Around the world in eight photos with photographer Pat Kane

Photographer Pat Kane was trekking to the top of Hang Mua Mountain last February, in intense heat and humidity, alongside his wife and several women wearing high heels and traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài). They were all on their way to admire the view of the lower peak overlooking the ancient rural landscape of Ninh Binh, Vietnam, where limestone karsts jut between the rice fields and wetlands of the Red River Delta.

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After admiring the beauty, Kane and his wife headed back down the mountain, passing the well-dressed women still taking selfies in the beautiful setting. The sight is one of the most impressive of Kane’s 18-country, 60-city trip since last fall. But like many who have traveled since travel restrictions were eased, Kane has become a “self-hating tourist” and wonders whether visitors arriving in droves are ruining the beauty of places like this.

“Even though tourists contribute to the economy, we can’t help but wonder: are we doing too much?

This year, many popular tourist destinations have taken steps to prevent the impact of overtourism on the environment and local communities. Amsterdam has launched a ‘stay away’ campaign to deter ‘nuisance tourists’ who consume drinks and drugs all night, Athens has joined 22 other European cities in urging the European Commission to limit travel stays short-term, and Portofino in Italy introduced legislation to discourage tourists from lingering for selfies.

Kane – who returns this spring after seven months touring Europe, the Balkans, Fiji, New Zealand and Southeast Asia – brings the issue back to the personal responsibility of the tourist.

“Coming out of COVID, there’s a lot of frustration and people want to travel,” he says. “But I also see that there are a lot of rights. The world doesn’t owe you anything just because we all had to stay home for a few years during the pandemic. For me, it is a privilege and we must remember it. Don’t treat it as your playground and be a nice, normal human being. People who work at airports, tour guides, and anyone who works in the service or travel industry also deserve a break.

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A member of the Timiskaming First Nation, Kane has been photographing communities in the Northwest Territories for 18 years. His international travels were not only humbling, but a welcome change from his usual photographic work. “Traveling was an opportunity to rediscover the joy and pleasure of photography,” he says.

Kane took about 100 photos a day. In busy locations, he intentionally looked for quiet moments to capture. But he spent more time in affordable, less touristy areas such as the village of Theth in Albania, Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, the coastal town of Napier in New Zealand and the town of Chumphon on the central coast of the Gulf of Thailand.

“Your experiences are more authentic and new in places like this,” he says. “Getting off the beaten path enriches your experience much more because you don’t wait in line and you understand places and people better when you engage with the culture, people and try new foods.”

Throughout his journey, Kane captured many moments of serenity, beauty and surprise that remind us what travel is really about. Here are a few that stood out.

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Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The temple complex welcomes thousands of tourists and Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims every day. A visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a humbling experience. The monumental architecture and intricate bas-reliefs made us feel small, and the diversity of tourists testified to the importance of the ancient city to people around the world.

I was hesitant to photograph monks because I didn’t want to exoticize them through my photos. While we were touring the interior of the temple, a monk was walking towards us in the same corridor, carrying a camera. I complimented him on his camera and sheepishly asked if I could take a portrait of him, but quickly realized he didn’t speak English. Nevertheless, he put his camera aside and positioned himself near a window, an invitation to let me photograph him. I showed him the photo, thanked him and he smiled and left.

Later, outside the temple, we walked past these monks and they noticed my camera. Without saying a word, they placed next to the Naga, the statue of a guardian snake found at the entrance to many Cambodian temples. They beckoned me to come closer to take their photo for no other reason than out of kindness. The exchange was brief, but it was nice to feel welcomed and encouraged to take these portraits.

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Berat, Albania

After hearing music and singing outside our hotel, a receptionist encouraged us to take a look at the wedding inside. She said everyone was welcome to say hello and offer best wishes to the newlyweds.

This is an example of why out of all the countries we visited, Albania was a highlight. There is a sense of joy and community in this small country that doesn’t attract many tourists compared to most places in Europe.

Everywhere we went people asked us if we were having fun and if we liked being in Albania. In most cities across the country, people gather along promenades in the evening, strolling and mingling with each other. In shqip language, this is called xhiro – a time to exercise after dinner and catch up with family and friends. This practice began during the communist years as a way for people to share news and check in on each other. This tradition continued during the country’s transition to democracy in the 1990s. Today, it is a way of seeing and being seen, and of socializing with friends and strangers alike.

We met a lot of people at their party xhiro and many told us it was a good way to feel connected to their community. My wife and I continue walking – towards xhiro – even back in Canada to take a break from our professional and family lives, to meet people and explore the nooks and crannies of our city.

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Hanoi, Vietnam

The lake is a popular destination in the city’s old quarter. Vendors sell flowers, fruit, donuts and tickets for sightseeing tours along the trail, where visitors come to see the lake and nearby temples and attractions.

Many tourists hire professional photographers to have their photos taken with the lake as a backdrop. For locals, it’s a place to relax, stretch, exercise and socialize.

In one of the world’s busiest cities, scenes of calm and peace are rare in the Vietnamese capital. When we saw this group of men sitting together, it reminded us to find places away from the crowds and think about the people, landscapes and culture around us.

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Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The bridge was built in the 16th century but destroyed in 1993 during the Croatian-Bosnian War. It was rebuilt in 2004. The bombed buildings remain standing in Mostar, a stark reminder of the horrors of the 1990s war and its impact on the population here.

Crossing this small and beautiful bridge was like crossing the culturally rich but complex history of this Balkan country: each step a tribute to the men and women who built the bridge, to those who died protecting it and to those who preserved it.

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Queenstown, New Zealand

Visitors are encouraged to feed Dougal cereal pellets by putting an arm in his mouth and dropping the pellets inside.

Queenstown bills itself as the entertainment and adventure capital of the world. For us this involved a visit to Lake Wakatipu to drink wine, watch the dogs herd the sheep and of course feed Dougal which was a highlight of adventure land. As soon as our guide demonstrated the technique to me, I knew I had to have my camera ready to capture this moment.

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Nuremberg, Germany

Every September, people from all over Bavaria gather to eat, drink and socialize at local festivals – the most famous being Munich’s Oktoberfest. Markets like this also attract crowds of tourists and I hoped to capture the fun and humor of the festival with my camera.

While walking, shopping, eating and drinking, we noticed the decorative leather pants worn by most men and women. wasn’t like the campy outfits you see in German-style beer gardens in North America. This man’s stockings, his shoes, and the color palette of the entire scene stood out to me.

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Prague, Czech Republic

The city is a well-known cultural and economic center of Central Europe, filled with Gothic and Baroque architecture on every corner. Castles, museums, galleries, pubs and shops fill Prague’s Old Town. The city looks like everything you could imagine if Europe were consolidated into one place. The medieval Charles Bridge is an icon of Prague and teeming with tourists, artists and street vendors.

It was refreshing to capture this calm moment between two people in the hustle and bustle around them.

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