Photographer Hannah Gabrielle More (@hannahgabriellemore)’s photographs from her recent trip to Sri Lanka are a desperately-needed tonic to the COVID-19 panic that’s currently affecting our world. As we’re all forced to stay home, it’s likely that we’re all suffering from a strong case of wanderlust and already dreaming about our future travels... whenever they might take place. Hannah’s experience and images of Sri Lanka are likely to put it as a destination at the top of anyone’s bucket list; exuding tranquillity and an all-encompassing slower pace of living, something that we’re all learning to adapt to and appreciate now more than ever before.
Travelling inland from the stunning south coast of the island, Hannah marvelled at the dramatically changing scenery she’d read so much about.
© Hannah Gabrielle More
From the lush green mountains layered with low-hanging mist to the incredible wildlife and tea plantations to their pristine beaches, where the wild and unruly jungle meets the ocean – Sri Lanka offered it all.
She quickly fell in love with the friendly locals and hoteliers, who added to her loose itinerary the lesser-known treasures on offer. As with all of her travels, it was the little things that helped make her trip memorable; from the people that helped with directions, finally reaching a lookout point with a view ten times more beautiful than originally expected, the sunshine after being caught in torrential rain, an unforgettable meal, and watching the sun rise and go down again, with a perfectly-cool fresh coconut and lime drink in hand.
I can never put a finger on what makes certain places memorable, it’s always the feeling I had being in that place, each country I visit invokes a different feeling. The one memory that really sticks out for me from Sri Lanka was seeing female elephants with their calves in their natural habitat, something I feel extremely privileged to have witnessed.
Hannah sought to capture the little moments she enjoyed and to portray a sense of place with her photographs, and it’s safe to say that she was successful in doing so. They instil a feeling of uninterrupted serenity and immediately transport you to a place that seems almost dreamlike in its colours, light and thriving natural world. The way that the island operates forced her to travel slower and have a more mindful experience and appreciation of her surroundings, which is made beautifully clear in these images.
You’ll come across places you’ll want to while away a week in, when you originally only planned for a couple of days there. Whether you’re looking for good surf, great food, some rewarding hikes or if you just want to lounge around on beautiful beaches and watch the world go by – this slow-paced island has you covered.
© Hannah Gabrielle More
Hannah Gabrielle More is a travel, interiors, attire and brand photographer based in London, U.K. She’s as happy in the Sahara Desert or up a mountain as she is shooting a property in London or in the studio; her clients include holidays homes and hotels, sustainable travel and lifestyle brands and tourism boards. Hannah’s also in the midst of building this is elsewhere, an online journal featuring design-led hideaways, considered itineraries and curated wares for the discerning traveller.
