As a close friend pointed out, my image of the joyous novice monks careening down a hill at their Bhutan monastic school is my "Energizer Bunny" photograph: it keeps going and going and going...

I can't say that I mind, though.  As I've said many times before, this is my favourite photograph I've ever made.

So, when National Geographic contacted me seeking my permission to publish it again -- this time in The Best of National Geographic Yearbook 2013 -- I was ecstatic.

It took awhile to receive a copy of the book, but earlier this week a parcel arrived at my office from National Geographic in Washington, DC.  Like a child at Christmas, I ripped open the box and quickly found my favourite young monks on pages 106/07.

This is the third time my photograph has appeared in a National Geographic publication, and it still remains my proudest ever accomplishment as a photographer.  I'll be quite thrilled if it continues to go and go and go...

See my entire "Thunder Dragon" collection of Bhutan photography here.

Despite having long desired a GoPro camera, I had resisted buying one.  Although it seemed like such a great little device, and a lot of fun to "play" with, I honestly could not see a "practical use" for it in my camera bag on a regular basis.  However, a couple of months ago I was given a GoPro HERO3 Black Edition camera as a gift (side note: awesome gift!!) and I couldn't have been happier.

I was excited for the opportunity to really experiment with the GoPro on my recent holiday to Canada when my father and brother and I traveled on our annual "Father & Sons Harley-Davidson Roadtrip", mounting the camera to various places around our motorcycles.  However, unexpectedly, it was while playing with my young nieces -- Carissa (6 years old), Brooke (7 years old) and Paige (9 years old) -- when the GoPro was truly the most enjoyable.

We played with it on the swings, we jumped with it on the trampoline, we took it down the water slide, we strapped it to their heads (side note: awesome uncle!!) as they rode their bikes and scooted on their scooters.

But perhaps the most fun we had with the GoPro was on our last afternoon together when we brought it to the swimming pool.  I packed the camera in it's waterproof housing and then rigged-up a little wristband for the girls

so they could easily swim with it (and so I wasn't worried they might drop it).  They absolutely loved filming each other and themselves, capturing every jump, dive, spin and handstand on video.  It's all a bit Blair Witch Project to watch their videos, but they had a blast.

For me, however, the best part was playing with the GoPro's still photo features (old habits die hard, I guess).  The wide angle lens provided some very interesting and dynamic fields of view, the waterproof housing let me try underwater photography (for the first time ever, actually) and the camera's burst mode allowed me to shoot 30 frames in 3 seconds, which was fantastic for capturing moments like these when the girls were exploding into the water from the diving board above.

As photographer Chase Jarvis said in The New York Times last year, “For the last 50 years, companies like Nikon and Canon have been focused on precision, which has its benefits but also has its limits.  GoPro is incredibly disruptive to these legacy camera makers."  As a Nikon Professional Photographer and staunch supporter of their brand and their products, I couldn't agree more.  And when one adds iPhones and other mobile phone cameras to this equation, it's a brave new world for both camera makers and image makers the world over.

For the past couple of years I have worked closely with the Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School in Siem Reap, Cambodia to document the positive work they are doing for the nation's disadvantaged youth.  My creative partners and I have made photographic reportage and documentary film about this tuition-free hospitality training school and how they provide students with the capabilities and experience necessary to secure gainful employment in one of the city's numerous hotels, guesthouses or restaurants.

Our most recent project with Sala Bai was last year when followed our friend, Sam McGoun, as he swam, cycled and ran more than 670km across Cambodia to raise funds for Sala Bai and grow awareness of the dangers of human trafficking.

Inspired by the challenges overcome by the students of Sala Bai, Sam’s route across the Kingdom of Wonder followed the actual journey traveled by a former student named Khatna: from her floating village in Mechrey on Tonle Sap Lake, to Sala Bai where she studied in Siem Reap, to her graduation celebration on the sandy beachfront overlooking the Gulf of Thailand in Sihanoukville.

As the documentary photography- and film-making team tasked with chronicling Sam’s odyssey, we did our

best to keep pace with him as he traversed muddy lakes and rivers, ran through small villages and pedaled across the countryside of rural Cambodia on his way to raising more than USD$30,000 for Sala Bai.

