HADRIEL TORRES is an award-winning travel photographer currently based in Perth. Here he shares some of his favourite pictures and explains why he was moved to take each shot.
Over the past decade, I have journeyed across the globe, capturing the beauty of nature and the richness of diverse cultures. My mission is to promote social awareness through authentic and evocative imagery.
My work has been featured in various exhibitions and publications, reflecting my dedication to the art of visual storytelling.
In 2020, I was honoured to win the National Geographic Traveller UK Competition. In 2021, I was a finalist in the Travel Photographer of the Year award and finalist of the Sony World Photography Award 2024.
As a visual storyteller I see myself as a witness to my generation, using photography to share unique perspectives and uncover the extraordinary within the everyday.
French Polynesia
This photograph was taken in 2019 in Ua Pou, Marquesas island of French Polynesia, during a celebration where the people of the region meet every four years to celebrate culture and tradition during the Matavaa Henua Enana Festival.
With facial markings and adorned with black beaded necklaces, the central dancer performs an intense haka-like movement with his mouth open in a traditional call. He and the surrounding dancers wear traditional ti leaf skirts and body decorations.
The backdrop features Ua Pou’s distinctive basalt spire mountains rising dramatically against a cloudy sky, creating a spectacular setting that connects the cultural performance to its ancestral landscape.
This is a multi-awarded photo, including the overall Grand Prize and People category winner, National Geographic Traveller UK Photography Competition 2020.
Nepal
Taken in 2017 at Everest Base Camp, this photograph captures the rugged, icy landscape of the Khumbu Glacier with towering snow-capped peaks in the background.
A lone porter, heavily burdened with supplies, carefully navigates the treacherous terrain, embodying the resilience of those who call these mountains home.
Colourful Tibetan prayer flags flutter above, adding a spiritual touch to the harsh, high-altitude environment.
I took this photo on a trek to Everest Base Camp that year. Starting from the dangerous airstrip in Lukla, I journeyed through the memorable valleys and steep trails of the Himalayas, experiencing the raw beauty and immense challenge of the ascent.
The journey tested my endurance, but reaching base camp and witnessing the incredible glacial expanse firsthand was an unforgettable reward.
Kyrgyzstan
I took this photograph in 2017 while travelling in Kyrgyzstan on horseback. It captures the essence of traditional pastoral life that continues in modern Kyrgyzstan.
A herder guides his cattle across the rocky Kyrgyz steppe, set against the dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. He’s dressed in practical clothing – a camo jacket and cap – and rides a chestnut horse while carrying a herding stick.
Italy
This photograph was taken in 2024 while I was travelling in Val D’orcia, Tuscany. A villa crowned with cypress trees sits on a hilltop at sunrise, surrounded by rolling green hills and morning mist.
The scene is bathed in golden light, with layers of misty hills fading into the distance. This photo was awarded an Honourable Mention by BIFA Award 2024.
Bali (main photo)
This photograph was taken in 2024 in Bali. A performer in traditional attire executes a dramatic pose during a Kecak fire dance, surrounded by rings of flame against the night’s darkness.
This powerful ritual performance draws from the Ramayana epic and trance exorcism traditions, creating an intense visual spectacle where fire and movement converge in spiritual expression.
This photo was awarded Highly Commended in the Australian Photographer of the Year 2024 competition.
Australia
This Photograph was taken in 2021 at Laura Festival in Far North Queensland and features three Indigenous Australian performers displaying traditional body painting and ceremonial attire.
Their bodies are adorned with intricate white patterns painted and they wear traditional fibre skirts. They appear to be holding ceremonial sticks or weapons while posing against a backdrop of Australian bush.
The Laura Festival is an important cultural gathering that celebrates Aboriginal dance, music and traditions in Cape York Peninsula.
This photo was awarded Top 10 in the Australian Photographer of the Year 2022.
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