to Northern Inca Empire

Tuesday, September 19th, 2017
The group that travelled to the Northern Inca Empire

The group that travelled to the Northern Inca Empire

The FairMail Peru team has just returned from an epic photography trip into the Northern Andes. In the area around the northern capital of the former Inca empire the teenagers travelled together with a group of Italian, American and Dutch photography enthusiasts looking for the best images of local beauty.

This 4-minute video gives a good impression of their visit to former Inca ruins, waterfalls, thermal baths and an authentic bull market.

Click here if you want to travel with the locals too and join us on one of our next photography trips.

Information Session FairMail Photography Trips to Peru

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
Juan Gabtiel showing his pictures to the local youth

Juan Gabtiel showing his pictures to the local youth

On Saturday the 20th of May we are organizing an information session about FairMail’s photography trips in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The program starts at 4.30 pm.

During the event we will explain the concept of the FairMail Photography trips in general and go into detail about the specific upcoming trips. Also you can ask any questions you might have and meet other interested participants who might be coming along.

Registration for the event is required and possible via this link.

Photo report Photography trip to the “lost empire of the Chachapoyas”

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
FairMail photography trip to aChachapoyas

FairMail photography trip to Chachapoyas

In January 5 of the Peruvian FairMail teenagers set off to the Peruvian cloud forest.  Accompanied by 5 enthusiastic photo amateurs who had booked a place to come along on one of FairMail’s photography trips.

The destination of the trip was the “Lost Empire of the Chachapoyas”, a beautiful area in the North East of Peru where the Chachapoyas civilization reined until 500 years ago. They were one of the few civilizations not to be conquered by the Inca’s. In this area you can find the second highest waterfall of the world, a bigger, older and higher lost city then the famous Machu Picchu in the South and over 60 mummies from high placed officials.

FairMail Photography Trip to Chachapoyas

FairMail Photography Trip to Chachapoyas

All in all a beautiful area to take pictures together. Of the nature, the local people and of the teenagers’ ideas for new fair trade greeting cards of course! You can watch the photos of the trip on FairMail’s Facebook page or you can watch the video of an earlier trip to Chachapoyas here.

Are you curious to find out travelling with FairMail is an option for your next holiday? Then register for our next Information Session about our photography trips.

The Cacao Route – Photo documentary

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
Children of cacao producers from the Peruvian Amazon showing their parents harvest

Children of cacao producers from the Peruvian Amazon showing their parents harvest

In August the Peruvian FairMail teenagers made an unforgettable journey along North Peru’s Cacao route (see video here). This not only provided a unique insight into the “From Bean to Bar” chocolate producing process. But also resulted in a photo documentary series with amazing photographs of the various production stages and inspiring stories by the cacao bean producers.

From Coca to Cacao

We all got quite inspired by the story of the founder of Mishki Cacao, a female run chocolate producing cooperative. During our visit to their artisanal chocolate factory she explained about the prior negative influence of coca cultivation in the area. This raw material to produce cocaine was an attractive cash crop for many farmers of the Amazon. Unfortunately, the presence of drug traffickers and -producers created an atmosphere that made it difficult for the women to keep their sons and husbands on the right track.

Cacao beans after drying

Cacao beans after drying

Cacao cultivation was introduced as an alternative source of income, but unfortunately not as profitable as coca. Unless added value could be created in the form of local chocolate production. With this mission in mind the women fought hard to make their dream reality. Now they have their own professional production facilities, sell their chocolate all over the country and have won international awards for their chocolate’s quality.

From Bean to Bar

Apart from visiting and photographing Mishki Cacao, the FairMail teenagers also visited the factory of La Orquidea which produces organic chocolate for the export market. And they visited the friendly cacao producers in the jungle village of Tununtunumba to learn more about cultivation and post-harvesting.

Production of organic cacao

Production of organic cacao

Chocolate Photo Series

The teenagers’ images have resulted in a beautiful photo series telling the story behind the delicious chocolate. This photo series is now available for photo exhibitions, marketing campaigns, year reports and chocolate packaging.

Please contact us if you are interested to learn more.

One of the friendly cacao producers from the Amazon village of Tununtunumba

One of the friendly cacao producers from the Amazon village of Tununtunumba

Video FairMail photography trip “La Ruta del Cacao”

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
FairMail photography trip

FairMail photography trip “La Ruta del Cacao”

In the end of July 5 of FairMail’s teenage photographers set off for a 10 day photography trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Together with 6 photo fanatics from the USA, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands they followed the “Cacao Route” learning all about the cultivation, harvesting and processing of cacao. Besides taking amazing cacao photos for our stock photography clients they also worked hard on images for FairMail’s new greeting card collection.