Along our journey we posted a daily "Reports from the Road" journal and photo essay.  And, last year, a collection of these photographs -- along with a feature about Sam and his inspirational adventure -- was published by EX Magazine in Singapore.  Excitingly, I just recently learned from EX's editor, Kate Mallord, that the story, "Khmer Ultra Tri", was awarded "Best Feature on Asian Travel" at the Asian Publishing Awards 2013.

It is always wonderful to be positively recognized for the work we do.  But it is even more rewarding to know that the stories we tell can help better the lives of others.  Thank you to EX Magazine for helping to give Sam's mission an even bigger voice.

Click here to watch our documentary team turn the cameras on ourselves in a short behind-the-scenes video.

Late last month, I received an email from the Associate Editor at Travel+Leisure India & South Asia; she was looking for a series of photographs to illustrate the final page of her July 2013 edition, in a section called "Last Look".

The issue was to be focused on South East Asia and, thus, she was interested in a collection of imagery that was "quintessentially Singapore".  I scoured my archives and sent her a collection of 8-10 landscape photographs that showcased some of Singapore's more iconic landscapes and architecture.

In the end, the team from T+L settled on three images: the imposing 'Super Trees' at Gardens by the Bay; the twisting Helix Bridge at Marina Bay Sands; and the technicolour panorama of a nighttime Clarke Quay.

Browse more of my landscape photography on my website.

Although I have lived in Asia for nearly 17 years, it was only recently that I had the privilege of visiting Japan for the first time.

This past April and May, I spent nearly one month in Osaka shooting a commercial assignment for InterContinental Hotels.  The creative brief, by its very nature, ensured that I spent nearly all day and night inside a hotel.  My reprieves from hotel living were generally measured in minutes in the mornings and afternoons and a couple of hours in the evenings.

However, even if only briefly, I relished wandering the streets in Osaka's bustling Umeda and Kitashinchi districts -- window shopping, people watching and generally observing the world go by during beautiful early spring days.  As always, my iPhone was close at hand, and I thoroughly enjoyed shooting a variety of street photographs of the places and characters I encountered in those fleeting moments.

Simply put, I absolutely loved my time in Japan.  I felt a true affinity for the people and the nuances of the culture.  And for the first time in many years -- perhaps since I first visited Asia as a teenager nearly 20 years ago -- I felt a true sense of culture shock.  Crazy as it may sound, these feelings of isolation and displacement exhilarated me, making me feel alive.

I am well aware that I only scratched the surface of Japan. But, honestly, it now feels like an itch that I can't seem to stop scratching.

See more of my iPhoneography elsewhere on this blog or on Flickr.

Follow me and my iPhoneography on Instagram.

*Waratte or 笑って translates to English as "Smile".

One day, my client, my assistant and I were walking to a taxi and, as we walked past a building, I was struck by the light and the repeating pattern made by the pillars.  I stopped and lined-up a photograph, waiting for someone to walk through my frame. These three young women strolled by and -- just as they did -- my Japanese client called out "Waratte!!" and the young woman in the middle turned and looked directly into my lens while giving a little smile and wave.  This photograph is located in the top right-hand corner above.

Exactly one year ago I joined my close friends Mike and Meghan in the United States for two glorious weeks of creative partnership and collaboration.  Together, with the support of Nikon Asia, we made a collection of photographs and created a short film with folk and roots musician Ben Taylor at his home on beautiful Martha's Vineyard.  It was a fantastic opportunity to work on an exciting project, as well as experience a picturesque corner of Atlantic America.

Following our shoot on Martha's Vineyard, we retired to Mike and Meghan's seaside home in Rockport, Massachusetts to edit our work.  A small town of just 7,000 people, Rockport is located about 40km northeast of Boston at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsula.  Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on three sides, Rockport is a quaint tourist destination filled with cafés, boutiques and art galleries; a wonderful place to spend a few days working and enjoying nature and the local flavours.

One of the highlights of my visit to Rockport was spending time with Meghan's brother, Matt Shea, who also called the small cottage home.  Every day we'd take a break for a walk or coffee with Matt; and every evening the four of us would have dinner and drinks together on the balcony overlooking the lobster boats at Bradley Wharf and the iconic red Motif Number 1, "a fishing shack well known to students

of art and art history as 'the most often-painted building in America.'"

