Awesome!
I know I use that word a lot but there are cases where it is warranted. Having your song reach the top ten on the Billboard charts… yes sir, awesome. Writing a best selling novel… Awesome indeed! Walking on the Moon… Yup, awesome. Having a photograph you took land on the cover of National Geographic Magazine… Wohooo, (you guessed it) awesome!
Getting two National Geographic covers in three years… Not even sure that “awesome” covers it. Is superawesome even a word? If not, it should be!
Just wait until I tell mom! ;-)
“Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire – you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.”
~Denis Waitley
Obviously I would have been happy with just that first cover but now that I have a second, I can only think that I must be doing something right with my work and that is a wonderful rewarding feeling. I’m both proud and extremely grateful for this dream come true that any photographer would cherish for a lifetime.
National Geographic… The gift that keeps on giving
Like so many people I have had a lifelong love affair with National Geographic Magazine. Some of my fondest memories of my childhood revolve around getting a new subscription each Christmas from my godmother. Every month it felt like Christmas all over again as the postman would slide the magazine through the mail slot of our front door. It truly was the gift that kept on giving.
I remember how the magazine was wrapped in a paper wrapper. On the wrapper was a label with my name and address and back in those days — before email and texting — I really wasn’t getting any mail or any other form of communication other than the odd phone call from a classmate or friend. I knew that only important people got mail, right? Heck, it even said “Master” Kenneth Kaminesky on the label. Master! How deliciously formal. The return address was The National Geographic Society. Me? Part of a Society? Oh my! I felt important, special, and as I reminisce about the whole thing while writing this post, I’m grinning, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, and my eyes are welling with tears of joy.
Month after month I’d devour the text and especially the images and those beautifully designed maps that sometimes came with the magazine. My imagination would soar and I’d be transported to the wilds of Africa to roam the Serengeti with migrating wildebeest, discover lost civilizations in Central and South America, and explore the cosmos along with all the brave astronauts from the Apollo and and Space Shuttle programs.
“’Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.”
~Alice Walker
Gratitude
Thank you National Geographic.
Thank you for making my childhood better by allowing me to dream and learn about the world I live in and the universe beyond. You made and continue to make leaning cool and fun. Bravo!
Thank you for rewarding me with a passion for art, history, architecture, nature, and so much more. Thank you for instilling that incurable wanderlust inside me. I’ve only just begun my travels as far as I’m concerned and have a lot more of the world to see before I’m done (as if I’ll ever be done).
Thank you for making my career as a photographer as enriching as it has been, especially since that first cover in 2011. No matter what else happens to me with my photography, I’ll always be so proud of the fact that my photos have graced the cover of your timeless magazine.
This cover photo on the current Hungarian version of the magazine is of the spectacular Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. It’s one of the most beautiful and ornate buildings I have ever seen. On a fun coincidental note, I now co-lead photography tours in Italy and the beautiful Florence Cathedral is a stop for us along the way as we explore Rome, Tuscany, Florence, and Cinque Terre. I’d love to have you join us this May as we do it all over again on my next Italy Photo Tour. I’ll also be celebrating my birthday on this photo tour in May and I promise you that it’s going to be — you guessed it — Awesome!
“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
~Dr. Seuss
I often get asked who I think the best photographer in the world is. My answer is always the same: “The one who is having the most fun.”
Today, as I’m having more fun with this than you can imagine, I’m gonna say that this is me. And on that note… Thank you National Geographic for making me the best photographer in the world, if only for a day.

Congrats on yet another awesome cover Ken!
Congrats Ken! :)
Well done Ken!
AWESOME! This is my first reaction more than I can say when I receive recognition from the competitions and my peers for my photos. Truly feel the same, AWESOME and CONGRATULATIONS!xx
“Until you spread your wings you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.”- Ray Bradbury
“For to have faith, is to have wings” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
The roof always reminds me “Fiddler on the Roof”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD_hAujgt0A
Congrats! This is motivating for someone starting out, like me. :)
Congrats on this one Ken, stunning shot
Morts
Congratulations Ken, I’m so happy for you. You deserve it!!!
