A few months ago, we shared an extraordinary travel site for curious people who love to learn about the world - Amateur Traveler. Packed with insider's tips on travel, locations, adventures, and more, The Amateur Traveler is a gem. For those of you that already love Amateur Traveler, you won't be surprised at our Photographer of the Month for January. Chris Christensen is that rare photographer that makes you feel like you're there on the spot - his photos are sometimes whimsical, sometimes stunning - but always capture your heart.

East of Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand is the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. Some of this scenery might look familiar as Cathedral Cove was used in the film Prince Caspian as the site of Cair Paraval.

We were lucky enough to sit down and chat with Chris about photography, changing the world, photo tips, and more. Here's what he had to say...

WE: How did you get interested in photography?

CC: My brother had a dark room when I was a kid but most of my interest in photography coincides more with my interest in travel.  As a child, we traveled around the U.S. and I took some of the first pictures that I liked at national parks like Yosemite and Yellowstone.

Hong Kong

WE: How long have you been a photographer?

CC: My first camera was a hand-me-down box camera which I used to shoot old black and white photographs. I was shooting black and white not to try and be like Ansel Adams but because it was a film camera and black and white film was cheaper. I was probably in elementary school at the time. When I graduated from high school my parents gave me my first SLR camera which was a Minolta SRT 201 film camera.

I remember doing a photo hike on my honeymoon in 1982 at Acadia National Park and taking a picture that hung on my wall until all the color faded from it. In those days Kodak would donate the services of a photographer for the Summer at some of the National Parks like Acadia to help you with your photography. Of course, what they got out of it was you buying more film.

I think my photography improved when I switched to digital cameras just because I could afford to experiment more with pictures.

Santorini, Greece

WE: What is your favorite place to photograph? Or subject?

CC: My favorite place to photograph, so far, has been Antelope Canyon in Arizona. It is a slot canyon with amazing light. Your photographs are just red rocks and light but if you can't take an interesting picture at Antelope Canyon, sell your camera on eBay and buy postcards from now on.

Antelope Canyon

bazaar, Pyramids at Giza

horse carts, pyramids at Giza

WE: How can photographers help change/impact the world, while they are traveling?

CC: The old saw about a photograph being worth a thousand words has some truth to it. Photographers like bloggers can tell stories which help us understand other places. I think when we shorten the distances between places we promote understanding. Not all problems go away when we understand each other, but it helps.

Photographs help us preserve our history. They can also help persuade people. Persuade people to explore, to preserve, or to help.

Coyoacan, Mexico City

Mohamed Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, Egypt

WE: Are there rules in other countries people need to be aware of about who or what you can or cannot shoot?

CC: Certainly some cultures are more private than ours, so certainly have some sensitivity with shots with people in them. That might mean not taking a shot or it might mean asking permission or it might mean being more discrete. A telephoto lens is a wonderful thing.

I have been stopped when I was taking pictures in London at a train station because of "security concerns". Taking pictures of military installations is often forbidden. When we were in Egypt our guide encouraged us not to take photos of garbage or things that might indicate we were trying to portray the local culture in a less flattering light.

Taking pictures of children can also be a sensitive area. While children can be the most willing models, you might want to get a sense if it is OK with whatever parent or guardian is near by. You don't need to be able to speak the language to indicate you want to take someone's picture.

Mohamed Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egpyt

Guard, Pyramids at Giza

WE: Any tips you want to share?

CC: One time I had my good camera break on the morning I was leaving for Europe. What surprised me is how good the pictures looked that I took with my Canon Elph pocket camera. The photographer's eye is more important than the equipment.

Practice framing shots with whatever camera you have. Check out the local postcards to see what pictures others have found in your destination.

A more expensive camera like a digital SLR will help with low-light situations or capturing action shots, but it might also make you a more obvious tourist or a target for property theft. Don't just keep an eye on your camera while you are traveling, but keep a hand on it.

Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, Germany

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

CC: You can correct a lot of issues with pictures after the fact with Photoshop Elements, iPhoto or some other photography software, but you can't correct focus. Nothing irritates me more than when I find out that photo I took at some wonderful destination was ruined by not taking the time to get it right.

Look at your photos while you are in the field. Did that shot come out? No, take it again. Too light? Too dark? Have a pole or tree sticking out of someone's head? Take it again. Memory cards are cheap. Digital pictures only cost space so take more pictures than you think you will need and throw out the bad ones. Of course traveling with patient people will really help with that.

boats near Temple of Isis, Philae, Egypt

Temple of Isis, Philae, Egypt

WE: Thanks so very much, Chris. I love your work - you bring the world home to me.

To see more photos, head to Amateur Traveler, then click on Photo Galleries:
http://amateurtraveler.com/

Edfu Temple, Egypt

All photos courtesy and copyright Chris Christensen