When we were making a list of the world’s most experienced travelers to highlight, fashion and fine art photographer Anne Menke was one of the first people that came to mind. Though she works in the glamorous world of luxury fashion, Menke also embodies the down-to-earth traits of a kind traveler. Anyone who has worked with her knows her to be a laid back soul, who spends her free time surfing and giving back to her favorite causes. She is the co-founder of the nonprofit Niños del Sol and the Costa Verde International School. The mission of the Costa Verde International School is to provide children and adults in Sayulita and the surrounding area with high quality progressive education that is culturally and economically inclusive and focused on environmental sustainability, and to advance ecological responsibility in Mexico.

Born and educated in Germany, Menke opened her first photography studio there before moving to Paris and traveling the world to shoot fashion and advertising campaigns for top magazines and brands, such as Vogue, Elle, Sports Illustrated, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, and Nike.

Today, she commutes between New York City and her home in Sayulita, Mexico, and is one of the world’s most in demand fashion photographers. As such it’s not uncommon for Menke to find herself flying over the plains of Mongolia or the mountains of South America in a helicopter shooting models for Vogue, while capturing the indigenous people and cultures in such a way that they transform from mere backdrop to reveal a sublime influence on the world of fashion.