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willspencer

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Apr 30

Hello friends. Long time no see.Much has happen

Hello friends. Long time no see.Much has happened since my last post in 2019. Many changes, transitions, growths, losses, and new beginnings.Since that time I haven’t been sure of my relationship to my travels, or travel in general. 2020 wasn’t exactly the best year for it.But it seems that travel isn’t done with me.I’m currently beginning a cross-country road trip of the US, fulfilling another lifelong dream.So expect more images to come, like this one of Mt. Hood in Oregon using my new iPhone 12 Pro. I’ll also be posting images from the Sony a7 platform.The road goes ever, on and on...#mthood #oregon #washingtonstate #pacificnorthwest #usa #usa🇺🇸 #america #americanwest #roadtrip #usaroadtrip #vanishingpoint #catchyourdreams #adventureclub

Nov 22

One of the most marvelous things I’ve experience

One of the most marvelous things I’ve experienced in all my travels: the nightly Ganga Aarti ceremony in Varanasi, India. I went every night when I was in the city, and made a special trip back just to experience it one last time. So full of warmth, love, sincerity, unforgettable music, and genuine appreciation for this holy, life-giving river. (February 2019)

Nov 14

When you gotta nap, you gotta nap. A Sadhu has a l

When you gotta nap, you gotta nap. A Sadhu has a little lie-down on a bench along the banks of the Ganges River, in Varanasi, India. (February 2019)

Nov 8

One of India’s estimated 35 million stray dogs,

One of India’s estimated 35 million stray dogs, in Varanasi.
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These dogs are in a terrible predicament. On one hand, like all dogs they crave and are wired for human companionship and affection. But on the other, they become defensive and may even bite if approached or touched.
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They want to love and be loved, and yet can’t open up and allow themselves to be. Perhaps we all can relate.

Nov 1

A Naga Sadhu holy man on the banks of the Ganges R

A Naga Sadhu holy man on the banks of the Ganges River, in Varanasi, India. (February 2019)

Oct 25

A boatman on the water of the sacred Ganges River,

A boatman on the water of the sacred Ganges River, outside the city of Varanasi, India. (February 2019)

Oct 16

A man strolls past a row of colorful tapestries ne

A man strolls past a row of colorful tapestries near the entrance to the fortress city of Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan, India. (January 2019)

Oct 10

Afternoon commutes in Sri Lanka are a little diffe

Afternoon commutes in Sri Lanka are a little different... and just a touch more unpredictable. 🐘
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(A family of elephants crosses the road at Minneriya National Park, near Sigiriya, Sri Lanka – February 2019)

Oct 4

Thanks for coming along with me on this little tou

Thanks for coming along with me on this little tour of the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage in India this past February. Obviously in an event of this size and scope, there’s so much more to see, and to share. But since I’m a traveler and not a photojournalist, I tended to spend more time with my camera holstered, enjoying and being engaged with the moment. But I encourage you to look up more information about the #kumbhmela and see more sides of the festival than one man can capture.
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Plus, there’s another one coming up in just 2 years, in Haridwar, India. And in 2025 is the Maha, or “Great” Kumbh Mela, back in Prayagraj. That’s the big one. The 2019 Mela, with its 150 million attendees? That’s just a “half” Mela. No big deal.
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So, see you in 2025, maybe? 😉
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(A man out for a post-shopping stroll. Kumbh Mela – Prayagraj, India – February 2019)

Sep 26

The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu Pilgrimage that legend s

The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu Pilgrimage that legend says is thousands of years old. More than a hundred million people attend. I was curious and a little scared of what that might look like. A giant campout? Patchwork chaos of tents of various sizes, and herds of sprawled and sleeping bodies? And what would the facilities be like? Would there even be any?
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As it turns out, the Kumbh Mela was one of the more organized cities of India, with electricity after sunset, extensive metal-plank lined roads for cars, solid 4G mobile coverage everywhere, and even running water for manual-flush toilets! All this was set up and executed on the flood plain of the Ganges, ready to be torn up and moved away before the annual summer rainy season.
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Kumbh Mela Road – Prayagraj, India (Feb 2019.)

Sep 19

Taking a brief break from my series on the Kumbh M

Taking a brief break from my series on the Kumbh Mela to let my readers know that yes, I’m still working on my blog. But some (positive) life stuff has gotten in the way.
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So, like this man watching the sunset on Arambol beach in Goa, India, please stand by. 😎
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See my blog for more. (Link in bio)

Sep 10

Another Ganges riverside scene, at the Kumbh Mela

Another Ganges riverside scene, at the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage in Prayagraj, India this past February.

