The Calendar
I would like to introduce you to the 2023 Tanzania Photography Wall Calendar. This is The Spur Trail’s third annual art calendar. Within its pages you will find adventures from Serengeti safari, living with the Maasai, climbing mountains and Tanzania’a vibrant communities.
If you are new to The Spur Trail and curious about how I got started making calendars, see the first one here. It stemmed from a pandemic project exploring my home state of Minnesota. After two years of colorful adventure calendars, I am introducing some big changes.
The first thing you will notice, is this year’s calendar is monochrome. Black and white. A tale of shadows, gray tones, and dramatic images. They tell deeper stories, and by removing the color you can focus on the dynamism of Tanzania’s characters. Unlike the previous calendars, the imagery here features more living characters. Faces, with eyes that look back at you. Unwilling to pass by without making sure you are taking note.
Powerful Characters
Take, “Just Another Day At The Office” for instance. The image depicts a boy, with the stature of a man. He casually holds his mug, and leans against a desk in a room full of his peers. Moments prior, they had all stood in line at the classroom door to receive their daily lunch. A sweet porridge, served in plastic cups, brought from classroom to classroom by the two kitchen staff. In 2020, I submitted this image to the Minnesota State Fair. When the results came out, I was flabbergasted and humbled to find that it had taken 1st Place.
Calendar with a Purpose
The second big change, is that the calendar is not just for me. I feel privileged to have had the chance to visit this place. Lacking the words to describe stepping foot in Tanzania, I found some of my experiences changed feelings deep within myself. With sales from this calendar, I will for the first time use proceeds to donate back to them. A friend runs the non-profit Simply Love International, and I will be partnering with her to make a donation to Global Orphanage, in Tengeru, Tanzania. You can see images of updating the orphanage during my last visit.
Order Today
The calendars go on sale October 8th. Preorders end October 22. Shipping starts early November, sales conclude when sold out or December 1st.
They are regularly $25, but for the first two weeks, preorders are discounted to $20. This informs me how many to print. Also unlike other years, I will not print as many extras. I will print a few to have on hand and for my local hometown gas station. If you are looking for that unique Christmas or holiday gift, it is recommended to preorder now.
Thank you for coming along as I revisit these travels. Tanzania was a life-changing experience in many ways. If you have any questions or have ever thought about visiting, shoot me a message. My travels were motivated by a desire to one day lead adventure trips there. I would love to share this special place with you.
For other stories from my travels to Tanzania, you can learn what it takes to climb the second-highest mountain in Tanzania, Mt. Meru. For a lost-in-translation tale, find out what choice I made when I was asked if I wanted, A Woman, And A Man?
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