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‘One of the best jobs in the world’

In the almost four decades that I’ve been a photographer for the Monitor, I’ve never known exactly where photo assignments will take me. There’s joy in the not knowing, excitement in finding out what will happen next. Sometimes I don’t know where I’m going until the day before I fly.

The year 2023 was special because of the amount of travel involved, with one trip after another. In addition to going to Turkey to document the aftermath of a massive earthquake, I was assigned to a big project about young climate activists. Two of the countries we covered were new to me – Bangladesh and Namibia. The third trip was to a remote part of North America – an Inuit village on the northern edge of mainland Canada. Each time, I met people living completely different lives than I do. As always, I felt connection and wonder in the meetings.

All of my big trips were far, far away. In some cases, the travel took more than 24 hours, with multiple connections and delays. Some countries require visas that were difficult to obtain. In Bangladesh, one of the wettest countries in the world, the steamy weather was a challenge for both me and my cameras. Fogged lenses could take up to 20 minutes to clear. I learned long ago that some of the most uncomfortable trips are usually the most memorable and produce some of my best images.

My career gives me permission to go places I’d never go on my own, and meet people I’d never ordinarily meet. I have one of the best jobs in the world.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

NAMIB-NAUKLUFT NATIONAL PARK, NAMIBIA: Big Mama Dune, July 22.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

TALOYOAK, NUNAVUT: Elder, June 21.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

ANTAKYA, TURKEY: Feeding stray cats post-earthquake, May 25.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK, NAMIBIA: Bull giraffe, July 16.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

FALFURRIAS, TEXAS: Welding class, Feb. 23.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

TALOYOAK, NUNAVUT: Sampling water quality, June 22.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

DHAKA, BANGLADESH: “Green” preschool, Sept. 27.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

NEW YORK: Central Park tulip, April 20.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

TALLULAH, LA.: Searching for ivory-billed woodpeckers, May 5.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

NEW YORK: New wing of the American Museum of Natural History, May 29.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA: Climate activist Reinhold Mangundu, July 14.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

WEYMOUTH, MASS.: Odd pet vet, April 7.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA: Laidlaw Peringanda’s genocide museum, July 20.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

MONGLA, BANGLADESH: Mother and child, July 22.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

ALEXANDER CITY, ALA.: Mechanic Cordero Robbins, March 16.