Kessi World

Reunite with the land.

Photo Gallery

A camera in the archives of Matthew Kessi, this Kodak Disk camera from the 1980's has a copper panel over black plastic casing.
My first camera. A 15 frame Kodak Disc 3100.

Ever since I received a Kodak Disk camera for my tenth birthday, the love of photography has pulsed through me. My early subjects were mostly pigs, from the farm — they are very fun to photograph by the way. I’d snap a roll of film and then beg my mom to rush me to the local drug store to drop off the negatives for developing, which would return back a week later. Two of the fifteen shots, at best, would turn out to be masterpieces (in my own mind, of course).

The Photo Gallery of Kessi World has many past cameras, including this Nikon N6006 SLR film camera from the late 1990's. The NIKON letters are prominent in the shot, with black casing and features.
This was my third Nikon SLR and final film camera. Among many wonderful journeys, this camera took a magnificent series of black and white photos on a then-remote part of the Great Wall of China.

So much has changed since the era of film cameras — both in my life and via the rapid escalation of technology. Today, literally anyone with a smart phone has a wide berth to express their vision in remarkable imagery that can instantly be uploaded for the world to see — and we can all be artists.

This instant camera is on the Kessi World website in the Photo Gallery section, highlight past cameras used by Matthew Kessi. This Rollei Prego115 has a grey casing and the on/off switch is prominently displayed.
My last film point-and-shoot camera traveled all over the world with me in the early 2000’s, including South Africa and several trips to Ireland.

But sometimes in order to become the best artist possible we need a little help. I admire photography by fellow bloggers, who continue to inspire me to improve my focus and techniques. For example, I really enjoy Jen’s work with her blog Dabbling In Jetlag. She has an eye for scenes with just the perfect amount of light and provides a lot of great tips for improving your own craft through a number of articles on her site. In particular, I really appreciate (and agree with) these two articles:

My Best Travel Photography Tips

11 Common Travel Photography Mistakes to Avoid

A current camera used by Matthew Kessi is being held up against a bathroom mirror as he stands behind wearing a red hoodie. His fingers hold the camera, which is a compact black casing.
A current camera in self-portrait mode. My second Sony, this compact gem has been with me to Greenland, Vietnam and Belarus.

The photo collections you see below are specially curated groupings of places and concepts that inspire me.

From flowing bonsai trees to dramatic seascapes of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find most of the articles on Kessi World loaded with photos intended to inspire the soul. Almost everything is my own content, produced in a collaboration between my vision and heart. Some are snapshots capturing fleeting moments, while others express patient and careful spiritual deliberation. For more inspiration check out all the Destinations available on this site, or Pacific Northwest maps, to get started planning.

Enjoy this gallery, and may these collections refresh your own wanderlust and “artist eye” for the world.