AFAR – September 2019

PHOTOGRAPH BY EMMA HARDY

Mira T. Lee

Writer

Spanish Lessons

p. 75

Change of plans: “Sometimes

you have to give up on your

to-do list. You have to find a

balance between seeing the

things that are only available in

that place—like La Sagrada

Família in Barcelona—and also

letting go of the checklist and

allowing yourself to wander.”

Finding a common language:

“I do not speak much Spanish,

but it didn’t matter on the

night I ended up at a salsa club.

While I was there, I didn’t have

to speak any language. All I had

to do was dance.” Follow her:

on Twitter @MiraTLee

Melissa Alcena

Photographer

Paradise Islands

p. 69

Say cheese: “I was cracking up

at my subject Theodore’s on-cue

smile. When you photograph

people, you see their face getting

tired after a while. But every single

time I said, ‘Ready?’ Theodore’s

smile was so authentic.” Pride of

the Bahamas: “People outside

the Bahamas might have a limited

view of what Bahamians may

be. I think often people associate

‘island’ with ‘third-world country.’

Being able to showcase somebody

in a sophisticated space in the

Bahamas is a really great thing.”

Check out her work: on Instagram

@melalcena

Emma Hardy

Photographer

The Greatest Outdoors

p. 108

Sweet serendipity: “The

Norwegian concept of friluftsliv

(outdoor living) built on itself

while I was in Norway. I saw kids

swimming in a lake, young

people with horses, an old lady

walking through a meadow, all

embodying the energy I wanted

to capture.” Natural by nature:

“Norwegians seem pretty low-

key about the country’s beauty.

Their life revolves around nature

because that’s what’s revolving

around them. But they do app-

reciate that they live in a land of

abundance.” See her photos: on

Instagram @emmahardy7

Jacqueline Winspear

Writer

Friends in High Places

p. 64

Ready to party: “In Crete one

day, my friend and I found a

little family-run restaurant. We

stopped to get a drink. Next thing

we knew, they’d dragged us

into the family birthday party. We

couldn’t speak a word of Greek,

but it made their day to have two

Englishwomen there who were

game for it.” Essence of travel:

“It’s about connecting with a

place and growing as a person,

those moments that you’ll have

forever. Cameras and journals are

great, but memories live on in

your heart.” Find her: on Facebook

@jacquelinewinspear

28 AFAR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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