Colby Brown, Photographer for The Global Triathlon

I’ve very proud to announce that Colby Brown will be joining me on most of The Global Triathlon to document the expedition. Colby is a fantastic photographer and has worked all over the world. He has been tasked with the most difficult job on the trip-he needs to make me look good!

Here’s 11 questions on the who/what/why of Colby Brown:

Who are you?

I am a 27-year-old freelance photographer that has a passion for exploring the world. I am an adventure seeker at heart and specialize in shooting adventure/travel photography. Although I was born in California, I am a Canadian dual citizen, currently living in Denver, Colorado. I have been fortunate to have traveled all over the world, photographing some of the most amazing locations that this planet has to offer.

What are you doing on the trip?

I am the man behind the lens, the one in charge of bringing this adventure together for your viewing pleasure. I will be documenting this expedition with a mixture of photography, journalism and videography. This project is going to be worth retelling and I will be the one responsible for making that happen.

How did you get involved?

In 2008, I met Daniel at a little cafe in Kathmandu, Nepal. At the time I was exploring the Himalayas, having just photographed the Khumbu Region (Mt. Everest). Dan had just come from Tibet on his last adventure, ‘From Korea to Cape Town’ and was resting in the city for a few days. Although he was a lot to handle, his passion for life and adventure was infectious. After he completed his last trip, I contacted me with the proposition of a lifetime. Document one of the most ambitious and challenging expeditions ever attempted. The rest they say is history.

What do you do normally?

Photography is my passion and my life. I spend most of the year, traveling to different parts of the world in an attempt to capture the world from my unique perspective. Although this expedition will be my first major use of video, I am stoked about the possibilities and the challenges that come along with such a massive production.

Relevant skills and experience?

My thirst for adventure combined with my love of photography has allowed me to experience the world from a very different perspective. I started exploring the world at 17 and I haven’t looked back since. Whether I was ice climbing in New Zealand, exploring the Temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia or climbing peaks in the Himalayas, I have never taken a moment for granted.

I have explored Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Central America, Ecuador, Nepal, India and Tibet. Through these experiences I have been fortunate enough to document life on this planet in some of the most remote locations on Earth. I currently hold a Wilderness First Responder certification through NOLS and I am a certified PADI master diver.

Favourite wake up song?

‘One Love’ by Bob Marley

Favorite movie for when we’re lost in the middle of nowhere?

The Goonies

Worst moment travelling?

When I first started my photography company, I decided that I wanted to explore South East Asia while I was building up my portfolio. Before I knew it I was on a plane to Bangkok with no idea of where I was going to explore or what to expect. After two months of traveling around Thailand, I hopped on a bus headed for Siem Reap, Cambodia. At the time I didn’t realize that Cambodia was not only one of the poorest countries on earth, it was also had the most active mines (Thanks mostly to the US government during the Vietnam War). I wasn’t prepared for the amount of limbless and deformed children that where there to great every foreigner on every at just about every corner of Angkor Wat.

After two days of exploring the temples, I decided that I wanted to do something to help out these children. I had built up a relationship with two small boys that stood on the same corner over those few days and decided to buy them food. After we ate, I said ‘Choum reap lia’ (goodbye in Cambodian) we parted ways and I went to use the internet cafe. After 15 minutes, I exited the cafe, only to find a small group of kids waiting for me. I was in a good mood and decided to buy everyone food but by the time we walked down the street, the group had turned into a mob of kids. The vender didn’t have enough for everyone so I thought a local store would suffice. I went in and bought powdered milk, bread and fruit only to return to a hostile group of Cambodian children. Everyone was fighting and pushing to get the most food. It was truly a horrible sight. Eventually the crowd dispersed, knowing they wouldn’t get any more out of this foreigner and went back to their respective corners. It what started as a gesture to do some good, turned into a large group of children fighting for survival. That night I realized just how sheltered the West was to life out in the ‘real world’.

What will you miss most whilst on the trip?

Yogurt and Granola. What can I say? I am addicted. In all seriousness I will miss my girlfriend like crazy. She will be coming out to visit in France, my time off in Nepal and again in Alaska so we will be making to most out of this adventure.

Why are you doing this?

An expedition of this magnitude has truly never been done before. As the lead photographer, I know how crazy this whole thing sounds. For the average person, this is beyond the realm of sanity…for some even possibility. But what you are not taking into account is the capability of the human spirit. The ability to overcome incredible obstacles in the face of adversity. It is the journey that matters in life not the end result. The pieces that come together to form the overall picture of life. Whether we succeed or have to turn back is not the point. It is the fact that we are wiling to push the boundaries of what is possible and see where it takes us as a whole. This expedition is a huge undertaking that involves a lot of planning, training, persistence and will power in order to succeed. This is best summed up with my favorite quote of all time.
‘Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of the rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.‘ Jack Kerouac ‘On the Road‘

Why do you think Dan is doing this?

Like myself, Daniel is a man that lives his life through his passions. He not only believes in challenging himself, but in making the world a better place for us all. His thirst for adventure, passion for life and compassion for those less fortunate then himself infect all that come in contact with him. This ability gives Daniel the unique ability to accomplish extraordinary feats in the face of adversity. ‘The Global Triathlon’ gives Daniel the chance to both push back the walls of what is possible as well as shed some light on the growing concern for child poverty.

Click on the images below to see Colby’s website, blog and flickr homepage.

1. amazed says:
   2009-11-30 14:41:38
   amaaaaaazing!!!! insaaaaane!!!! out of the box!!! unheard of!!!! hope you dont freeze in the atlantic -.-