The very quality that makes Blaine Harrington III a good traveler is what also makes him a good photographer.
Curiosity.
And while it may have killed the cat, it certainly has not hurt Harrington’s career one bit – in fact, he believes it’s what gave him the edge in being named Travel Photographer of the Year for the second time in a row by the Society of American Travel Writers, the world’s largest association of professional travel journalists and photographers, at their annual convention in Las Vegas.
“I’ve just always been so curious, so interested in what other people were doing elsewhere,” Harrington said. “I was fascinated by travel before I ever went anywhere,
and I think it’s my intense interest in what is going on that helps tell the stories behind my photos.”
Harrington knew he wanted to tell those stories through the lens early on, while
growing up in Cherry Hills Village. He left Colorado immediately after graduating
from Cherry Creek High School to attend Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, Calif., and didn’t return until 22 years later, in 1995.
He has been a travel photographer based in Littleton since.
During his time away, he lived in New York, Connecticut, France, Switzerland and Amsterdam, first shooting fashion and news before switching to travel exclusively.
“Twenty years ago, you had to be in New York to work for any national publications,” Harrington said. “That’s just no longer true, with the technology.”
Harrington’s wife, Maureen, and children, Blaine IV, 12, and Lauren, 9, became eager after a camping trip in the West to move back to the area, and Harrington says he had forgotten how great it was to live here.
“Every time I have to take a trip somewhere, it’s always a nice day when I go to the airport, and I’ll fly 15 hours somewhere, like Korea, and it’ll be raining,” he said.
His travels are increasing even more because of photo tours, including an upcoming one he is leading to Burma and Bhutan, where he will assist professional and amateur photographers with camera techniques.
The most important thing when taking photos in foreign countries, he said, is to make everyone feel comfortable.
“You can’t go in there like, ‘Oh, I’m an American and I’m better than you,” he said. “I always want to learn what makes each part of the world different and what makes these people tick. People will open up to you if they realize you really like them, and that will come through in the photo.”
The photos shown here, which are from Harrington’s portfolio of 20 images he submitted for the 2006 Travel Photographer of the Year award, were taken on five continents. To see more of the 650 photos from around the world on his site, visit blaineharrington.com.
Travel editor Kyle Wagner can be reached at 303-820-1599 or travel@denverpost.com.
