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Ben Mitchell flys above Castle Valley after BASE jumping Castleton Tower in Utah, USA. Photo: Krystle Wright
I will always call Australia my home. However, these days, I have earned the title “Child of the Universe” from family, friends, and the Australian tax department since I no longer qualify as a resident of any country.
For a long time, I balanced my pursuit of adventure photography with the more reliable income of sports photography, contributing to news agencies in Sydney, Australia. Then in mid-2011, everything changed. I suffered a paragliding accident in northern Pakistan. The whole incident proved to be a huge catalyst in my life — but contrary to what you might initially think, it was a catalyst in a good way.
I realized I just couldn’t go back to what I had been doing, trying to balance passion with paychecks. So once I headed up enough, I packed up all my belongings into a shipping container and took off overseas.
I crave any and al excuses to disconnect with civilization and drop off into the wilderness. Usually the harder it is to get there, the more remote the locale, the more I end up craving it. I find that on these trips, life strips down to its basics and it’s easier to be truly one with the present. That being said, I struggle with the concept of “holiday.” With that in mind, photography offers me a purpose and a drive — I love the challenge of capturing great images.
My biggest fear in life is regret. I cannot think of anything worse than sitting down on a couch in 10 or 20 years time reflecting on my past and wishing I had done… more. Or asking, “What if?”
For more from Krystle Wright, check out WrightFoto.com.au. And don’t forget to Like her on Facebook as well as follow her on Instagram.