BY ALLA KWIEDER
It’s not an easy feat but six years ago, Sami Altokhais quit his job and took off to Latin America on a one-way ticket to pursue his passion for travel photography.
From his early college days, Sami Altokhais was always known as “the guy with a camera,” be it on a family holiday or with friends or even amongst his peers as a youngster. When he discovered his passion for photography while travelling, taking photos became about living in the now and developing a narrative that can be reflected through his captures. People find themselves in different ways, whether it be writing, singing, painting, and in Sami’s case, capturing the marvels of his surroundings through his lenses. He describes his perspective on travel as “exploring the unknown and being out of your comfort zone.” He then shared his belief in feeling something special from being a traveller, which allows him to capture moments of his “visual diary” that are simply priceless!
Born in the US to Saudi parents, Sami began his inquisitive documentary photography journey in Los Angeles in between his graduate programs in psychology back in 2005. Sami’s travel photography career took off in 2008 after being featured on the front cover of a piece on eolic (wind) energy in Italian magazine TV Sorrisi E Canzoni. Sami then continued to partake in various international photography festivals, including presenting a project on Guatemala’s Semana Santa (Holy Week), in Gulf Photo Plus’ Slidefest in Dubai, alongside becoming the first Fujifilm ambassador in the Kingdom. During this time, he worked in the financial industry on a regular nine-to-five schedule. The idea of him taking off to Latin America in 2015 came as a surprise to many, including his family members who had always seen it coming one way or another. Sami decided to quit his mundane lifestyle and pursue a journey of self-discovery in the South American continent he fell in love with after a short visit to Guatemala, a nation which he refers to as the “seed” country in Central America.
After an avid 14-month gap year in South America, filled with trekking and exploring of the local indigenous communities by land, Sami then partnered with various global local travel guides, providing others with tried and tested travel solutions and advisory for various countries amongst the 83 he has visited. Specializing in local travel experiences, he decided to collaborate with local guides as a support for social enterprise. He describes that “going locally makes a huge difference to the money cycle”. Sami remains very dedicated to promoting local tourism and craftsmanship through working with Turquoise Mountain, a non-governmental organization focusing on reviving historical areas and local crafts in various countries such as Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Jordan, as well as his photography book which he is working on.
Considering that celebrating his birthdays through travel had become a ritual, Sami wasn’t prepared to do things differently this year, even if it coincided with the COVID-19 breakout. Despite the uncertainty of what to expect from a trip during the rise of the pandemic, he decided to embrace the circumstances and opportunity of a lifetime.
On March 13th, Sami managed to get on one of the last flights leaving Saudi Arabia. Having landed in New York with no expectations, he began to roam through the streets of the Big Apple documenting his unique experience, reflecting the silence and scarcity you wouldn’t normally expect when on a holiday. During this trip, Sami managed to visit five airports, including Heathrow, before having to be quarantined for two weeks upon his return to the Kingdom. The whole trip took six weeks where followers, including Sami’s mother, were able to have a glimpse of his very distinctive birthday celebration.
Aspiring to be the full-time traveller that he is spiritually, Sami decided to take a back seat quite literally and quit driving upon his return from Latin America as he continues fulfilling his conscious experiences when travelling at all times.
Instagram: @samitokhais
Website: http://samitphotography.com
