David Kerkhoff - Hanoded

I am a Dutch born photographer, journalist and tourleader. Some years ago I moved to Israel, but I haven't quite settled down yet. Who knows, maybe in the future I will find a place to anchor down, but in the meantime I am content roaming the earth.

The word Hanoded (הנודד) is taken from the Hebrew and means 'The Wanderer', which I think describes me best.

My work, in a way, is a reflection of my life; as a homeless wanderer I spend most of my time abroad, exploring new territories, looking for a wee bit of adventure and trying to keep mediocrity at bay. Meeting people and immersing myself in different cultures is what I enjoy the most. As I explained one page back, I think that all of us have an interesting story to tell and each and every person has his or her moment. That moment I call magic and this is what I try to capture with my camera.

Another important theme in my life is nature.I realize that I am extremely privileged to have visited such a large chunk of our planet and to have seen nature in all its glory. Unfortunately I have also witnessed the side-effects of 'modern life'. Not too long ago, during a trip in Guatemala, I suddenly realized that the pristine jungle I had seen 12 years ago no longer existed.
I was too stunned to enjoy the ride and kept looking at the bare hills where massive trees once touched the skies and choruses of Howler monkeys once greeted visitors.

Mass tourism is another plague of the modern world. Deserted beaches I used to visit now host Full Moon Rave Parties and flyspeck towns where I camped out have turned into mega-resorts. I remember listening to the ice breaking off glaciers in the Annapurna Range - like the sharp crack of a whip; when I go back now I can listen to rock music.

Personally, I think we are turning our world into one big theme park - full of cheap thrills, cheap eats and cheap experiences. It seems a lot of people are more interested in virtual reality than in reality. The substitute - in many cases - has beaten the real.

It is - hopefully - not too late to turn the tide; and you can help too! I have put some links on this page, so when you have a spare minute (you do, believe me), please click on one of the icons and help. Remember, we only have ONE planet and there is NO substitute for it, folks!