Our World Tour: A Photographic Journey Around the Earth

Designed to inspire world travelers and photographers alike, this book takes you on a journey around the globe through the eyes of photographer Mario Dirks. In the fall of 2011, camera and lens manufacturer Sigma sent Mario on a yearlong adventure to photograph the most beautiful places on earth. As Sigma's World Scout, he spent 50 weeks visiting a total of 77 cities, 48 countries, and 6 continents. He took 101 flights and traveled 2,500 miles on foot. The result of his tour is a collection of 347 extraordinary photographs showcasing fascinating destinations and scenic locations from around the world.

With this wealth of images and experiences, Mario Dirks has created a diversified snapshot of our earth. The images in this book show global sights like the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, Petra, the Grand Canyon, and Ayers Rock, as well as architectural masterpieces, unique natural landscapes, and portraits of people and animals.

Mario's photographs are accompanied by anecdotes from his travels, making this book a visual delicacy not only for traveling photographers, but for anyone interested in viewing captivating images from around the world. Come with the author on a journey to the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia; immerse yourself in the colorful and exciting variety of our world; and experience what great travel photography is made of.

Photographer Mario Dirks was born on the island of Norderney, Germany. His first experience with photography was using a simple pinhole camera at the age of 6, and he has been fascinated by photography ever since. In 1998, after years of self-study and participating in various photography training programs, he began working at the ＂Oldenburgische Staatstheater＂ (Oldenburg State Theatre). There he gained extensive experience working in the arts while assisting theatre photographer Andreas J. Etter.

Mario’s first photography exhibition took place on the island of Norderney, and in the German cities of Oldenburg, Bad Zwischenahn, and Oberhausen. He has been teaching workshops and seminars on photography on his home island of Norderney since 2007. His workshops focus on a variety of topics, including portrait, landscape, architecture, and studio photography.

In 2011, camera and lens manufacturer Sigma sent Mario on a 50-week trip around the world to photograph the most beautiful places on earth. In 2012 his images were displayed at photokina in Cologne and at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Mario has written articles for a number of photography magazines and is working on a book that will be published in late 2013.