Christof Wolf has specialized in reportage, outdoor themes and storytelling for several years. He loves the feeling of freedom that he experiences when photographing and traveling. In untouched nature, he comes to rest and gets an eye for the essentials. These emotions and experiences are reflected in his pictures. That is why they are authentic and meaningful.
Christof has written a blog about his latest adventure, which we don't want to withhold from you:
"For many people, you are the first white person, they have ever seen in their life - brother" explains my interpreter as we look after the surprised people in front of their mud huts on a loading area. With every pothole we approach the mangrove forests in scorching heat and over 90% humidity.
A real adventure - even today? Real culture and honest hospitality?! Yes it is possible! And it is also incredibly important to me to be able to experience all of this as a photographer. For me, there is a big difference between a traveler who is welcomed as a guest and a tourist - I hope everyone has had the opportunity to experience this.
I had a project in Bangladesh in mind. A country that doesn't appear in any travel guide and is better known for its textile production or human and organ trafficking. But I was interested in something completely different. I wanted to go to the mangrove forests - the largest on earth, to be precise. I wanted to get to know the people who live in such an extraordinary place.
In the mangroves, fresh water from the inland mixes with salt water from the sea. This mixture ensures a better supply of fish, which helps the inhabitants to find enough food to survive.
There is still a real culture here, as people live in this place as they did hundreds of years ago. Without electricity, gas or running water - only from what they can hunt or grow themselves.
My focus was on the inhabitants of "Dhangmari" - a small village on the river of the same name.
The river Dhangmari is vital for all the inhabitants, but the controversy is that it is also increasingly taking away their living space. The sandy soil on which the village stands is being washed away by the river to such an extent that the place will cease to exist in a few years' time. Many will increasingly give up their livelihoods here.
With my project, I wanted to immortalize the place and the people once again before they have to leave their culture behind for good.
So I started my reportage and portrait series in the mangroves, which for me meant: living in bamboo huts, charging batteries on car batteries, lots of dust, dirt, joy, nausea and great friendships - this ultimately resulted in my project "The inhabitants of Dhangmari".
If you would like to see more of it, you can do so on my website or in one of the published magazines.
About Bangladesh as a country: photographically, it's an absolute stunner! If you have India on your list - put it off. Travel to this country while it is still so untouched!
Every corner has its own charm and you will be overwhelmed by interesting characters. The people are open, friendly and sometimes ask you to take their picture. They expect nothing in return - you are simply something special as a photographer and even more so as a traveler. However, without any local contacts, a guide or interpreter, it is really difficult to work there on your own.
Sometimes I was even given gifts - and that in one of the poorest countries in the world.
For me, it's a country where tourism is completely foreign - but hospitality is very familiar.
PS: I am now planning a photo trip to Bangladesh. In cooperation with my local contacts, I would like to make it possible for others to experience what I myself have been looking for for so long. So if you are looking for a real adventure, take the chance and send your request to travel@christof-wolf.com.
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