Prior to this visit, I had met Matt only briefly -- when I was in America in 2008 -- but it was during this trip that I got to know him much better.  Matt was warm and welcoming. He loved comedy and had a dry sense of humour himself. He always had a baseball cap on his head and he wore shorts every day, despite the weather barely reaching above 10 degrees celsius.  I loved my time with him.

For more than a decade Matt battled cancer.  On April 17, 2013, at the age of 27, he lost this battle.

I made this photograph one evening while Mike, Meghan, Matt and I sat on the balcony and watched the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean.  It was a special photograph for me, and upon my return to Singapore I gave a print of this to Mike and Meghan to thank them for the friendship and warm hospitality they showed me in Rockport.

But now this photograph has different meaning for me. Now it will always remind me of Matt and the time we shared together.  I have wonderful memories of joyful moments with a special friend.  It is these times, and this photograph, that I will choose to reflect upon when I remember Matt and how he touched us all.

A couple of years ago, Canadian artist Billy Ma and I worked together on a personal photography project with our Brazilian model friend Paula.

Conceptually, our creative idea was to use Paula as a canvas for herself.  To achieve this, I photographed Paula in the nude in a variety of poses and Billy printed a selection of these images onto plastic transparencies.  Then, using a decades-old analog overhead projector, Billy projected these pictures of Paula back onto her bare skin while I photographed her again. Collectively, we wanted this series of images to show sensuality, yet vulnerability; we desired the photographs to be honest and uninhibited, like only someone very close to the subject could have made them. The result was a series we called "Raw".

Once our project was complete, my original photographs of Paula were archived and forgotten about.  At least until last year, when I stumbled upon this collection of nudes on a hard drive at work.  I perused the series of photographs and was struck by their simplicity and beauty.  I felt inspired to "do something" with these images, but at the time I didn't know exactly what that should be.

I then recalled having been introduced to British artist Nikki Farquharson's fantastic "Mixed Media Girls" series on The Cool Hunter a couple of years earlier.  I remembered how

beautiful and inspired I found Nikki's art, so I decided to visit her website and blog.

It was here that I read that she is "always interested in new work and collaborations, especially with photographers". This gave me the courage to send Nikki a message.

I wrote to her immediately, introducing myself and my photography.  I asked if she would be interested in a creative collaboration with me, merging some of my photographs of Paula together with her original ink pop art illustrations.

I was extremely excited to receive a reply from Nikki -- the very next day -- expressing her interest in working together on this project with me.  And so our online friendship and intercontinental partnership was born...

For the next couple of weeks, we got to know one another a little better via email, sharing our ideas and our individual visions for this endeavour.

Over the course of these conversations, the theme of Gaia (or Mother Earth) came to dominate our collective consciousness.  And from there, the concept of wrapping Paula in the classical Greek elements of earth, air, fire and water began to take shape.

One of the most interesting things about this creative collaboration with Nikki is that she and I have never once spoken on the telephone.  All of our communication, ideation and sharing has taken place using only modern technology and social media: email, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  This wasn't a conscious decision that we made together, but over the months it seems to have become an unspoken agreement between us.  When this project is complete, it will certainly be a partnership for a brave new world.

The photographs here show some of Nikki's work-in-progress on each of the pieces.  To me, this is a wonderful document of -- and glimpse inside -- her vision, dedication and commitment to her craft.

One of my great pleasures as a photographer is the privilege of being able to collaborate with other artists across diverse disciplines.  This project with Nikki has only further demonstrated to me how much joy and reward can be found in sharing your ideas and your work with others.  I can't wait to share our finished product with the world soon.

I was recently contacted by The App Whisperer, a website specializing in mobile photography and mobile art about contributing to their popular "Day in the Life..." Q&A with mobile photographers. Being a regular reader and big fan of The App Whisperer, I happily obliged and set out to answer the 21 questions, as well as compile 21 of my favourite mobile images to accompany the "Day in the Life..." questionnaire.

I particularly enjoyed this exercise, as it is one of the only interviews I have done that centred exclusively around mobile photography.  Some of the most interesting questions explored my transition from a 'traditional photographer' to 'mobile photographer', my mobile photography and editing workflow, my sources of inspiration and where I see the future of iPhone photography moving towards?

