I started TPW in response to my own desire to investigate the opportunities in the world of travel photography and writing. Many people would love to have the job of a travel photography/writer, but very few are willing to "pay the dues" and learn the craft. Every guy with a camera (GWAC to professional photographers) thinks he can spend $5000 on equipment and immediately start raking in the dough as a photographer. The truth is, it's not about the camera.

Give a great photographer a hundred dollar point-and-shoot camera and he (or she) will consistently product good photos. Give a GWAC a hundred thousand dollars worth of gear and he will be lucky to produce one great shot every now and then. The trick to success as a photographer or writer is exactly the same as it is with any skilled job...consistency is the key to success. The difference between a GWAC and a pro...the pro produces good photos day in and day out. The professional writer produces great copy even when he does not feel like doing it.

The cameras on the market today, combined with the advertising that sells those cameras, convinces many people that producing great photos is easy. The truth is, it is easy to produce a great photo. Give a chimp a camera and he will eventually point the camera in the right direction and trip the shutter at the right time. Put an infinite number of chimps in front of an infinite number of typewriters for an infinite amount of time, and they will eventually print out the Declaration of Independence too. For those of us with a limited lifespan who want to take routinely take great pictures and write great copy, we must work to improve our skills and not rely on random chance.

So, I figured if I felt this way, there will be others. Sort of the "if you build it they will come" attitude. I hope here we can support each others efforts and maybe even get published along the way. I would like to see this group develop a reputation for its work and consistently get that work published around the world. Anybody interested?