About David
Madagascar by David Van Driessche (davidvandriessche.com):
Also known as David Dennis, he is a professional photographer specialising in travel, with passionate eye-catching photographs of places and people. Combining his profession with a love of travel and a background in tourism and hospitality, he offers photography services and tours throughout Asia.
Originally from Belgium, he studied photography and film in Europe, and worked as a tourism product manager in the 1990s, venturing out around the world and photographing many of the world’s finest hotels and resorts, before finally settling in Thailand.
Currently, he is organizing photography expeditions to Thailand, Myanmar, Europe, Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and many more destinations.
He has also worked on main stories in Travel + Leisure magazine (Mergui Cover piece and Bhutan) and GEO, as well as with many international hotels and resorts worldwide.
David’s Passion for Photography
From a young age, I was intrigued by photography. At the age of 16 I got my first camera and started shooting on trips with my parents, school outings and scout camps. I was immediately drawn to night photography and black & white.
Later when I worked as a product manager in a travel agency, I got to travel to the US, Egypt, China and Thailand and many European cities. I had to record my trips for the agency to use in printed material and also make presentations for potential customers, by way of reversal film or slide film, a type of photographic film that produces a positive image on a transparent base.
I used to have two Minolta Sweet Alpha 35mm SLR cameras in the 90s. My first trip was to Sri Lanka, followed by Thailand and Indonesia. That was it, I was addicted to travel photography.
In 2001 I decided to move to Thailand after working as a travel agent for 10 years. Bangkok is the perfect base from which to visit fascinating countries, like Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia.
I remember in 2002 going to Angkor Wat on an expedition, and visiting Myanmar in 2009; I was alone almost everywhere. In 2009 I bought a Canon 5D M2 and since have stayed with the brand, upgrading to the newer versions of the model. I love my wide-angle lenses, the Canon 17-40 mm and the Laowa 12 mm Zero D, but the Canon 70-200 2.8 is always in my bag. I was so happy with the results of the Canon 5D Mark II I just kept on travelling and shooting, each time looking for more remote locations, like the Naga, Chin and Moken tribes in Myanmar, or the Asaro Mudmen and Skeleton people in the highlands of Papua.
Later in 2015 I decided to combine my 10 years of travel agency experience with 25 years of photography and started photographic expeditions. My trips are mainly in Asia, but also include Papua New Guinea, USA and, Madagascar, of course.
The People of Madagascar
One of the highlights is photographing the people. In Morondava and other beach areas like Tulear, a yellow face mask is a custom to protect the skin against the harsh sun, called the practice of masonjoany. The mask is made from different types of wood that are ground and mixed with water into a paste. They have been introduced to this custom from Indian traders, that might be why it is so similar to the thanaka of the Burmese people.
Photographing people in Madagascar is very easy, just smile and point to your camera to ask if it’s OK, most will say yes, and after a while the whole village will wait in line to get their portrait taken. Markets are also a good place to walk around and capture portraits.
Life in Madagascar
Most people outside the capital live from farming and fishing, and you can witness this on your road trip every day. People cultivate cassava, corn, sweet potato, coffee, cloves and vanilla. It is interesting to note, Madagascar is the world’s largest producer of vanilla, and also seems to produce the best beans with amazing flavours. They also breed the famous zebu, a kind of local cow which accounts for most of the cattle, while pigs, sheep and poultry are also bred for sale and food.
On Sunday you will see the locals in their best outfits and they will walk miles to visit the nearest church for mass. This is also a sight not to miss out on.
Landcapes of Madagascar
Driving from Fianarantsoa to the coastal town of Tulear uses Highway Number 7, and this road shows you a wide variety of landscapes. From the mountains of the Isalo National Park to the terraced rice fields between Ranomafana and Antsirabe, or picturesque villages of the Betsileo people, not one view outside will bore you and new scenery awaits you around every corner.
Of course, the most famous photo taken is of Baobab Alley. Baobabs are ancient trees that look like they’ve been turned upside down with their roots stretching up into the sky. Morondava, the location of Baobab Alley, also offers beautiful beaches, and a perfect opportunity to visit local fishing villages and see the locals prepare the boats for their daily catch.
Fauna and Flora of Madagascar
Madagascar has had the opportunity to develop at its own pace and under its own rules for thousands of years, therefore having a wide variety of fauna and flora only found on the island. A visit to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is a must, not only to see the famous indri but also many species of lemurs, chameleons, insects and birds.
Most national parks visits are accompanied by a local park tour guide, who will know the locations of the animals at the specific time of the day. Bring a good pair of binoculars and a telephoto lens if you are photographing the wildlife. Make sure you see these animals on your visit: sifakas, ring-tailed lemurs, tomato frogs, aye-aye, giraffe weevils, comet moths, mouse lemurs, the fossa and a wide variety of chameleons, half of which you can only see in Madagascar.
Join David on his 2020 Madagascar Photography Tour
Buy David’s photo prints at expeditionsinphotography.com/prints.
More information about his Madagascar Photography Tour in May 2022 at https://phototripexpeditions.com/tour-item/the-madagascar-photography-expedition/
☛ Read more: Photo Essays on globerovers.com