Sep 4

At the Kumbh Mela, bathers can choose to walk dire

At the Kumbh Mela, bathers can choose to walk directly into the Ganges from the shore, or take a boat to a more auspicious spot in the middle of the river, where the Ganges meets the Yamuna and the mythical, mystical Saraswati.
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Here, a friendly boatman smiles at the opportunity to earn a few more rupees at the end of a long day ferrying pilgrims on his old rowboat.

Aug 29

I really didn't know what to expect from the Kumbh

I really didn't know what to expect from the Kumbh Mela. Would it be a solemn affair? Sacred and prayerful, like a Catholic mass? Would I be overwhelmed and out of place at the massive Hindu pilgrimage, considering I knew so little about the religion?
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Well like most things in India, it turns out I didn't need to worry. The event felt more like a celebration than I could have imagined.
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Whole families of several generations – grandparents, parents, children, even babies – travel from across India to bathe in the confluence of three rivers: the sacred Ganges, the Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati. While there were religious elders and holy men offering prayers with pressed hands all five times I went for a dip, most of the bathers were laughing, splashing, and playing in the water like it was a waterpark, especially the boys. Gangama enjoys a good time, too!
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I will say, though, as a six-foot-plus Westerner at the biggest Hindu festival of all, I did get used to curious stares everywhere I went. Standing by the banks of the river and disrobing down to my underwear was probably one of the most awkward experiences of my life. "Is everyone staring at me? Yep everyone is staring at me."
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Fortunately I had my good friend Jensen @jayananda_jensen with me to take on some of the stares. During our long walks down to the river from camp, we'd continue our spiritual and philosophical conversations, exploring the mysteries of life that make the individual stories of millions of people, including us, flow together like so many rivers.

Aug 21

Before I share my Kumbh Mela photos, I need to tha

Before I share my Kumbh Mela photos, I need to thank someone: Paramahansa Yogananda.
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While in India, my local friends encouraged me to visit the festival. But for some reason I never felt the desire. Then on a train while reading Yogananda's classic book "Autobiography of a Yogi" I felt a sudden, intense flash of inspiration that I needed to attend.
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I'd have to cut short my Sri Lanka trip, work out how to get to the festival, and where to sleep, eat and even start at the pilgrimage of millions. But even though I had a choice, I had no choice.
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At a cafe a week later I met an American named Craig. He seemed to be glowing, with white robes, white hair, and full white beard. We started talking, and I mentioned I was reading "Autobiography." He said he had been a disciple of Yogananda's for 40 years, and led tours to key sites from Yogananda's life. Stunned, I mentioned that I planned to visit the Kumbh Mela after reading the book.
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Craig said he'd happily connect me to Yogananda's organization, the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) that runs an organized camp at the festival. I'd sleep in a shared tent, share three veg meals a day, join them for scheduled baths in the Ganges, and sit in English lectures and meditations. In an instant, all my concerns were erased.
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The main photo is of the meditation tent at the camp, as YSS members meditate before images of four sages: Yogananda (bottom) and his gurus, Lahiri Mahasaya (left), Sri Yukteshwar (right, obscured), and the mystical saint Mahavatar Babaji (top).
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The blessings continued. Hours after arriving at the festival, while walking to my first pre-dawn dip in the Ganges, I met my soul-brother Jensen @jayananda_jensen , a graduate student from California and a disciple of Yogananda's for a decade. He'd been at the festival for a month. We spent the next 5 days together, bathing in the Ganges, walking, and enjoying rich conversations about life, philosophy, and spirituality. His friendship was (and is) a true gift, and I would have been lost without him.
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But I wasn't lost at all, due to the blessings of the Guru and the spirit-family of beautiful people that surrounds him. I am eternally grateful. 🙏

