4/8/24 Solar Eclipse
The sun and the moon photographed at 3:30 pm ET on Monday and my childhood dream come true.
Travel
Coastlines: At the Water's Edge hardcover book /
I’m excited to announce that one of my Antarctica images has been published in the hardcover book, Coastlines: At the Water’s Edge by Emily Nathan, published by Ten Speed Press and released this week.
This is my first book publication so I’m absolutely honored to be a part of this project. I received an advance copy of the book earlier this month and was pleasantly surprised to see how beautiful and stunning the book turned out. It’s been wonderful to see my image in print and to share my work with a broader audience.
Coastlines is a love letter to the sea and the planet that’s been years in the making, and we hope it will inspire you to take small and large steps to protect our planet.
Coastlines: At the Water's Edge by Emily Nathan
Antarctica by Reuben Hernandez and Greenland by Natalia Horinkova
New Year, New Work /
Natural Pool Aruba (conchi), Arikok National Park
Natural Pool Aruba (conchi), Arikok National Park
Eagle Beach, Aruba
One of the highlights of 2021 was creating new work in Aruba. The first two images were photographed at the Natural Pool, located in a remote area in Arikok National Park. The second image was taken while free diving; there was an abundant amount of marine life and the visibility was excellent.
Creative Humans Feature /
Click on the image below to see Reuben’s work featured on Creative Humans
Reuben Hernandez, director and cinematographer, is featured on Creative Humans
That's a Wrap /
6:27 am morning light
World Antarctica Day /
A humpback whale breaches in Antarctica © Reuben Hernandez
Yesterday was World Antarctica Day, celebrating the day the Antarctic Treaty was signed. Dad once told me he was envious that I got sent to photograph Antarctica and would live vicariously through me. The wildlife in Antarctica is so beautiful, raw, and uninhibited. I keep coming back to this photograph and can’t help but think of my dad and how he pushed me to explore, photograph, and document beauty.
2019 A Decade in Review /
One of the single most defining moments of the past decade was when I quit my job, started my own company, and moved to NYC. It was one of the most difficult and best decisions I have ever made. That was nearly 10 years ago, and it has led me to numerous opportunities that I had only dreamed of such as landing in Antarctica, photographing great white sharks breach, and seeing the aurora borealis dance above me and light up the Arctic sky. That decision also led me to meeting my wife Lisa in my Brooklyn neighborhood and to becoming a father to Leuca last year, which has been a wonderful and beautiful journey.
It’s difficult to summarize an entire decade, so I will share some of my favorite experiences and work over the last ten years.
Antarctica © 2015 Reuben Hernandez
Landing in Antarctica was a really big deal for me. I had dreamed of visiting Antarctica ever since I was in fourth grade and Antarctica also marked my seventh and final continent. It is transcendent and truly like no place on earth. This is one of many images I photographed as photographer in residence onboard an expedition ship. Dreams do come true. That’s what I would tell my childhood self.
Great white shark breaching in South Africa © 2015 Reuben Hernandez
This photograph was taken in False Bay, South Africa and speaks for itself. This happened in about a split second so you can imagine how challenging of a photograph this was to capture. The is one of the images I am most proud of and I still can’t believe I got the shot. I was freaking out afterwards. Sharks are awesome creatures and I’ve always wanted to see a great white shark breach.
Mother and cub polar bears in Svalbard, Arctic Norway © 2014 Reuben Hernandez
In 2014 I had the opportunity to be a photographer in residence onboard an expedition ship in Svalbard, Arctic Norway. We spotted these polar bears from our ship from about 300 meters and our expedition leader decided that we would jump in zodiacs to get a closer look. The seawater was torrential and we were getting absolutely soaked by the waves smashing against the front of our zodiacs as we raced towards the polar bears. Luckily the bears remained and we got to observe them closer from our zodiacs. This was also a challenging photograph to capture with a long lens on a zodiac that was rocking up and down. I have a print of this photograph in my daughter Leuca’s room, and it definitely has a new meaning for me being a parent.
