A photographer with a Gura Gear backpack at the edge of a vast king penguin colony

Susan Portnoy

"[For] six years, I juggled a freelance career and a growing passion for photography–I always loved travel. By 2018 I was miserable; I no longer enjoyed the work that had fueled me most of my adult life. My profession had been my cornerstone, and seemingly all of a sudden, I hated it."

Black and white photograph of an expedition ship pushing through pack ice, bow on
A bucking horse throwing its rider at a rodeo, cowboy watching in the foreground
A giraffe standing beside a flat-topped acacia in pale haze
A still mountain lake with mist rising between dark forested slopes

"Since then, while it’s scary to begin a new life after 40, I’m much happier, and I’ve had some incredible experiences, and there’s more to come. Is it easy? Hell no. But I’m going to keep plugging away."

Read our interview with Susan
Workers on ladders painting a bright orange building, street scene

"It was perfect but pricey, so I held off. Two days later, after the bag haunted my dreams (You know how that is, right?) I bought it and have used it religiously for years."

Read susan's full kiboko review