April 27, 2006

Preview: Paul A. Teolis - World Traveller, Successful Hollywood Animator and Self-Made Travel Photographer

Every since I can remember, visual arts have held a great interest for me. And since I don't have time for painting, I instead try my hand at photography, more specifically travel photography. I am getting to the point where I have my camera on me all the time because interesting picture opportunities tend to present themselvses in the strangest, most unforeseen circumstances.

I recently wanted to attend a seminar on travel photography that had been organized by Toronto's G.A.P Store, but due to another commitment I was unable to come out. So I connected with the seminar leader, Paul A. Teolis, after the seminar and followed up with him in person.

Yesterday I had a chance to meet him in a local Toronto neighbourhood café and we talked about travel, photography as well as career and life changes. Paul has an interesting background: he spent a number of years in Los Angeles, as a highly successful animator for DreamWorks with screen credits such as The Prince of Egypt and The Road to Eldorado.

A few years ago he made the active decision to move back to Toronto, and people were surprised that he would voluntarily leave Hollywood behind. He was looking for a slower pace of life and wanted to dedicate himself more fully to his new-found passion: photography.

Today he still works as an animator in Toronto, but he has also established himself as a travel photographer, and some of his limited edition prints from his journeys to 30 countries on 6 continents have been getting critical acclaim and a loyal fan-base among discerning art collectors.

Paul told me about his fascinating trips to places such as China, Mongolia, Pakistan, Antarctica, Namibia and various places in Latin America. He mentioned that he discovered small group adventure travel in 1993 and has travelled many times since then with G.A.P Adventures, Canada's leader in adventure travel.

In the upcoming interview Paul will share with us his own background and his transition from Hollywood animator in the heart of the movie industry to his more quiet life in Toronto and his breakthroughs in the travel photography field. He will also share with us a variety of interesting travel experiences he has made over the years.

In addition, in a separate article he will provide practical and simple advice for us all on travel photography and image composition, something I am in dire need of and really looking forward to.