However, for me, the most interesting question was my Top Five tips for shooting mobile photography.  Perhaps this is because I truly believe this handful of tips can be applied across beginner or expert photographers shoot either 35mm or mobile photography:

1) Shoot often.

2) Experiment and push yourself outside your comfort level

3) But at the end of the day try and remain true to yourself; if you are passionate about a certain type of photography, embrace it and go for it.

4) Try to develop a personal photographic style, a unique signature, something that you can be known for visually.

5) Look at other’s work and be inspired.  Share your own work with them.  Build and nurture that community.

Please visit The App Whisperer to read my entire "Day in the Life of Scott A. Woodward" interview, as well as browse a larger collection of my favourite iPhoneography that accompanies the Q&A.

See more of my iPhoneography elsewhere on this blog or on Flickr.

Follow me and my iPhoneography on Instagram.

The John Walker & Sons Voyager has departed Asia and sailed onto the Middle East and Europe, bringing to an end my HISTORY Channel travel and photography television series, Around The World With Voyager.

Hosting a TV show was a remarkable experience, and I am extremely grateful for the unique opportunity to step out from behind my lens and appear in front of it.  It was a challenging transition for me to make, particularly as I still had all the responsibilities of a photographer.  And although creating television is a completely different endeavour than making still photography, I definitely enjoyed the experience of bringing these two worlds together in Around The World With Voyager.

Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of the job was meeting the five icons a, learning about their lives, and documenting their personal journeys by photographing a definitive portrait of them at each of five milestone locations in their respective cities.

Across the four months of shooting Around The World With Voyager, I met with and photographed chef Sean Anson Xu (徐安昇) in Taipei, action star and movie director/producer Stephen Fung Tak-Lun (馮德倫) in Hong Kong, film director

Brillante Mendoza in Manila, fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore in Jodhpur and musical talent, Mỹ Linh in Hanoi.

Each of these individuals is a game changer in their own right, and I feel privileged to have spent time with, and got to know personally, each and every one of these remarkable people.  Exploring their cities through their eyes, and making photographs of them in each of these beautiful and meaningful locations was an experience I will always remember.

Visit my website to see these, and more, portraits from Around The World With Voyager.

Late last year, I was commissioned by The Financial Times to photograph a series of portraits of "entrepreneur, linguist, dandy dresser, petrol head, cycling fanatic, part-time soldier and thoroughly nice bloke: Wei Koh."

Wei Koh is the founder of Revolution Press and the editorial director of luxury horological title, Revolution and men's style and artisanal luxury publication, The Rake.

I had met Wei in passing at his Singapore office a couple of years prior -- when I photographed Oliver Stone for his magazine, The Rake -- so when I arrived at his home on the day of the shoot, we immediately had something in common.

My creative brief was to make a collection of photographs of Wei in his personal environment, and I was immediately attracted to the modern art adorning the walls of his home. I proposed integrating Wei's art collection into our portraits, and he happily obliged.

It was a relaxed and enjoyable photo shoot, with Wei's lovely wife, Jocelyn on-hand to help with his personal styling.

The result of our time together that morning spanned six pages in the FT's December 2012 horology magazine, "Watch This Space".

The Voyager's last port of call is breathtaking Halong Bay, Vietnam.

In this, the fifth and final episode of The HISTORY Channel's Around The World With Voyager, I travel to the buzzing capital city of Hanoi where I meet Mỹ Linh, one of the nation's foremost musical talents.

Mỹ Linh’s beautiful voice has captivated hearts across Vietnam and beyond.  She is one of the country's most recognizable performers, as well as a musical ambassador to the world, having performed concerts throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of Mỹ Linh’s career as a musical artist and performer.  Together we celebrate this remarkable milestone by exploring the city she has called home her entire life.

Born into a working class family at the end of the Vietnam War, Mỹ Linh brings me to meet her mother in the old Hanoi neighbourhood where she grew-up.  As she recalls her formative years, we stroll down a memory lane dotted with traditional snacks, old limestone walls and bicycles in narrow lanes.  Mỹ Linh’s late father has been a great inspiration to her, and to honour him I decide to photograph Mỹ Linh and her mother together holding a

portrait of Mỹ Linh as a little girl in the arms of her loving father.  Here, Mỹ Linh also comes face-to-face with her childhood inspiration and the revisits traditional Vietnamese music of her youth.

