“Not all those who wander are lost.” ~J. R. R. Tolkien

Wanderlust is my favorite word. It means having a strong desire to explore the world. I believe some people are born with it ingrained in their souls. I know from experience. I have wanted to see new places and experience new cultures my whole life. After a trip, I feel exhilarated and full of life … and then pretty soon I am restless and planning another trip to somewhere new.

I know many other people experience similar feelings. This ultimate desire to explore and experience is insatiable. I applaud those who enrich their lives and fulfil this desire. I am fortunate that I bring home from these wonderful places images that allow me to return time after time. They hang all over my home, and I smile as I walk past one and remember being in that place. I would like to give that continuous joy to you. I would like my images to remind you of the places you have been and the experiences that fed your soul.

What is your favorite place in the world? Maybe I have been there, too. Maybe I am going there soon. Maybe I have been somewhere you have not even considered yet. We are bound by our love for exploration. Allow my images to fulfill your Wanderlust … at least while you are home between journeys.

~Shawna

Shawna Hinkel is a Master Photographer and Certified Professional Photographer from Dallas, Texas. She has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Texas A&M University, and has been a professional photographer since 2004. She earned her PPA Certification in 2014 and PPA Master of Photography degree in 2019. She was awarded Life Membership in Dallas PPA in 2020, earned her Accredited Professional of Animal Imagery degree in 2021. In 2023, she became the second Master of WPE from the United States, and also became a Master Photographer in Fine Art from MPI. Her work has been accepted in the PPA International Photographic Competition Annual Exhibition every year since 2016, with images published in the annual Showcase Collection and Loan Collection books as well. She was the Dallas Professional Photographers Association Photographer of the Year in 2017 and 2018, and was named as one of the Top 10 photographers in Texas in 2020. She also received the American Society of Photographers’ State Elite Award in 2020. She has won a variety of other awards, and has been featured in multiple art gallery exhibitions.