Watch photo’s of the trip here or check out this short video to get an impression of the amazing trip:

Information session FairMail photography trip

On the 8th of October we are organizing an information session for those interested in coming along with us during one of the next trips. Read more here.

Information session FairMail photography trip on 8th of October

Monday, June 27th, 2016
Taking pictures of the local beauty together with FairMail's teenage photographers

Taking pictures of the local beauty together with FairMail’s teenage photographers

Is Peru also on your bucket-list for holiday destinations?

The best way to get to know the real Peru is travelling together with the locals: the FairMail teenagers. During FairMail’s photography trips you travel together to off-the-beaten-track destinations in Northern Peru, sharing the joy of taking pictures of the local beauty you encounter.

For those interested to learn more we are organizing an information session about FairMail’s upcoming photography trips on the 8th of October in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Read more about FairMail’s photography trips here or register to participate by clicking here.

Or check out the video of January’s trip into the cloud forest:

Video report: FairMail photography trip to the Peruvian cloud forest

Thursday, February 4th, 2016
Helping Diana to take her perfect picture

Helping Diana to take her perfect picture

Right after New Year the entire FairMail Peru team set off on a 10 day adventure into the Peruvian cloud forest.

Tucked away in a river valley on the Amazon side of the Andes mountains, this destination offered all we needed: Beautiful nature to be used as background to shoot great pictures for the new card collections, descending into deep caves and long muddy hikes for some serious team building, the world’s second highest waterfall which the teenagers would otherwise never be able to see as family holidays are a luxury which can’t be afforded and hot thermal baths for some fun and relaxation after all the hard work.

This short video gives a good impression of the great fun we had, the beautiful landscapes we saw and how hard and motivated the team of teenagers, volunteer photography trainers and staff worked on bringing home some great shots.

If you want to join us on our next photography trip to the Peruvian Amazon in July read more here or join us during our next information session on FairMail’s photography trips.

Information session FairMail photography trips

Thursday, February 4th, 2016
FairMail photography trip: Travelling with the locals

FairMail photography trip: Travelling with the locals

Did you ever dream about visiting Peru one day, but want to stay away from the “gringo trail” and mass tourism? Then why not travel with a fun group of locals: The FairMail teenagers?

Helping the FairMail teenagers with their fair trade pictures

Helping the FairMail teenagers with their fair trade pictures

Twice a year FairMail organizes photography trips to “off the beaten track destinations” so the teenagers can be inspired to take pictures in new places. Per trip we invite 5 foreigners to join us.

Feeding our group with positive energy, sharing a passion for photography, fair trade or slow tourism and willing to help the teenagers shoot pictures for their fair trade greeting cards that will actually sell to customers in the countries where the travelers come from. A unique travel set-up, that’s for sure.

Travelling to beautiful off-the-beaten track destinations

Travelling to beautiful off-the-beaten track destinations

For those interested to find out if a FairMail photography trip fits them we are organizing and information session on Saturday the 30th of April at 15.00 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. If you would like to join us please contact us for more details.

Do have a look at the video below of our latest trip into the Peruvian cloud forest to see what our photography trips are all about:

Information session FairMail photography trips

Wednesday, September 16th, 2015
Urville and Diana taking pictures together on the market.

Urville and Diana taking pictures together on the market.

A unique opportunity to practise your hobby at the most fantastic locations, together with special people while being able to share your personal knowledge and experience with the most special people of all: the FairMail teenagers.” is how past participant Roel from the Netherlands describes his experience travelling with the Peruvian FairMail teenagers last month.

His fellow traveller Urville adds: “During the trip I enjoyed the places we visited, the food, the local inhabitants, the weather but most of all the interactions within the FairMail group. We really had so much fun together. It was great to see how motivated, enthusiastic and eager the FairMail teenagers go about with their cameras.”

To find out if FairMail’s photography trips would be just as much fun for you as they were for Urville and Roel, we are organizing an information session on Saturday the 10th of October 2015 from 15.00 to 17.00 in Amsterdam. If you are interested contact us here.

Check out some of Urville and Roel’s pictures of their trip with FairMail here.

Or watch the video of January’s trip here: