Photographer. Trailblazer. Tastemaker. World traveler. These are just a few words that come to mind when describing Chicago-based creative, Daniel Kelleghan.
From his massive Instagram influence to his new-month-new-country travel aspiration, Dan is changing the way we see the world through images, videos and wise words. To share his vision, we sat down for a chat with Dan and his freshly moisturized face:
You’ve accomplished a monumental initiative with New Month New Country! What prompted your leap, what was the hardest part about staying consistent?
Well first off, thanks for letting me be part of this exciting new brand! The whole project started over a year ago in October when I went to Iceland for the first time. I hadn’t traveled as much as I’d liked the previous year, with a lot of my shoots being based in the US. Traveling has always made me most creative and I love learning about different cultures. The trip to Iceland was the first of the 15 countries that I’ve gone to since. I thought it would be a fun challenge to go to a new country every month. I tried it for 3 months before I revealed what my personal challenge was, just because I wasn’t even sure if I could manage to do it. After the 3 months, the challenge was on! I’ve been going full speed ever since.
The hardest part (as you might imagine) is funding. I’ve been lucky to partner with different companies throughout which help offset costs, but overall I’m definitely not making money off of it…yet!
What are you constant travel essentials you pack for every trip, besides your camera, of course?
I always try to take just a carry-on. I have an AWAY bag that I love. I’ve been traveling with an IKAN stabilizer lately that’s allowed me to start experimenting with travel video. I’m really excited for more storytelling capabilities with this set up. Oh, and now I won’t travel with my Oars + Alps skincare products.
What are your top three travel tips for booking stays and flights?
Skyscanner is best for booking cheap flights when your dates are wide open. Also, don’t overlook flying out of other hubs (NYC, Boston, LA, SF) when you’re booking flights. Oftentimes if you don’t mind an extra transfer you can save some big money.
What’s in store for you in 2017?
I’m going to be shooting a lot more video, and traveling as much as I can! I can’t wait to go to Australia and India especially.
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