第一篇Taking Pictures of the World

Meet Annie Griffiths Belt, a National Geographic photographer. Belt has worked for National Geographic since 1978，and has taken pictures on almost every continent in the world. In fact, Antarctica is the only continent Belt hasn't seen yet.

Belt's photographs are well known for their beauty and high quality. They also reflect very different cultures and regions of the world. Belt has photographed the ancient city of Petra, Jordan, as well as the green landscapes of the Lake District in England. Recently，her pictures appeared in a book about undeveloped natural places in North America.

Everywhere that Belt goes, she takes pictures of people. Belt has found ways to connect with people of all ages and nationalities even when she does not speak their language. “ The greatest privilege of my job is being allowed into peopled lives,” she has said. “The camera is like a passport, and I am often overwhelmed by1 how quickly people welcome me!”

Knowing how to break the ice has helped to make Belt a successful photographer, but experts say that anyone can learn to connect with new people. When people speak the same language, greetings and small talk can make strangers feel more comfortable with each other. When people don't speak the same language, a smile is very helpful. Having something in common can also help break the ice. For example, Belt has traveled with her two children, so when she takes pictures of children or their parents，they all have that family connection in common. Even bad weather can help people to connect when they are experiencing it together.

Belt has some advice if you are thinking about a career in photography. You can volunteer to take pictures for a local organization that can't afford to hire a professional photographer. You can also take a good, honest look at your best photographs. If you're a real photographer, your photos are good because of your personal and technical skills. Belt also recommends studying and learning from photos taken by professional photographers.

Remember, the next time you look at a beautiful photograph, you might be looking at the work of Annie Griffiths Belt. And the next time you meet a new person, don't be afraid to break the ice. The connection you make could be very rewarding.

詞匯：

landscape n.風景，風景畫

rewarding adj.值得的，有益的，有報酬的

privilege n.特權(quán)，優(yōu)惠

nationality n 國籍，民族

think about 考慮

overwhelm vt. 征服;使受不了，使不知所措

注釋：

1. I am often overwhelmed by ...我常常被……搞得不知所措。

2. Having something in common can also help break the ice.彼此的共同點也有助于打開話題。