Biography

I am a freelance photojournalist based out of Philadelphia focused on travel and documentary stories.

Email info@jeffdonovan.net
Phone +1-302-757-1487
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My projects explore the spiritual dialouge that exists between indigenous cultures and the landscapes they inhabit. In all, I have photographed on five continents and in over 21 countries. My long term projects have taken me to the Andes (Bolivia, Peru, and Chile) and the Himalayas (Tibet, Nepal, and India) in search of the people, their unique cultural traditions, and the landscapes that inspire them.

I graduated from the University of Delaware in 1995 with a master's degree in electrical engineering (MSEE) with an emphasis in digital image and signal processing. Inspired by the urban landscapes of Philadelphia my passion for photography began while attending continuimg education classes at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Driven by a keen curiousity about what is going on in the world, I have been using the camera and the photo essay as a mean of expression ever since.

I currently reside in Delaware with my wife Agueda, whom I met while photographing in Peru, and my daughter Daphne.

Statements

"I choose as subjects, the people who still maintain a spiritual dialogue with the natural world."

We are still profoundly attached to the earth, yet our modern lifestyles lead us on a path that is severing the ties that bind us to it. Even though our dependence on the earth has changed little over time, few people still view the natural world as a spritual and sacred place vital to our survival but rather as a resource to be exploited for material gain.


"The cultural diversity of indigenous peoples thoughout the world is a precious but threatened resource."

We must act swiftly to observe and record the fleeting glimpses of cultures and lifestyles that have existed for centuries, but are now threatened and rapidly approaching extinction. Traditional ways of life, their cultures, their languages, and their unique understanding of the world will be forgotten unless we document and assist to preserve them for the long term benefit of future generations.


"Humanity is quite simply the art of being human."

It is the basic thread that binds us together as people. Transcending the boundaries of language and culture, my projects attempt to raise awareness of the common threads of humanity that we share. This awareness allows us to bridge the gaps of cultural diversity and brings us to the realization that our similarities far outnumber our differences.