Rifle master Tom Smith searching for polar bears in Svalbard, Arctic Norway © 2014 Reuben Hernandez
The Milky Way rising above the Atacama Desert, Chile © 2015 Reuben Hernandez
On my way to Antarctica I spent some time in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile in hopes of photographing the Milky Way. It was quite an adventure to say the least. I spent a few weeks waiting for the rain and full moon to pass as I foolishly didn’t check the phases of the moon beforehand. The Atacama Desert is supposed to be one of the driest places on earth so I was surprised by the rain. I woke up each morning at about 3 am and rode my bike alone out into the desert. It was a bit unnerving and extremely desolate and dark. It was also humbling and peaceful to see so many stars and stand beneath billions of galaxies. This is a self portrait I captured underneath the Milky Way.
BBC Travel © 2018 Reuben Hernandez
Last year I was commissioned by BBC Travel to cover a story for their To the Ends of the Earth series. I had the opportunity to visit Supai, the only US town that receives its mail by mule train and is only accessible by hiking eight miles into the Grand Canyon or by helicopter. I hiked more than 20 miles off the grid carrying 40 - 50 lbs of photo and video gear, food, and camping supplies for this story. It was a challenging story and an adventure to say the least, and the Havasupai Falls are one of the most beautiful natural wonders I have ever seen. Check out the full story and interview with tribal elder Rex Tilusi here.
I directed Bono in the above Red Nose Day celebrity PSA. Spike Jonze showed up and thanked me for allowing him to help out. It was pretty wild meeting Bono and Spike, two creative forces I have looked up to.
Maddie, my narrative directorial debut, had its online premiere earlier this year on Film Shortage after screening at several film festivals and winning a few awards. You can watch the film above (TRT: 11 min). I love the collaborative process of making films and have had the pleasure of working with some incredibly talented casts and crews. I’ve since directed two other narrative short films and joined the Filmshop collective, where we workshop works in progress, foster collaboration, and help bring each other’s projects to life.
I’m grateful to be in my 10th year of business, creating work that I believe is meaningful both personally and professionally. This year I’m proud to be certified as a NYC minority-owned business enterprise. 2020 and beyond will be a new and exciting chapter for Reuben Hernandez Studios. Thank you to all of my clients, friends, family, and collaborators that have supported and believed in me over the last decade. I wouldn’t be here without you.
My daughter Leuca is growing up so fast I can hardly believe it. Yesterday she turned 15 months old. She brings us so much love and joy and is an absolute beast. She’s been doing baby parkour and ran laps around the airplane last week. She keeps us on our toes and never ceases to amaze us. Leuca has given me a new purpose as a working dad.
Happy Holidays! Love, Lisa, Leuca, and Reuben
A year ago I wrote “Going forward I'll have to live a more structured life to prioritize my time between family, work, personal projects, and exercise/dance/self-care.” I think I did a pretty good job over the past year. I’ve come a long way and I know there’s always room for improvement. We had a family vacation planned earlier this year that I had to cut short for a job in LA. I know it was the right decision and I’m learning how to make sacrifices and that often times things just do not go as planned. I’m relearning how important family is. My dad hasn’t been doing very well and I’m happy that Leuca got a chance to meet him and see him a few times this year. It’s important for Leuca to know her family history and where she came from. My dad’s illness has brought my family closer together in unexpected ways. I want to continue to cherish each moment I spend with Leuca and my family and love them as much as I can.
It’s past 1 am and I actually have to film a job on NYE so I best be going. If you made it this far, thanks for following along. Wishing you love, peace, and Happy New Year. See you in 2020!
All My Best,
Reuben
BBC Travel Webby Award Nomination /
As a BBC Travel contributor, we have been nominated for a Webby Award in the Video Series & Channels, the Travel & Lifestyle category! I’m happy and proud to share this honor with the rest of the team and contributors at BBC Travel.
This arrived in my inbox from BBC Travel today, “This nomination isn’t our nomination, it’s a nomination for every single freelance videographer, editor and writer and the hours you put in to your videos for us. It’s an acknowledgement of the extra mile you go to for us, and the consistent quality of your journalistic eye and expertise in your field. It’s a nomination for the untold stories you’ve uncovered, the voices that wouldn’t otherwise be heard, and the amazing dinner party stories you’ve provided every single one of our viewers. It’s a nomination for those beautiful ‘oh wow, look at that!’ moments. So thank you, so much, this wouldn’t have been possible without you.
