Gary Bedell

Jack of all trades but master of none. I'm determined to change that with this long overdue novel.

If I had to select a moment when my life turned from despair to hope, it would be have to be when I meet Nelson Mandela for the first time. Little did I know that it would be the beginning of several years in which his presence and example loomed large in my life. You can read more about that remarkable experience in this article: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2013/06/30/nelson_mandela_a_canadian_diplomat_remembers_his_time_with_the_south_african_leader.html

In the end, I needed several more years than the number that Nelson spent in prison to finish my personal long walk to freedom and to find peace and happiness.

As a photographer, my best works have always been portraits of people from other cultures. I never mastered the stunning landscapes that get so many likes on social media. It is an enormous privilege when strangers allow you to capture their faces as a living example of a proud cultural heritage. In my experience, they rarely ask for money. Instead, I believe that when I press the shutter it creates an unspoken contract between us. They permit the photo and all they ask in return is for me to tell their story well. That is my solemn promise to all of them and to you, dear reader.