Agoraphobic Woman Afraid To Leave Her House Becomes Instagram Sensation For Her Travel Pics, Has 80K+ Fans
Anxiety disorders can leave a person so crippled with fear of the outside world that they feel scared to even leave their own home. For Jacqui Kenny, a New Zealander living in London who suffers from agoraphobia, it's an affliction that took away her dreams of wandering the globe and photographing its many hidden corners. When Jacqui discovered Google Maps, however, she found an inventive way to explore far-away lands such as Mongolia, Chile, and Senegal, without ever setting foot outside her flat.
"The more I traveled, the more I found scenes that appeared to be plucked from a strange and expansive parallel universe," Jacqui wrote in a Google blog post. "I encountered remote towns and dusty landscapes, vibrant architectural gems, and anonymous people, all frozen in time."
Each time she stumbles upon something that inspires her, she takes a screen-capture, edits the photo to bring out its latent beauty, and posts it on her Instagram page, The Agoraphobic Traveller. Since going viral with her minimal and peaceful cropped portraits, Jacqui has teamed up with Google to promote the usefulness of Street View, and even made a brave voyage to New York City to show her work as a gallery exposition. Scroll down to see everywhere the pin dropped, and vote for the places you'd love to visit - digitally or otherwise.
More info: Official Site, Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
Organ Pipe Cactus, Arizona, Usa
Mesa, Arizona, United States
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
State Of Ceara, Brazil
Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua
Kyrgyzstan
Sun City West, Arizona, United States
Tacna, Peru
Poor doggies :( Hope they'll stay strong and survive the dangers of the desert.
Sun City, Arizona, Usa
Senegal, Western Africa
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Gate To Talas Oblast, Kyrgyzstan
Arequipa, Peru
Lake Havasu City, Arizona, United States
Dogs Chasing The Google Car From Around The World
Arequipa, Peru
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Baganuur, Mongolia
Arizona, United States
Colourful Architecture
Mongolia
Copiapo, Atacama Region, Chile
Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
Caldera, The Atacama Region In Northern Chile
Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Callao District, Callao Region, Peru
Sonora, Mexico
Arizona City, Arizona, United States
Sechura District Of Piura, Peru
Aint-Louis, Senegal, Western Africa
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Mongolia
Marcona District, Peru And Arizona, Usa
Guellaia, Medenine, Tunisia
Uruguay, South America
Lovebirds
Mongolia
Sechura District Of Piura, Peru
Arica Y Parinacota Region, Chile
Atacama Region In Chile
Durango, Mexico
Peru
Tunisia
Roldan, Lima Region Of Peru
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Copiapo, Atacama Region, Chile
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Sun City, Arizona
Arequipa, Peru
Zuunmod, Mongolia
Sun City, Arizona, Usa
Piura, Peru
Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
Casa Grande, Arizona, United States
Oungtown, Arizona, United States
Sun City, Arizona
Tacna, Peru
Arequipa, Peru
Covered Cars
Miguel Aleman, Sonora, Mexico
Winslow, Arizona, United States
Senegal, Western Africa
Andacollo, Coquimbo Region, Chile
Tarapaca Region Of Chile
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Tacna, Peru
Naryn, Kyrgyzstan
Tacna, Peru
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Mesa, Arizona, United States
Outskirts Of The City Of Lancaster, California, Usa
Copiapo, Atacama Region, Chile
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Arizona City, Arizona, United States
Sun City, Arizona, Usa
Zottegem, Flanders, Belgium
Tacna, Peru
Tembladera, Cajamarca, Peru
Ysyk Kol Province Of Northeastern Kyrgyzstan
Esperanza, Sonora, Mexico
Ajo, Arizona
Kyrgyzstan
Sun City, Arizona
Arequipa, Peru
Durango, Mexico
Arizona City, Arizona, Usa
Mesa, Arizona
Hemet, California, United States
Mesa, Arizona, United States
Andacollo, Coquimbo Region, Chile
Ahrump, Nevada, United States
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico
Qaluit, The Capital Of The Canadian Territory Of Nunavut
Arizona City, Arizona, United States
Puno, Peru
Arequipa, Peru
Cape Town, Western Cape
Ajo, Arizona, United States
Yucca Valley, California, United States
Bishkek, Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan
Green Valley, Arizona, United States
The name of this city was either incredible wishful thinking or annoyed irony.
