Meet the Nomads – Daniel Nahabedian of Canvas of Light

One of the joys in browsing at various travel blogs is to look at gorgeous pictures taken by talented photographers and one of the recent blogs that I’ve discovered is Canvas Of Light created by Daniel Nahabedian.

Daniel started photography when he got his first DSLR last 2007 and it helped him develop his passion for creative pursuits. Daniel also took a one month Camino de Santiago pilgrimage with a friend and realized a lot of things that eventually led him to change a lot of things in his life.

Get to know more about Daniel and follow his adventures at Canvas of Light.

Here’s my short interview with Daniel.

How did you discover your passion for travelling?

“I have traveled a lot in my youth with my parents but I really discovered the passion for travelling solo/backpacking when I visited Ireland and Iceland to celebrate my 30th birthday. I’m a slow traveler so I really enjoyed taking my time and discovering amazing places.”

What’s the most horrible experience that you’ve had on the road?

“The most horrible thing I experienced was getting stuck between the Thai army and the red shirts in Bangkok on April 2010, while they were both shooting and throwing grenades at each other. Lots of blood, lots of deaths in front of me and very gory scenes. I was hiding behind an ATM machine and taking photos while tweeting live about the events. A very very sad moment for Thailand.

What’s the best travel experience that you’ve ever had?

“Well, I did spend a memorable time in Iceland watching Northern lights dance in the sky at night. I also had an incredible experience walking 2000km in Spain up to the last point before the ocean. But I guess the best experience was meeting in Bangkok a lovely girl who is soon going to be my wife in a month

What’s the biggest realization that you’ve got out of travelling?

“I could be very cliche and reply that the world is small and people are all similar etc.. but I guess the biggest realizations are actually all about myself. I’ve learned to know my strengths, my weaknesses, my passion, control my fears.. I traveled across the world not only to discover different cultures, but also to completely rediscover myself.

What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?

“Well.. *cough* to be honest.. I have stopped travelling in the past 2 years and have settled down in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Yes, traveling is tiring and I realized I prefer having a base where I can always come back to after I’m done exploring. The mind needs to process the information and the experiences lived during our time abroad. Travel is not just ticking places to visit on a guidebook. Besides, I’m not a travel blogger really, I’m a travel Photographer, so I always need to come back to my base and work on all the images I captured! ”

This is a silly and hypothetical one. If you would be given a chance to travel with a popular person or a celebrity, who would it be and why?

“You didn’t say it has to be a real person, right? If I had to choose one (fictional) person to travel with for a while, it would be the Little Prince from the book “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de St Exupery. Why? Well, if you’ve read the book (you should), you’d know why. And if not, that kid will change your world forever by asking the right questions.”

Where’s your favourite place in this planet and why?

“So far, my favorite place is still Iceland. It’s such a magical place with surreal landscapes. A real pleasure to hike around and take photos all day long.”

What’s your best tip for newbie traveller?

“Take your time. There’s no rush. Even if you have limited time, don’t visit as many countries as you can. Visit just one and take time to discover it. I have had so many great experiences just because I slowed down and opened my eyes. Also, don’t just go out there to discover places. Go out there to discover yourself too. ”

What’s the funniest and silliest thing you’ve ever done while travelling?

“I’ve started a Free Hugs campaign in Copenhagen one evening and got a lot of love from random strangers. However, before I board my bus back to Paris, I got pulled aside by 3 huge policemen twice my size. They looked pretty angry and one of them asked my what I was holding and why I was walking around with a big board. I just showed the board and explained to them calmly that I was just giving hugs to people. Then the guy with a sever look and a loud voice told me: “OH! So you give Free Hugs to random strangers, but you don’t give any for the Police?” and he burst out laughing and hugged me almost crushing my spine. That was a very lovely moment

What do you think about yourself?

“Geez.. well, I think I’m a very kind and open person who is grateful to have multiple talents. I’m also grateful to have such a rich cultural background and be able to speak 6 languages, which help me discover much easily what’s around me.”

“I’d also like to add, that, like everyone else, I’m just a drop of water in the ocean, but we shouldn’t forget that every single drop also contains the whole essence of the ocean.”

“Canvas of Light is not a travel blog. It’s a Travel Photography website with a blog. It’s a portfolio of my work and a gallery to share my photos and knowledge I have acquired during my travels. I don’t just share images, but also cultural/interesting information about the places and people I meet. You won’t find any top 10s or articles about best places to visit/things to do, but you will find occasional reviews, tips and tutorials about Photography.” – Daniel Nahabedian

Editor’s Note: All pics are provided by Daniel.

Next: Barbara of The Dropout Diaries . Previously: Will Peach of My Spanish Adventures. For more interviews with travel bloggers, check out the archives of Meet the Nomads.