A Trip Around the World from a Len's Eye
This week, I had the opportunity to interview Caleb Haakenson, a senior Business Administration major with an associates in Photo and Video Imaging, emphasis in Marketing and minor in Religion. From his father stationed as a pastor in Lebanon to his student missionary year in Pohnpei, Caleb has had extensive opportunities to explore the world and document his adventures. He recently published a book about these endeavors.
Katie Buxton (KB): Who or what interested you in photography?
Caleb Haakenson (CH): I think I’ve always appreciated photography. In high school, I’d look at all of the wallpapers on desktop backgrounds at home and school. They were beautiful landscapes, so I decided that I wanted to make my background, except with the use of my photos of landscapes. I went out to my backyard and took a photo of a wheat field at sunset … not the greatest photo, but I was excited. It wasn't until I spent a year as a student missionary in Pohnpei, Micronesia, that I really delved into photography and took it seriously. Once again, the beauty of the island played right into my original love of landscapes: waterfalls, rainbows, mountains, surfing and palm trees. Since then, I have started using it for many different work projects, including travel/street photography, documentary work in many countries with a photojournalism feel.
KB: What equipment do you use for your photography?
CH: I've used my Sony a7rii camera for almost three years now. I also have a variety of lenses: Sony 24-70mm f2.8, Sony 70-200mm f2.8, Zeiss 55mm f1.8 and Rokinon 14mm 2.8.
KB: What competition did you enter and win last year?
CH: I won the Adventist Mission Film Contest, an international film contest open to any young Adventist filmmakers. I just got back from the prize trip for that contest, a two-week film trip documenting mission work in Albania, Greece and Cyprus.
KB: What has been your favorite place to photograph so far?
CH: That’s always a difficult question. Cinque Terre, Italy was certainly one of the most beautiful places I've been and where I took some of my favorite and best photos. It's also hard to argue against photographing in India because the culture and religion are so intertwined, creating incredible colors, sights and interesting culture everywhere you look. I also can’t count out Pohnpei, because it’s a magical tropical island with every beautiful aspect of an island you can imagine.
KB: Why did you decide to write/create a magazine?
CH: I wanted the perfect coffee table book for myself! I’ve always been inspired by travel and adventure magazines like National Geographic and Patagonia. This summer, I just decided to make one for myself. I’d never had all of my favorite photos from different trips and countries along with stories of the people I’ve met and the crazy adventures that have happened all in one place. I started designing it simply for myself to have as documented memories. As I started showing it to people, a lot of interest grew, so I designed it further for a public audience and put it up for sale. I'm extremely excited about it because it’s a dynamic photo book with interesting cultural stories and makes for a great portfolio piece.
KB: How long will the book be available? How much does it cost?
CH: I’ve already printed the first batch of magazines, but you can still order them by messaging me! It’s only $35 and makes for a perfect coffee table book! I'll always have a copy with me, so just let me know if you want to check it out to see if it's something worth your money and worth supporting me!
Katie Buxton is a senior studying business administration.