Over the past year we’ve covered 100 destinations in 77 countries, from Antarctica to India, telling historical, foodie, crafty, beautiful stories, and that barely scratches the surface. And we want to keep going and continue to inspire travellers to fall in love with the world – every day.
We need your help though. To win (and we’re up against some pretty serious competition) we need votes. It only takes two minutes, and it means a huge amount to us. Just follow the link here, and make sure to share it with your friends, family and colleagues, as every single vote counts.”
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa - Brand Video /
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa - Brand Video
Director - Andrew Klein
Director of Photography - Reuben Hernandez
Underwater Photography - Andrew Klein & Reuben Hernandez
Editor - William Zitser
Color - Jenny Montgomery, Company 3
Aurora Borealis 3.14.18 /
GHOST DANCE 3.14.18
My first aurora image, out of 6,400 total images. I'll never forget this night, and the following several nights after. I looked up towards the sky, and the green, magenta, red, and blue aurora danced above us for several hours. This image is meaningful because it has been on the top of my bucket list to see and photograph the aurora for quite some time. The aurora is one of the most beautiful, surreal, and bizarre things I've ever seen. I'm excited to pitch a big project...
Today also marks 8 years since I worked my last day at a full time job ✌🏽
Camera settings: ISO 1000, f/2.8, 24 mm, 15 seconds
Yellowknife, Northerwest Territories, Canada
Supai, AZ for BBC Travel /
Here are some of my favorites images that I photographed of Supai and the Havasupai Falls while on assignment for BBC Travel. Supai is the most remote town in the lower 48 and is only accessible by an 8 mile hike, by mule, or by helicopter and is the only US town that still received its mail by mule. It has been inhabited by the Havaupai for at least 1,000 years. Check out the full story here:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/gallery/20180222-the-tiny-village-hidden-inside-the-grand-canyon
BBC Travel - The tiny village hidden inside the Grand Canyon /
I'm excited to share my first story for BBC Travel, featuring Supai, the most remote town in the lower 48 states. I hiked 40 miles carrying 50 pounds of gear for this story. It is best viewed on desktop rather than mobile. Enjoy!
http://www.bbc.com/travel/gallery/20180222-the-tiny-village-hidden-inside-the-grand-canyon
Travel Assignment /
Here are some iPhone photos I snapped while on a travel assignment for BBC Travel. I look forward to sharing the story soon once it goes live!
2017 Best Nine /
My 2017 best nine Instagram photos curated by the Instagram community. 2017 was a great year
Italy | Italy | NYC | Greece | NYC | South Africa | Greece | New York | Italy
California Here We Come /
My favorite beach, near where I grew up in Southern California
An oasis at Joshua Tree National Park
I accidentally light painted this Joshua tree with my iphone during a long exposure
Here are some of my favorites images from a recent trip to California last week. It's always great to come back and visit some of the spots I used to frequent growing up.
Matera, Italy /
Matera is a town built into caves using negative architecture and one of the oldest and continuously inhabited human settlements in the world. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its underground cistern and water collection system. The main cistern has a water capacity of five million liters and took over 200 years to dig/carve out of the rock!
Puglia, Italy /
First light at 6:30 AM
Grotta del Soffio
A fried egg jellyfish at Grotta del Soffio. The water was so clear!
Grotta della Poesia Grande
Some highlights from Puglia, Italy included endless underwater caves and swimming holes
Athens /
Old stuff, since 495 B.C.
Meteora, Greece /
Meteora, Greece is one of the most fascinating and spectacular places I have ever visited. It's a four hour drive north of Athens and has an incredibly rich history. Meteora translates as "suspended in the air".
Caves in Meteora were inhabited continuously between 50,000 and 5,000 years ago and the monks settled here in the 11th century. The monasteries were built in the 14th - 16th centuries and the monks found the inaccessible rock pillars an ideal refuge from the expanding Turkish occupation, and the area was also attacked by the Nazis during WWII.
Today all of the monasteries pictured above are still functioning monasteries. I recommend ditching your car and exploring the region by foot.
