🖋️Feature: Hey Nomads working from Beach Hammocks - this one is dedicated to you!
Busting some stock image myths and getting some learnings
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Edition #97 is coming from the Spanish Pyrenees, around Canfranc.
⛰️ Hey from the Majestic Mountains!
Coming up to finishing up my month here over the coming days, with more updates and stories to follow soon.
You may have missed my article on how I am keeping a tight budget on this trip, around €50 lodging and food per day in the Spanish Pyrenees - read about it below:
Plus, my phone is full of photos now, which I have to organise and catalogue, so stay tuned for updates!
You can check out my regular photos and notes, on
Yesterday was the year anniversary of my long form article in the Harvard Business Review - which you can read here - I heard from the editor recently that the article was one of the most popular of 2023, which was nice to hear.
Nomadism has a (stock) image problem
Reflecting on the article got me a thinking about the cliches around Nomadism, especially some of the photos that are regularly used when promoting and featuring Nomads.
You know what I mean, the Nomad on the beach, in a hammock, on a mountain side, by a cocktail bar in a pool….
All of which involve some serious balancing of laptops, precarious postural positions and risks of both personal and equipment related damage.
TLDR: 🫱🏽🫲🏾 In case you don’t know me already, I am Ro, I am based in Zaragoza, Spain with my Location Independent, somewhat Nomadic (4-6 months a years of nomading) family. For work, I am a Remote Work and Digital Nomad Expert, Advisor and Writer, oh and a Linkedin Top Voice.
All my web and FREE resource links are here and you can book a 1:1 here.
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Let me show you a prime stock image example below, in fairness this is not too bad as photos-of-nomads-on-beaches go, as at least this person is partially in the shade and is using some sort of ledge to prop up her laptop.
Okay, you say, but this is so obviously a staged photo, right?
It is not meant to be a real representation of Nomad life, where you know, you work from whatever tropical location you find yourself in, no matter how remote and beautiful.
Whilst there, adopting a:
“Hey-I-am-so-darn-relaxed-here-yet-focused-on-this-AI-app-shipping-hack-making-millions-without-really-trying-whilst-paying-no-taxes-travelling-best-life-vibes”
type pose, once said laptop has been flipped opened.
After 5 mins saying:
“Pass me a Pina Colada will you, it must be time for break…”
I jest, of course, but it could feel pretty close to the bone, right?
For my own amusement and yours, I kept searching for downright silly stock photos of Nomads, taking there cliches and using them as a learning opportunity.
Enjoy the four best I found and yes, some of them did really make me laugh out loud!
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