Pascal Mannaerts is a freelance photographer based in Brussels. Blessed with an artistic bent and wanderlust, he discovered photography as a student. Thereafter, sharing and recording his travel adventures quickly became a life priority. His first visit to India in 2000 revealed a deep admiration for the subcontinent and was, as a result, the first of many return engagements.
Traveling to Asia, Africa, Latin America, North Africa, and the Middle East for the last 15 years has given Pascal the opportunity to portray humanity in its strongest forms. Curiosity and a passion for images have been fused with a profound attraction to the human element.
Pascal has publication credits in National Geographic, BBC, Geo, The Guardian, Le Guide du Routard, Lonely Planet, Médecins Sans Frontières, and many other newspapers and magazines worldwide. Several exhibitions of his pictures have been held in Europe, Brazil, and India by, among others, Alliance Française and Amnesty International.
Want to know more about Pascal and his adventures? Read more in our interview below and connect with him here on Backpacker Travel.
BT: Your photos are incredible. What made you get into photography?
Pascal: I simply got into photography on the road, when I was traveling around the world. I never took any photography classes or anything, it all came naturally as it was just a way for me to share my experiences. It all really started in the year 2000, during my first trip ever to India. At that time, there was no Facebook or anything like that, so I shared my pictures and writings via email to my friends’ list. It was such a pleasure to feel that the pictures and the stories of my adventures made people happy, that I decided to go on, during my next travels and even when I was back home.
BT: Have your travels changed the way you take photos and approach photographers?
Pascal: I can say that my way of taking pictures is totally influenced by my travel experiences. I learn and improve my photographic skills every time I am on the road again, in the same way, that I consistently learn more about the world, people, about myself. Learning is the essence of every journey. Additionally, over time, I have come to focus more and more on specific stories about the places where I travel. This entails social and environmental issues, as well as festivals and cultural events. All these reports made around the world are presented in the “stories” section of my website.
BT: If you could give our readers two tips on taking the best travel photos possible, what would they be?
Pascal:
BT: What type of camera are you currently using?
Pascal: I first started with the Canon 300D in 2004, I then changed for a Canon 50D and since 2012, I have used a Canon 5D Mark III.
