Experience your classmates’ adventures across the globe! These stunning photographs come from the Gallatin Global Photo Contest, where students capture powerful moments from their travels and global experiences. Accompanying each image is a personal reflection that narrates the story behind the shot—what they observed, felt, and discovered. These remarkable images are displayed in the Gallatin suite at 411 Lafayette Street, 3rd Floor.
Beach Cove
By Ava Filan
(NYU London, Fall 2024)
Photo Location: Mallorca, Spain
“I miss nothing more than being lost in the streets of Santanyí, Spain, with my friends, attempting to hitchhike back to our Airbnb. This photo speaks to the time in my life when I felt most present and myself, where I had a conscious understanding that I would never experience simplicity quite like this again. During the last three years, my friends have become my family, and reuniting with them in a new city, from all of our study abroad spots, was surreal. Seeing this photo of Gala Gran beach cove in Mallorca places me in deep nostalgia, reminding me of that unique feeling of being absolutely free and culturally absorbed when traveling the world!
Monterosso al Mare
By Olivia Porta
(NYU Florence, Fall 2023)
Photo Location: Monterosso, Italy
“This photograph encapsulates the end of a perfect day on the beaches of the Cinque Terre. My good friend, Aurora, suggested that we watch the sun set as we finished our gelato. A street performer played Claire de Lune on a keyboard as we soaked in the pure, unadulterated peace of the moment. Aurora, Jane, and I met in our first semester at NYU and became inseparable. Choosing to study abroad together was one of the best decisions of my life. For me, this photograph symbolizes the rewards of our friendship– companionship, kindness, and tranquility. Together, we went on to travel to Brussels, London, and Malta.”
Brushstrokes of Florence
By Isabella Savage
(CEA Florence, Spring 2023)
Photo Location: Florence, Italy
“I took this photo outside a chocolate shop in Florence. The man is named Leo, and he painted with watercolor from sunrise to sunset every single day. Immune to the chaos and bustle of one of the world’s most iconic cathedrals, Leo’s quiet focus never wavered. The timing of this shot, with the girl hidden behind her newspaper, felt serendipitous – and the scene, timeless. For me, this image captures a fleeting moment of stillness and reflection in the midst of a time otherwise full of radiant change.”
Cliffs of Maroubra
By Joaquin Ramirez
(NYU Sydney, Spring 2024)
Photo Location: Maroubra, Australia
“I took this photo on a routine visit to Maroubra Beach, one of my favourite places to be during my Sydney study abroad. After some light climbing to get onto this cliffside, I was struck by the beautiful swirling patterns of erosion etched into the rocks and the ferocious lapping waves crashing by. Each section of the photo feels like a separate texture, disjointed and fragmented yet ultimately uniting in vivid and swirling patterns. I’d like to think it encapsulates the frenzied and sporadic vignettes of my time abroad, an experience encapsulated in spontaneous memories and fondly formed friendships.
I hope other students decide to take the opportunity to explore another culture as I did, and get the chance to photograph the beautiful things they see.”
May Lavender Farm
By Teresa Tsai
(NYU London, Spring 2023)
Photo Location: Banstead, United Kingdom
“The opportunity to study away made me realize how many opportunities I have, how far my potential could reach, and, most importantly, how much there is to explore in life – it expanded my vision beyond a singular perspective. It wasn’t just about learning a new culture or traveling to different countries while studying abroad; it was about learning who I am. I came to realize that I’m someone who needs to be in different places to feel like myself – as a cross-cultural kid, that movement makes me feel whole. Freshman-year me didn’t know that yet, which might explain why I often felt stuck or out of place. This experience gave me space to breathe, grow, and reconnect with a version of myself that feels more free, curious, and open to wherever life takes me next.”
Portal to Marrakech
By Sophie Tanenbaum
(NYU Paris, Spring 2024)
Photo Location: Marrakech, Morroco
“I snapped this photo quickly on our first night in Marrakech. It was spring break, and though the sun was beginning to set, coming from a rainy and grey Paris, we welcomed the warm night. The architecture of the Medina struck me immediately, how different it was from anything I had experienced before, like the meticulously planned grid streets of New York or the wide Haussmann-designed boulevards of Paris. Yet, as men on motorbikes expertly whizzed by us down the narrow passages, I felt exhilaration and an impatience to start exploring. Studying abroad opened a sense of wonder in me, not only the desire to see more of the world, but the knowledge that I could and should travel far from the familiar.”