What an honor–so deserved–I predict that there will be many more. Congratulations.
Congrats, you keep on inspiring us
i hope i can someday join your tour
Thank you so much everyone!
This isn’t always an easy job even if the perception is that I’m always out jet setting and photographing the world. Today none of the tough times or bad parts of the job matter though. Today, I’m all smiles and feeling on top of the world. Not a bad place to be if I must say so myself :)
Great, Many many Congratulations :)
Congratulations Ken … well done!
I couldn’t be happier for you, Ken. What an amazing accomplishment (twice!).
I too had the same love affair with National Geographic as a kid. My parents had every issue stretching back to the early ’60’s. And the maps were always the coolest. I’m still a map and atlas geek to this day.
Enjoy this awesome achievement. You earned it!
Congratulations, Ken! I am a lifelong fan of NG as well. I am staying in Florence for a few months, and have been trying to find a copy of this magazine, it’s sold out everywhere I go.
F*cking amazing. But don’t stop at two, I’m expecting one per year from you now. Congrats! :D
Most excellant!!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, my man! So happy for you!!!
I agree with your sentiments about National Geographic in general. My mother has a Masters Degree in Zoology, so as you can imagine, our early years were scattered with National Geographic magazines, thesis docs on larvae, books on venomous creatures, etc. The magazine therefore holds not only a bit of nostalgia for me in each issue, but it’s also the only subscription I have NEVER regretted paying for. (Even if I receive it much later down here in SA.)
From another travel photographer, you are an inspiration. I love the “wait until I tell my mom” part. We are always little kids, aren’t we?
Joe, thank you my friend! I’m also a map geek and always happy to stumble across new maps online. There was and is something special though about the Nat Geo maps/ Unfolding them was almost ceremonial for me each month. I’m even smiling now as I think about how much I enjoyed them.
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Lynne, how fortunate for you to be in my favourite Italian city for so long. I can’t wait to get back!
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Matt, thanks bro! Really appreciate your encouragement. Your travels are inspirational to me and so many others.
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Cheers James!
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Esteé, what a lovely childhood you must have had with a mom like that. Such a cool vocation! Hope I can make it to SA one day soon and photograph your beautiful country.
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Ann, we sure are. And just to let you know… Mom was tickled pink :-)
Congratulations Ken, it’s a cracking image.
Steve
I love everything here lol
http://www.polkakilo.blogspot.com
Congrats man! You certainly deserve it. I could only dream about making it to the cover :-D Though I LOVE taking photos during my adventures as well.
Dig it. Awesome. :)
I still harbor a love affair with the magazine and still have boxes upon boxes of back issues in storage. I’ll never look at the vast majority of them again but can’t part with them either.
I used to be subbed to national geographic, has it improved?
WOW! Congrats, that is an amazing achievement and you’ve done it multiple times! I’ve always loved Nat Geo and dreamed of shooting for the mag – would love to know how you submitted your photos for print? Any tips on maybe cities or subject matter they particularly like?
-Sher
http://www.shershegoes.com
Beautiful photograph of beautiful florence!
Congratulations.. really, amazing photos you take! I am also glad that Florence/Tuscany is the destination of choice for the cover!
This is great news, thanks for putting this out there for all of us! :)
Congratulations! It truly doesn’t get much better than this for a travel photographer,
Simply wahoo. Very nice blog
wow! Amazing :) Bravo!
It must feel amazing. Congratulations!
Congratulations! What an honor!
Congratulations to the great shot and the nice cover!
Well down! Jealous! Keep up the good work Ken.
Perhaps you should write an article on HOW your picture made those covers. Guys like me have NO CLUE where to submit our work.
congrats! superawesom indeed!!
nice work! Congrats!
Very very nice picture! Awesome work!
The cover of National Geographic magazine is very popular. This magazine is a lot of fans and I’m one of them. You’re very honored to receive this award. I congratulate you
Great work! I really like it!
Thanks so much!
Beautiful National Geographic Magazine Cover i feel good to see your article.Keep it up
Look cool! I love your work. Bookmarked to share with my friends. I will be back with more ideas about your article. Thanks.