Sun City In Arizona, United States
Sun City, Arizona, United States
Sechura District Of Piura, Peru
Green Valley, Arizona, United States
Senegal, Western Africa
Touba, Senegal, West Africa
Fort Stockton, Texas
She has, so far, covered 4 different states that all, unfortunately, look exactly the same! I promise, the US does NOT all look like barren wasteland!
Sun City, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona, Usa
Arequipa, Peru
Emeelt, Mongolia
She goes to Google Street steals photos, Photoshops them and sells them for £25?!?!! A sucker born every minute and two to take him.
Oh my, you are right... If you follow the links, they lead to her webshop...
Load More Replies...One of my favorite things To do is to get that little street-view Orange person google earth offers and drop him on a completely random place anywhere on the globe. It's fun to see where he ends up, and I've stumbled on some beautiful places! I agree, google earth is a real treasure!
Guys - it very clearly states she didn't take the pictures. The lovely thing is that she's found a way to see the world and share her eye for beauty with the rest of us. She has obviously spent just as much time selecting a view and editing the photos as any photographer - she just wasn't there herself.
Try reading the whole thing first you get all outraged... She is selling a limited series of prints - with Google's permission - with proceeds going towards charity. The rest of the time she just finds great screen shots for others to look at and enjoy with her.
You've got a great eye. Love the stark patterns and compositions, use of shadows!
I commend you... It's not easy to suffer from crippling anxiety, and depression that often comes with anxiety. I see a lot of comments about how you are "stealing" Google photos. I don't see it like that. There is a very creative element in taking a screen shot of a picture. You have an eye for composition which is an integral part of photography. You are taking a photo of a photo, but it's your creativity that makes it good! It seems to me that Google is on board with you and they don't seem to think you've stolen their photos. It was very brave of you to get on a plane and go to NYC! Maybe you can make a trip home to NZ soon? Ironically I'm moving to NZ, i love your native country! Good luck with your art and your travels!
So she 'borrows' someone else's photos from google, edits it and resells. With permission I expect? Not sure.
Because she actually travelled to New York for the opening of her art in a gallery.duh
I wonder how you have learned how to write without the ability to read. I am impressed!! /s It said in the very first few sentences: she uses google maps
Load More Replies...She goes to Google Street steals photos, Photoshops them and sells them for £25?!?!! A sucker born every minute and two to take him.
Oh my, you are right... If you follow the links, they lead to her webshop...
Load More Replies...One of my favorite things To do is to get that little street-view Orange person google earth offers and drop him on a completely random place anywhere on the globe. It's fun to see where he ends up, and I've stumbled on some beautiful places! I agree, google earth is a real treasure!
Guys - it very clearly states she didn't take the pictures. The lovely thing is that she's found a way to see the world and share her eye for beauty with the rest of us. She has obviously spent just as much time selecting a view and editing the photos as any photographer - she just wasn't there herself.
Try reading the whole thing first you get all outraged... She is selling a limited series of prints - with Google's permission - with proceeds going towards charity. The rest of the time she just finds great screen shots for others to look at and enjoy with her.
You've got a great eye. Love the stark patterns and compositions, use of shadows!
I commend you... It's not easy to suffer from crippling anxiety, and depression that often comes with anxiety. I see a lot of comments about how you are "stealing" Google photos. I don't see it like that. There is a very creative element in taking a screen shot of a picture. You have an eye for composition which is an integral part of photography. You are taking a photo of a photo, but it's your creativity that makes it good! It seems to me that Google is on board with you and they don't seem to think you've stolen their photos. It was very brave of you to get on a plane and go to NYC! Maybe you can make a trip home to NZ soon? Ironically I'm moving to NZ, i love your native country! Good luck with your art and your travels!
So she 'borrows' someone else's photos from google, edits it and resells. With permission I expect? Not sure.
Because she actually travelled to New York for the opening of her art in a gallery.duh
I wonder how you have learned how to write without the ability to read. I am impressed!! /s It said in the very first few sentences: she uses google maps
Load More Replies...