The main goal of this site is to inspire and inform by sharing glimpses of our world and one person’s experience in it. I also hope the site will increase visibility of my work, and help to develop more income streams so that I can continue doing what I do.
Since 2010, my primary source of income has been photography, particularly selling image licenses through iStock by Getty Images. This is an unpredictable way to make a living, and the future of the industry — like many other industries! — is unknown. For now it is the way I support myself, but I do not expect it to last.
If you are interested in contributing to my work and this site, here are some ways:
- Do your Amazon.com shopping through my affiliate link, or any of the book links you find on the site. Simply by entering Amazon’s site through my site, I’ll earn around a 4-6% commission on your purchases — while your costs remain the same.
- New to AirBnB? Save $40 when you sign up with the following link, and I’ll get a $20 credit: www.airbnb.com/r/joelc6599.
- Donate to my Paypal account. I travel more frugally than most of my peers and, given current income challenges, have decided, as of 2018, to welcome donations via my PayPal account. If you want to contribute to my next coffee, ferry ride, hostel bed, plane ticket, or flak jacket rental, I welcome the practical help and encouragement.
- Buy a print or canvas to hang in your home or workplace. Perhaps you’ve seen a photo on this blog or Facebook and thought, “Hey, that would look good hanging on my wall!” If so, send me a message with a link to or description of the picture and I’ll tell you how it can be purchased.
- If you are in a line of work where you need to license photos, check out my portfolio of 15,000+ images at iStock.com.
- Two credit cards I use for travel are the American Express Delta Sky Miles card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa card. If you are interested in one of these cards for yourself, send me a message and I’ll send you a referral link, which will enable you to learn more about the card and then, if you decide you want it, apply for it. You’ll get 30,000 or more miles as a sign-up bonus, good for a roundtrip ticket within the U.S., and I’ll get 5,000-10,000 miles as a referral bonus.
Another avenue I hope to pursue more vigorously in the future is speaking opportunities. But more on that later.