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During that period of his life, began his love affair with international travel, which lead to the first of many humanitarian activities that would continue into the present. Naturally, they included photography but often in a secondary role. They included a NASA research trip to Brazil in 1985, a medical supply road trip to Santo Domingo Nicaragua- Tucson’s sister city, work with wildlife biologists at several research stations in the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, and a humanitarian trip to Haiti three weeks after the 2010 earthquake with a team of physical therapists.
“On the 1989 trip to Nicaragua, six of us drove medical and plumbing supplies to a village in the mountains,” he recalls. “The people cheered us on as we entered the country, including members of the military who were still in foxholes as we crossed the border. I went as photographer, mechanic, and driver. Volunteering to join Hands of Light in Action on their first trip to Haiti, I joined a group of physical therapists in a M.A.S.H.-style unit. Arriving just 3 weeks after the earthquake, there were children and adults with crushed bones and external fixators, amputees, and people in body casts. We helped them walk for the first time since the quake. In both cases, my photography came second to assisting others. My photography raised the awareness of the situations that subsequently helped attract many volunteers and financial donors that supported more humanitarian efforts.”
Documentary and Humanitarian Photographer Victor Banta is available for Documentary and Humanitarian photography assignments worldwide. Please Contact Us to discuss your Documentary and Humanitarian Photography projects.