Welcome to a new edition of Spotlight On!

We are very happy to introduce you to Noel Morata also known as @emorata a photographer, writer, artist and traveler.

According to his bio, he is obsessed with travel, food, wine, culture and lifestyle.

Let’s learn more about him!

Please tell us more about your background.

I’m currently living in East Hawaii on Hawaii Island and part-time in San Francisco. I am a freelance photographer, writer, and artist. I also maintain two web sites Travel Photo Discovery and A Big Island life.

Do you remember your first trip? Where was it?

Well yes, my first trip was gasp – almost 35 years ago travel with my high school French class visiting Paris, the Loire and Normandy areas. We had to speak French during most of the trip which was crazy fun.

Who inspired you while growing up?

My art teachers and creative people in general. I wanted more of these fun people in my life but there were not too many in my neighborhood so I resorted to reading books on art and travel, history and culture and enjoying reading about foreign places, foods and people.

What destinations did you dream of and which ones did visit?

I dreamed of traveling all over Europe and then Asia, most of the States in the USA and Canada.

Eastern Europe when it most of the countries became democratic and Turkey/Greece. There are still many things to see in do in many countries if not continents that are on my bucket list.

You traveled to numerous countries, do you have any favorites and why?

Ah well that is always a difficult thing to say, but my de-facto reply is always the place I visited last is my favorite and that was Turkey and Croatia

which was so different in landscape, food and people to where I live now. I love extreme opposite types of environments and lifestyle.

Your photographs are simply amazing! When did you start taking them? Did you take a class or it just came naturally?

I’ve started taking photography in High School and college but then put it aside to work a more mainstream business life when I lived in Silicon Valley and became a cog in the IT world.

I rediscovered Photography and art when I officially moved to Hawaii seven years ago to pursue my creative dreams.

It has been a wonderful thing to tap into that side of my past and connect again with the creative aspects of my life and bring them out through my writing and photography.

Tell us a funny event that happened during your travels.

I always have funny moments with taking pictures especially when we cannot communicate in a foreign language so for me it’s a matter of making contact, smiling and body language, let the eyes and smiles work for you.

Great opportunities always happen you try to engage or make your subject smile in the process 🙂         

What has been the best travel advice you were ever given?  

Go out and travel where you have never been and take the time to enjoy the place instead of rushing from one place to another. That’s why I am more of a slow traveler and can stay in an area for weeks at a time.

Do you have any travel plans for 2014?  

I am planning on doing some traveling back in the US mostly the West Coast and hopefully the Southwest and later in the year will be traveling to Puglia in Italy and Greece and perhaps spend some time in England. End of the year, I hope to travel to the Philippines

What is your favorite travel quote?  

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

Confucius

 

How can we contact or follow you online?

You can follow me through the following social media accounts:

Blog:  http://travelphotodiscovery.com/

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/emorata

Instagram:  http://instagram.com/nmorata

Pinterest:    http://www.pinterest.com/nmorata/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NoelMorataPhotography

Trover:     http://www.trover.com/u/noelmorata

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NoelMorata

 

Thank you so much Noel for taking the time to talk to us at Traveller Soul.

We wish you all the best and many more Happy Travels 🙂