Aug 5

Hi friends. Long time no see. . I’ve been taking

Hi friends. Long time no see.
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I’ve been taking a much-needed break from social media. And I’ve been going through some life changes, which I’ll get into soon.
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In the meantime, I have dozens of photos I’m excited to share from my time in South Korea, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
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For the next few images, I'll explore my February visit to the Kumbha Mela, the world’s largest religious gathering, in India. This year, more than 150 million people – that's million with an M - attended the 55-day festival. I was one of them.
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India can be pretty surreal, but arriving via train to the nearby town of Prayagraj in the middle of the night was an overwhelming experience. I felt transported to another world as I got caught in the flow of thousands of pilgrims walking the final leg of their long journey to bathe in the sacred Ganges river, each hoping to arrive in time for an astrologically-auspicious dip.
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The festival was no less otherworldly. Dust, traffic, incredible crowds, the amplified sounds of Hindu prayers echoing over the grounds day and night, the ashen nude bodies of holy men, and the fact that I was one of the perhaps handful (?) of Westerners in attendance contributed to an adventure that will live with me for a long time.
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Oh and the airline lost my backpack on my way to the festival. All I had was a sleeping bag and one change of clothes I managed to acquire before getting on the train. But how much more does a pilgrim need?
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The festival is too big to capture in Instagram's 1x1 square, so each image will have a small crop, and you can swipe to see a fuller perspective.
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Like of this holy man. He may be just one anonymous face of millions, but after all, wasn’t I?

Jun 17

Hi friends. It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? My

Hi friends. It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? My travels through India and Nepal were so intense and demanding, I didn’t have much energy to give to my creative outlets, like photography.
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But now I’ll be stopping for awhile, and have some time to relax and express myself, like in this photo.
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Because at sunset in the Tahr Desert outside Jaisalmer, India, everyone gets a chance to discover their inner Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. (January 2019)

Apr 10

The rock fortress Sigiriya – aka ”Lion Rock”

The rock fortress Sigiriya – aka ”Lion Rock” – rises out of the jungles of the Matale District in central Sri Lanka.
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This remarkable sight is listed as UNESCO’s Eighth Wonder of the World. Seeing the column towering 200 meters / 600 feet off the otherwise-flat jungle floor, it’s not hard to see why. (February 2019.)

Mar 21

I left San Francisco on March 21, 2016, destined f

I left San Francisco on March 21, 2016, destined for the world. People say 3 years on the road have changed me. I guess I don’t see it?
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Anyway, greetings from the Holi Festival in India! A little birdie told me the stars are yours. All of them. If you want them. Don’t take no for an answer.
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Especially from yourself.
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🌈🚬

Mar 10

Four monks pray at a statue of Buddha in Sarnath,

Four monks pray at a statue of Buddha in Sarnath, India, where Buddha delivered his first teachings after attaining enlightenment.
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Called “The First Turning of the Wheel”, his lecture explained the Four Noble Truths, one of the core concepts of Buddhism.

Feb 26

The majestic Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, also know

The majestic Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah, also known as the “Baby Taj”, outside Agra, India. (November 2018)
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Shot on Sony α6300 with the Sigma 16mm Contemporary Lens

Feb 25

A man sits by the entrance to one of the spectacul

A man sits by the entrance to one of the spectacular Ajanta Caves, near Aurangabad, India.
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To call this a “cave” is somewhat a misnomer. It’s actually a Buddhist temple carved straight into solid rock. Those pillars and everything else inside this hall (and the others like it) were painstakingly crafted over seven centuries, between 200 BCE and 500 CE. That’s more than 1500 years old.
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The scale of the construction, craftsmanship, and devotion alone are hard enough to grasp. But add in the age of Ajanta, and the experience of these monuments ascends into the incomprehensible.
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Shot on Sony α6300 with the Sigma 16mm Contemporary Lens.

Feb 17

A man somehow finds a quiet moment to read the pap

A man somehow finds a quiet moment to read the paper just before evening rush hour at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Rail Station in Mumbai, India – one of the busiest train stations in the world.
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I fought for this shot. It was worth it.
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(Sony Alpha 6300 | Sigma 16mm DC CN | 16mm | 1/640 at f2.0 | ISO 400)

Feb 17

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Can

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Can you name a time when you were pushed so far beyond your limits that you were forced to reassess yourself and what you’re truly capable of?
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On my travels I’ve had several moments like that. But none have been as powerful as the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute’s Basic Mountaineering Course, which I completed in December 2018.
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To explain why HMI was so challenging is itself a pretty big task. So to begin, I’ve posted the first of three blog articles about it. This one sets the stage for what was truly a world-changing experience.
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Read more at willspencer.co/hmi1 🗻
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Photo: Sunrise over Dzongri Camp in the Sikkim Himalayas, in eastern India, November 2018.
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Shot on Sony Alpha 6300 | Sony 18-135 f3.5-5.6 OSS | 18mm | 1/1250 @ f4.0 | ISO 100

