We’re excited to share the story of Shane Brown: a photographer, traveler and App in the Air ambassador. Read on to learn about his favorite travel memory, what’s on his travel list and more.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am from Morristown, New Jersey. I work as a freelance photographer doing anything from travel photos to wedding photos. Being a photographer has allowed me to travel to corners of the world I never thought I’d see. I travel about every 2 months, mostly out of JFK. I have had travel consistently booked for the past 3 years, and App in the Air has drastically improved the organization of all my travel!
Do you have any favorite airports?
Yes! Samui Airport in Koh Samui, Thailand is such a beautiful airport. It blends perfectly with the stunning landscape and beaches that surround it. Singapore Changi Airport is also a favorite of mine. Changi sets the standard for all other airports. There is an endless amount of things to do within the most modern and clean airport on the planet.
Tell us about your favorite travel destination and memory.
Tokyo is one of my favorite places to visit and take photos of. It is truly a megacity with hundreds of unique experiences and friendly people.
While there for my first time in January 2019, on the first day I left my backpack with all my camera equipment on the metro! I was just so excited to get off and see Shinjuku that grabbing my bag from the overhead storage completely slipped my mind. Within a few minutes I began running to see if I could find a lost and found within the station to see if I could get any help. There were two employees in the lost and found and neither of them spoke much English. After about 10 minuets of using Google Translate on an iPad, I was able to communicate that I was looking for a lost backpack. I was then asked what time my train arrived at the station, what car I was sitting in, and what the bag looked like. After 45 minutes of anxiously waiting, a man burst in holding my backpack, and although I didn’t know what they were saying, I could tell they were excited to present it to me! They handed it over to me and then all of them bowed with a big smile.
My home city is New York, so I thought for certain my bag was a goner. I will always look back on this and smile. While I was fortunate to get all of my belongings returned, I am also eternally grateful for the people who helped me, even without being able to speak the same language.
What’s on your travel packing list?
I typically like to pack functional clothes when I travel. I am on the move almost everyday while away so I just like to be in something that I can wear in the city or while hiking up to a view point. Other than that I pack a few outfits to go out to dinner in, nothing fancy. The majority of things I pack is related to camera gear. I typically bring a camera body, 4 lenses, 3 GoPro’s, a drone, tripods, and a gimbal. I love documenting my travel and always want to be prepared for whatever scenery I am shooting.
Where are you looking forward to traveling to, once it’s safe to do so?
I have a few trips booked already. I should be heading to Portland, Oregon in early June and then London, England in August. It will be my first time visiting both locations so fingers crossed I can still go!
All images used in this post were taken by Shane Brown.