Tucked away, exhibiting an otherworldly purity and bathed in layers of enchantment, Raja Ampat, meaning ‘the four kings,’ sits off the northwestern tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on Papua, the Eastern most island of the Indonesian Archipelago. This archipelago consists of over 1500 small islands, cays, and shoals that surround the main Indonesian islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool.
Raja Ampat is a pristine paradise that exudes a natural sensuality, a sense of mystery, and gifts its every visitor with a sense of peace and serenity far away from city lights, sensory overload, and the noise of the everyday hustle and bustle. It is the kind of place that dreams are made of, where new discoveries and feelings are found in exploring its sublime scenery of jungle covered islands, white sand beaches, hidden lagoons, spooky caves, and clean turquoise waters. Beyond Raja Ampat as a vision, wildlife exists both below and above waters, littering the islands and liquid surrounds with about 75% of all of the world’s species. It is one of the few places on earth that seems unscathed by human error and untarnished by man’s poor judgement. It is real, pure, clean, and alive.
When we came across Laura Alyce Bell’s photograph of Raja Ampat we were sold. After exploring this hidden paradise through her own eyes, and the eyes of others who had visited this stunning location, we knew that we wanted to give you the chance to experience the mysticism and beauty of Raja Ampat every day when getting dressed.
Laura is our favourite kind of photographer. She is self taught and grew, step by step, with the craft as photography, and the world transitioned from dark rooms and tangible film to an entirely digital method of capturing life. Laura began her photography career with the now antiquated disposable camera. She then graduated to a point and shoot that she used throughout her 10 months of travelling through Central & South America. In 2014 Laura returned to Australia and purchased her first DLSR with the intentions of taking the craft more seriously, throwing her work into the public eye, via social media outlets, for potential collaboration with brands and tourism boards.
Over the past six years Laura’s career has transitioned, somewhat accidentally, to a niche that she never imagined she’d enjoy. Laura now focuses predominantly on weddings but continues to capture the beautiful things that she notices along the way, working in collaboration with brands such as our own. Her work over the years, has attracted both local and international companies, tourism boards, and engaged individuals that have the same appreciation for her work as we do at Stonemen.