Mỹ Linh’s formidable musical talent was evident from her teenage years.  In 1991, she was named Best High School Student Singer and Best Singer in a Pop Band.  These awards were a sign of success to come and, when she scored first on her entrance exam, Mỹ Linh enrolled in the prestigious Hanoi Conservatory of Music.  To date, she has released more than ten albums and, in 2006, her “Chat Với Mozart”, an innovative fusion of Vietnamese and classical Western music, was named Album of the Year.  Ever grateful for her successes, Mỹ Linh brings me to the Hai Ba Trung Pagoda where she continues to keep in touch with her spiritual side.  Together we make a dramatic portrait of her in prayer inside the beautiful Buddhist temple.

Mỹ Linh then escorts me to Long Bien Bridge to introduce me to her husband, acclaimed Vietnamese composer-producer Anh Quân.  Long Bien Bridge is significant as it's where the couple -- now parents to two children, as well as Anh Quân's daughter from an earlier marriage -- shared their first date on the back of a scooter many years ago.  I capture them, perched on a vintage Vespa, as they recreate the romance of that first date.

From here, Mỹ Linh invites me to her home in the Hanoi countryside.  It is here that Mỹ Linh and Anh Quân continue to record her bestselling albums together in their state-of-the-art recording studio and where I create a series of photographs of Mỹ Linh singing one of her many hit songs.

Mỹ Linh has dedicated her entire career to the pursuit of excellence.  Her styles range from opera and classical music to R&B, soul, funk and pop.  Naming the late Whitney Houston as one of her influences, fittingly Mỹ Linh herself is renowned as one of Vietnam’s "Four Divas".  To celebrate her life in music, I decide to make my final portrait of Mỹ Linh performing on the stage at the iconic Hanoi Opera House, one of the city’s historic musical landmarks.

To experience Mỹ Linh's journey through my lens, catch the fifth and final episode of Around The World With Voyager, which premieres on Monday 4 March at 11pm on HISTORY and HISTORY HD.

Watch promotional trailers for the first, second, third and fourth episodes where I meet and photograph chef Sean Anson Xu (徐安昇) in Taipei, action star and movie director/producer Stephen Fung Tak-Lun (馮德倫) in Hong Kong, film director Brillante Mendoza in Manila and fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore in Jodhpur.

The Voyager's next port of call is the dazzling 'Blue City' of Jodhpur, India.

In the fourth episode of The HISTORY Channel's Around The World With Voyager, I meet renowned fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore and explore with him this majestic city on the edge of the Thar desert.

Born in Rajasthan, India’s “State of Kings”, Raghavendra is a proud bearer of his heritage as one of the descendants of Jodhpur’s royal clan, the Rathores (he is the great-grandson of Sardar Singh, 34th Maharaja of Jodhpur). Raghavendra shares stories of a childhood spent in Rajasthan before leaving India as a young man for further studies in the United States.

Fearing that academia might stifle his pursuit of creativity, Raghavendra studied Human Anthropology and Robotics at Hampshire College in Massachusetts, then Arts and Philosophy at Marlboro College in Vermont, before enrolling at New York's acclaimed Parsons School of Design.

When acclaimed fashion designer Donna Karan visited Parsons, she handpicked Raghavendra to work for her as an assistant designer at DKNY's sportwear division. Raghavendra went on to work with other famous

Manhattan labels Oscar de la Renta and Bill Blass before returning to Jodhpur and launching his eponymous fashion label, “Rathore Jodhpur”.

Inspired by his hometown of Jodhpur, Raghavendra's personal designs integrate the heritage and charm of classic Rajasthani fashion with modern styling and aesthetics.  He is best known for reviving the traditional Jodhpurs and Bandhgalas, making them internationally fashionable, while also preserving and promoting Rajashtan culture.

In 2011, Raghavendra was honoured by Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, for promoting the heritage and culture of Rajasthan through his fashion designs and for making his designs synonymous with Indian heritage.

I first meet Raghavendra at the regal sandstone Ajit Bhawan palace, his distinguished home filled with family photographs and other heirlooms.  It is here that I learn about his family -- and, in particular, his father, who had a significant influence in shaping Raghavendra's life -- and I make a portrait of him in his drawing room.

