This promotional spot for NGO, Maketai, involved capturing footage during a kayak adventure along a remote, uninhabited stretch of the Rio Capahuari, a tributary of the Amazon River. When I booted up my drone I was surprised to find 26 satellite connections, which made me suspicious I had stumbled onto the set of a sequel to the Truman Show. Maketai seeks to support the growth of eco-tourism among the indigenous, Achuar tribal communities, who have come under increasing pressure to sell access to their timber. It was my constant struggle to keep my electronic gear dry!
This version of the promotional work for Maketai, focuses on the full, roundtrip excursion from the Ecuadorian highlands, down to the Amazon basin, and back. This stretch of the Andes mountain range—riddled with volcanoes and streams teeming with wild trout—is a magical place, inhabited by a resilient, joyous people.