For a special summer issue of W, we asked a few of our favorite photographers—who are all inveterate travelers—to suggest some of their go-to destinations, cherished memories, and personal snapshots. The results were as varied as they were surprising and, hopefully, will inspire you to take a journey of your own.
Jamie Hawkesworth
Somewhere Along the Road to Inverness, Scotland, 2021
“This was my first time traveling with my dog in the camper van around the U.K.…lots of bones, lots of beaches. Glorious.”
Jeff Henrikson
Côte d’Azur, France, 2023
“When I look at this photograph, I remember thinking about my daughter becoming a big sister. At the time, my wife was pregnant with our second child, and I was thinking how moments like this would soon be much different as our family was expanding. Our daughter was obsessed with having a baby brother on the way, and we were focused on giving her and ourselves the best summer we could before he arrived.”
Mert Alas
Ibiza, 2014
“Night and day with Kate in July.”
Tyler Mitchell
Switzerland, 2024
“This was my first time in Switzerland. But it felt like the most elevated, pure water, pure air version of the lakes I grew up going to with friends in the Metro Atlanta area. It gave me an immense sense of calm and inspiration.”
Angelo Pennetta
Puglia, Italy, and North Cornwall, England, 2023
“My father is from Puglia, so I’ve been going there for as long as I can remember. The top photograph was taken at Ponte Ciolo, which is a deep canyon at the end of a hiking trail called Sentiero delle Cipolliane. My partner, Fran, and I recently renovated an old stone mill cottage in North Cornwall, close to where her family lives. The photo below was taken from the coastal path, which takes you to lots of remote bays and tidal beaches.”
Stephen Shore
Madison County, Montana, 2020
“I first went to Montana in the summer of 1979. My wife, Ginger, and I spent three months camping and fly-fishing there. In the spring of 2020, we drove there from New York and spent five months at our house in the hills outside of Bozeman. I gave myself two projects: to write a memoir and to begin photographing with a drone.”
Daniel Arnold
Superior, Wisconsin, 2017
“There was an eclipse—barely saw it, but it happened. Nobody cared much. We were all still aglow from the monarch butterflies my mom had hatched that afternoon with my brother’s kids. One nature miracle a day will do the trick, even on vacation.”
Rafael Pavarotti
Italy, 2022
“These are memories of wonderful sensations and emotions. Precious moments. I was feeling free. Surrounded by joy, comfort, nature, adventure, music, dance, and friends.”
Carlijn Jacobs
The South of France, Various Years
“The South of France is only a three-hour train ride from Paris. It’s mostly a place I go when nothing has been organized but we still want to go somewhere nice. Every summer, I travel with a group of friends and make it not about the destination but about the time we have together.”
Tina Barney
Sun Valley, Idaho, 1979
“I lived in Sun Valley during the school year from 1974 to 1982, and the best fun of all after skiing downhill almost every day was to cross-country ski up north, where there were spots you could have a picnic by a stream or find a hot tub.”
Westerly, Rhode Island, 1979
“The lifeguard seemed as if he were conducting an orchestra. This photograph was taken at a water slide we used to go to on days we wanted an alternative to the beach where we usually hung out. It was on a strip filled with games, rides, and places to grab an ice cream cone or some popcorn.”
Joshua Woods
Accra, Ghana, 2021
“This was my second time in Ghana, when I got the rare chance to photograph the fashion designer Ozwald Boateng. It’s a special place. As an African American, I find exploring the history and lands of the ancestors is always healing to the soul.”