We take time to admire his family's remarkable vintage automobile collection, but it is one car in particular -- a beautiful 1947 MG TC -- that Raghavendra lovingly

and personally restored that catches my eye for our photo shoot.

Next, Raghavendra takes me to the historic and imposing Mehrangarh Fort.  Towering on a hill more than 400 feet above Jodhpur, this is one of the largest forts in all of India. Celebrated for its elaborate carvings and expansive courtyards, it is here that Raghavendra's cousin, His Highness The Maharaja Gaj Singh II, invited Raghavendra to host his first fashion show, changing the trajectory of Raghavendra's life.  Together we create a fashion-inspired portrait in one of the citadel's stunning courtyards.

When Raghavendra was a boy, his father would take him to the countryside, exposing him to village life and allowing him to experience indigenous Rajasthani customs and tradition.  Pukraj is a village weaver that Raghavendra and his father met many decades ago, and together we visit him at his humble home.  Although Raghavendra's designs are contemporary, here with Pukraj I witness firsthand how he continues to draw inspiration from his cultural roots.  In an enjoyable twist, I photograph both Pukraj and Raghavendra together.

Our final location is a couple of hours' drive outside Jodhpur in the vast Thar desert.  With some help from some local young men, we drag a giant seven-foot mirror up a

massive sand dune to create a more conceptual portrait of our subject.  Just as the sun sets over the Rajasthan desert, I capture Raghavendra in reflection, both literally and figuratively.

Raghavendra is an incredibly interesting person to meet and a fantastic subject to photograph.  I admire how his contemporary design principles have been strongly influenced by his cultural heritage, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about his family history and his creative and life philosophies.

To experience Raghavendra's journey through my lens, catch the fourth episode of Around The World With Voyager,which premieres on Monday 11 February at 11pm on HISTORY and HISTORY HD.

Watch the promotional trailers for the first, second and third episodes where I met and photographed chef Sean Anson Xu (徐安昇) in Taipei, action star and movie director/producer Stephen Fung Tak-Lun (馮德倫) in Hong Kong and film director Brillante Mendoza in Manila.

I believe that photography is the most accessible and democratic form of artistic expression.  The ubiquity of digital cameras -- on mobile phones or small point-and-shoot cameras all the way to large, powerful DSLR or medium format cameras -- is making it ever simpler to capture high-quality images anywhere, anytime.

But as most will attest, making great photographs has little to do with owning the best and most expensive equipment.  Personally, I believe that the real secret behind great photography is in how you see a moment and interpret it in a still frame, regardless of what type of camera you are using.  Are you able to make something ordinary appear extraordinary by showing it differently?  Are you able to make the viewer feel an emotion when they see your photograph?  Are you able to transport someone to a moment with you simply by pressing the shutter?

I often find it hard to imagine what I did before I owned an iPhone.  I've shot more pictures in the past three years than I have in my entire life, making more than ten thousand photographs that I never would have ever created if I'd not had a camera in my pocket at all times.

My iPhone has undoubtedly made me a better photographer.  As anyone who loves photography will

attest, you cannot turn creativity on and off; amazing photographic opportunities exist all around us.  And an endless stream of imagery floating across my screen from photographers across the globe on Instagram and Flickr and Twitter provides me with constant stimulation and inspiration.  As photographer Chase Jarvis succinctly stated, "The best camera is the one that’s with you".  And my iPhone always is.

As a professional photographer, I am paid to document my experiences around the world.  It is an amazing job, and I feel truly thankful and fortunate for my career and the opportunities I have.  But, candidly, it is so invigorating to visit a new country, enjoy the sights and sounds and actually experience the journey -- to be present and live the adventure, observing with my own two eyes rather than being concerned about capturing every moment through the lens of my camera.  This is the approach I consciously took on my recent holiday to Myanmar.

I packed a camera bag full of Nikon DSLRs and fast lenses, which I dutifully lugged on six flights into, across and out of "The Golden Land", and only dug them out of their cocoon twice in more than two weeks.  It was refreshing, but more than anything else, it was liberating.

