Photographer, Traveler & Humanitarian - Alana Benn
- Jayde Harris-Lehman
- Sep 30, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 15, 2019
Alana and I were able to experience one the most life changing times in my life together. Upon my arrival to Ghana, I met an Australian volunteer who had been there for two weeks already. I remember thinking that her positive energy, outlook on life and adventure lifestyle came together to create such wonderful woman that I couldn’t wait to get to know more about. The weeks I was able to spend with Alana gave me great understanding of who she was as a person and why others and myself should strive to have her positivity. Whether it’s jetting across the globe or exploring her own country, Alana is able to soak in every experience and capture some of the most incredible photos and videos.
PHOTOGRAPHER
Alana enjoys photography and excels at it because she “likes the creativity and freedom it allows” through actual capturing of moments and the editing process. This creativity that she longs for in her everyday life has even led her to receiving her bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Media. Although she’s not sure if the 9-5 will be the exact route she takes, she is sure that she is cut out for the creative world. Whether it’s a digital, action or film camera, she is able to present her experiences abroad in an art form that she finds soothing. In her school days, Alana recalls being the girl who frequently brought her compact camera to parties and captured the “classy and rowdy” moments throughout the night. Photographic memories are ones that Alana values deeply and always keeps around her. When you look through Alana’s Instagram, her photos are soaked in raw moments that inspire others to travel and experiences cultures beyond their immediate reach. Her storytelling ability through a photo alone is unmatched, as well as, her videography skills. “How cool that even a simple visual can communicate powerful storytelling?”
TRAVELER
There have been twenty-four countries that Alana has had the ability to explore and create memories in. Airports is one of Alana’s favorite places because she it is a place filled with people who have the excitement of their upcoming voyage, as well as, the nerves that come with it. She finds herself wondering into a sort of day dream about “what a family in rural Romania is eating right now, who’s boarding a ferry on the islands of Greece, or what’s happening inside a bar in Tokyo.” Whether it’s immersing herself into another culture, chowing down on local cuisine, embracing the music of a different language and land, or even maneuvering a new transport system, Alana’s desire to travel and see more of the world is always growing. “Australia will always be [her] home, but the globe is just so big.” Although she’s already visited twenty-four countries, her adventuring soul is still planning trips to see places she’s never been and meet people she’s never met. Her upcoming trip will be taking place in the Caribbean region from March 2020 to possibly July 2020 where she will be sailing and road tripping Cuba to Columbia to Panama to Mexico’s mainland. I am even hoping to take her up on her offer of “Any volunteers are welcome!”
By visiting New Zealand, Alana has realized that her adrenalin junkie side is strong! With a couple of close friends, she had every cylinder firing when she toured North and South Island of New Zealand in 2014. From bungee jumping to skydiving to underground cave abseiling to zorbing to glacier hiking to white water rafting, Alana experienced almost every wild activity a true adventurer could experience in just one country alone.
Although she would normally prefer nature over the city scape, New York has been a place she keeps returning to. Alana enjoys how “gritty, electric diverse, strange and captivating” Brooklyn and the neighborhoods within are. When visiting New York, Alana feels as if the exposure to the “trendy culture and underground art scene” is more inspiring that the luxe style of Manhattan. Her inner personality truly comes out when she encounters New York.
Not all adventures are allowed, but one of Alana’s most memorable travel experiences was when her and her friend were arrested by a highway patrol man and dropped at a local McDonald’s on their attempt to find the infamous Stairway to Heaven in Hawaii. That didn’t stop them though. Normally trespassing is not something I would encourage, but Alana’s amazing photos from the top of the hike seem like the rebellious act was well worth it. Eight hours of climbing and 3,922 steps up and back down was a memorable and dangerous experience for the adrenaline junkie, Alana.
Finally, the country and the experience that brought us together – Volunteering in Ghana. Alana describes her experience there as being the most moving and emotional place she’s been to. She contributes the lack of safe drinking water, reliable internet, a washing machine, hot water, poor standards of healthcare and the small number of accessible items, as giving her intense gratification of the life she has in Australia. To Alana “Ghana was love in its rawest form” and it illuminated to her just how important the unification of people and new friends is when trying to accomplish goals and live a healthy life. Also, the happiness throughout the country was something that Alana latched onto and continues to promote within all her travels and daily life back home.
Alana's lifestyle is not for everyone, but she believes that it is important for people to travel and experiences other cultures so their worldview can be fully formed. Not only are her explorations truly inspiring, so is her honest and positive personality. As I grow in life and continue to explore other countries, I long to be as culturally receptive, adventurous and as amazing at photography as Alana. My opportunity to meet, live and volunteer with Alana was something I will never take for granted. I can not wait to see her next adventure and maybe even tag along for some of it!
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