Favourite photography destinations?

I've often been asked where my favourite places in the world are for photography and that got me thinking. If I had to rank them, what would my top 10 destinations actually be? Having travelled to so many amazing places how would I even put together a top 10 list?

I think I'd have to decide on the things that to me are important for my photography. Light is vital. Some places just have amazing natural light and that's massive for me as I hate using flash or artificial lighting in my images. What else? Authenticity of people and culture. I love wondering old cities with people dressed traditionally and in their natural habitats. So for me finding locations with wonderful light and with local people who are naturally going about their day to day lives make wonderfully atmospheric photography locations.

So here goes, this is my Top 10 locations that I have personally visited, starting today with Number 10.........

In 10th place is ................ JAMAICA

Jamaica is wonderfully photogenic, has wonderful light and its people have an edge and authenticity, and I'd love to return one day and photograph in particular the people of the Rastafarian culture and also the streets of Kingston.

My last visit was around parts of Kingston and on the west coast around Negril. These are some of the images I captured last time I was there.

"Seven Bullets"

What a character this man was when I met him at sunset on Sugarman Beach near Kingston. He had a real love of life and told me during our chat that he had taken seven bullets during his life and that non of them "has stopped me man". Incredibly he said he had shot five times during military service, and that he'd taken another couple in Jamaica! I didn't ask why. Maybe something's are better left unsaid.

"Half Moon Beach, Jamaica"

"Laying out the Nets" - Bloody Bay, Jamaica

"Rastaman" - Kingston, Jamaica

"Sunset at Bloody Bay" - Jamaica

"Yeah Mon" - A local guy on Seven Mile Beach, Negril, Jamaica.