Of course, this doesn't mean that I didn't make many

hundreds of images.  It just means that I did it differently. Rather than actively hunting for photographs, I allowed the photographs to find me.  And I did it entirely on my iPhone. The result was a different kind of travel and photographic experience than I am used to having.  And I loved it.

I have always called my style “Choose Your Own Adventure Photography” after the books I used to read as a child. Literally and creatively, I can go one direction and discover a remarkable photographic opportunity; or I can go another direction and find something entirely different.  It is this serendipity that is the beauty of photography for me.  The 15 days I spent exploring and experiencing and enjoying Myanmar with my iPhone further validated this philosophy.

See more of my iPhoneography elsewhere on this blog or on Flickr.

Follow me and my iPhoneography on Instagram.

The Voyager's next port of call is the frenetic Philippine port city of Manila.

In the third episode of The HISTORY Channel's Around The World With Voyager, globally acclaimed auteur Brillante Mendoza, a man who’s forged the path for Filipino filmmakers on the world stage, tours me around his nation's capital of 12 million people.

First, Brillante brings me to the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest university in all of Asia, where he majored in advertising.  It was here that Brillante launched a successful career as a production designer, working on television commercials for renowned Filipino and international brands.  However, Brillante reveals how he wanted something more from his life.

In 2005, he received a script for a movie, reworked it and with just USD$10,000, made Masahista (The Masseur).  The film would win Mendoza various awards including the Golden Leopard at the 58th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland.

I then follow Brillante to Mandaluyong, one of the 16 cities comprising Metropolitan Manila.  It was in these streets that Brillante filmed Masahista -- and here that he realised filmmaking was his true life's calling.

In Mandaluyong, Brillante also filmed scenes for Kinatay (Butchered), a hard-hitting 2009 effort that earned him the Prix de la mise en scène (Best Director) at the Cannes International Film Festival, making him the first Filipino to ever win this prestigious award.

From here, Brillante brings me to visit the Quiapo Church, Manila’s famous Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, where he regularly attends mass.  Mendoza's personal life remains important, and here he explains that his greatest achievement beyond all his film awards is being a father to his adopted daughter.

I then follow and photograph Brillante in the packed streets of Quiapo, Manila's old downtown, where he filmed Tirador (Slingshot).  He explains to me that it is here, among the ordinary people living in these neighbourhoods, that he finds the inspiration for his films; he seeks people in extraordinary situations to reflect life's realities and inspiring change.

From the bustling streets, I retreat with Brillante to his personal Eden.  It is inside this lush, green hideaway -- known as the "Secret Garden" -- where Brillante continues to make films with honesty.  In this serene location, in one of Asia’s most unique cities, I conclude my time with a truly distinctive Filipino voice: Brillante Mendoza.

I found Brillante to be a remarkable subject; his passion for his craft, his country and his fellow Filipinos is both palpable and admirable.

To experience Brillante's journey through my lens, catch the third episode of Around The World With Voyager,which premieres on Monday 14 January at 11pm on HISTORY and HISTORY HD.

To learn more about my time on Voyager in Manila and with Brillante, read these articles in The Philippine Star, The Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler.

Watch the promotional trailers for the first and second episodes where I met and photographed Sean Anson Xu (徐安昇) in Taipei and Stephen Fung Tak-Lun (馮德倫) in Hong Kong.

Once again, with the assistance of my partners Licheng and Andy, late last week Issue #11 of my SCOTT eNewsletter rolled off our virtual press and landed in thousands of inboxes around the world.

Headlining this edition was Around The World With Voyager, the travel and photography television series I am currently hosting on The HISTORY Channel.

I also chose to share "DJ Me", an international advertising campaign I photographed for Pioneer Asia-Pacific featuring three beautiful models and two beautiful automobiles: a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 200 and a brand new Maserati GranTurismo.

Finally, I included the fashion feature I shot for the cover of the 5th Anniversary edition of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia at the stunning W Hotel Sentosa Cove.

If you (or someone you know) would like to receive future issues of my quarterly SCOTT eNewsletter directly to your inbox, then please take a moment to subscribe to my mailing list.

The previous 10 issues of my SCOTT eNewsletter -- showcasing a variety of my travel, portrait, fashion, lifestyle and advertising photography over the past two-and-a-half years -- remain online and you can peruse them here.