Feb 11

As humans, it’s rare to have meaningful encounte

As humans, it’s rare to have meaningful encounters with creatures significantly larger than us. Probably because most of those creatures would try to eat us.
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And the rest, well, they’re afraid of us eating them.
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Rescued elephants are a rare exception, and to be around one (or many) is a remarkable experience. They radiate a tranquility that fills the space around them. Sitting nearby, I just wanted to sip my tea quietly as my thoughts evaporated.
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I also understand now where the phrase "an elephant never forgets" comes from, because to look into their eyes is to see a deep non-verbal wisdom, coupled with a childlike curiosity and innocence.
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Sony Alpha 6300 | Sigma 16mm DC CN | 16mm | 1/1600 sec @ f1.6 | ISO 100

Feb 7

The serene visage of the Standing Buddha of Ghanda

The serene visage of the Standing Buddha of Ghandara, carved in the first century BCE, radiates its transcendence in the National Museum of New Delhi, India.
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Sony a6300 | Sigma 16mm Contemporary Lens | 1/60 at f1.4 | ISO 800

Feb 3

On the occasion of my 800th Instagram post, some p

On the occasion of my 800th Instagram post, some personal thoughts:
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I am proud of my IG account. It reflects my values in being about the world and not about me or my face.
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It's also an accurate representation the places I've been, and the things I've seen and done. I love it as a detailed travelogue of my journey.
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And it's thrilling to see my creative growth. I never thought of myself as a "photographer.” I just like sharing the world as I see it. But though your encouragement, I see now there's a bit more going on. And as my own harshest critic, it's a big deal for me to say that.
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So in October of 2018, I invested in my first "real" camera: a Sony Alpha a6300 with two lenses, a 16mm Sigma prime and a 18-135mm Sony zoom.
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Moving to a mirrorless camera was a major step, adding weight, bulk, and value to my travel baggage. But if I wanted to expand my creative possibilities, I needed to take it.
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I’m glad I did, because I’ve been having a blast. Never underestimate the benefits of an optical zoom and a fast piece of glass.
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But I haven’t developed a workflow to get my shots out of Lightroom and onto Instagram, where you can actually see the photos.
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So on the occasion of my 800th post, I’m taking another big step and going public. For the next 50 photos, I will post images from my a6300 only.
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The great shots on my phone will go unused, and I'll be posting some images out of chronological order. But success in any endeavor requires effort, discipline, and sacrifice. I’m ready to take those steps too.
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Please wish me luck, and enjoy. Thank you for all your support. And feedback is absolutely welcome. 🙏
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In this post, a woman modeling her trinkets smiles near the entry gate of Jaisalmer Fort, in Rajasthan, India. (January 2019)
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[Sony Alpha a6300 – Sigma 16mm Contemporary – 16mm, 1/250 at f1.7, ISO100]

Jan 25

It took me 2 minutes to fall in love with Mumbai.

It took me 2 minutes to fall in love with Mumbai. The city’s countless cultures, flavors, and attractions make it one of the most fascinating places I’ve visited, if not THE most fascinating. It’s absolutely one of my four favorite cities in the world now.
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And after two months traveling across India, through mountains, beaches, plains, and the desert, Mumbai took me by surprise with its organized, urban sophistication that rewards an explorer’s heart and time.
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Here, two women in radiant saris walk along the Colaba district waterfront, with the famed Gateway of India in the background.
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Thanks everyone for coming along with me on this journey. This is my 799th Instagram post. Please watch for something special in number 800.

Jan 21

My friend Desert Helicopter (his actual name!) chi

My friend Desert Helicopter (his actual name!) chills out after a long walk carrying me through the Thar Desert, west of Jaisalmer, India. #camelsofinstagram

Jan 18

Looking up a stairwell in the incredible Mehrangar

Looking up a stairwell in the incredible Mehrangarh Fort of the “blue city” of Jodhpur, India.

Jan 17

More Rajasthani color, down a local sidestreet in

More Rajasthani color, down a local sidestreet in Jaipur.

Jan 16

#friendshipgoals 2019, at Eleday Elephant Sanctuar

#friendshipgoals 2019, at Eleday Elephant Sanctuary outside Jaipur.

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