A Travel Photographer Shares His Favorite Photos and His Best Disney Hack

By Erika Owen
January 30, 2017
Credit: Jacob Santiago
For some people, dropping everything to travel and take photos of the world isn't just a dream.

There are people all over the world helping the rest of us live vicariously at our desk jobs while they post stunning photo after stunning photo on Instagram.

Jacob Santiago is one of those people, but his photography is much more focused on the style of the people and buildings of a destination rather than pretty beach photos (which we also love).

Santiago lives in Jersey City, a short train ride into the heart of New York City, so he has enough characteristic buildings and people to photograph to feed his Instagram indefinitely. But there's another spot that has stolen this photographer's heart: Disney World.

“I go to Disney World every summer,” Santiago told Travel + Leisure. “I’m a big kid at heart.”

It's never a short trip for this traveler, either: “Disneyland is a great two-day trip; you can see everything in two days,” he said. “But Disney World, if you really want the true experience, you need eight days.”And if you’re looking for family Disney tips, Santiago is your guy. “If you’re traveling with kids, I always tell families to ship a lot of your stuff instead of packing it,” he said. “Kids require a lot of stuff—baby food, diapers. Most hotels will accept these kind of packages for free, or a small fee. Do yourself a packing favor.”

Aside from Disney, there are other spots on Santiago's vacation list: “I’ve been eyeing the Faroe Islands for a couple of months now,” he said. “You’d have to go to Iceland to get there, and Iceland is amazing—you’d get a two-for-one deal with that trip.”

Only a few of the photos you're about to see feature Santiago's favorite place, but this is only a testimony to his versatility.
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Flatiron, New York City

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Teotihuacan, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Teotihuacan, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Toronto, Canada

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Toronto, Canada

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Toronto, Canada

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Niagara Falls, Canada

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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New York City

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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Mexico City, Mexico

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Magic Kingdom, Disney World

Credit: Jacob Santiago

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Disney World

Credit: Jacob Santiago
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By Erika Owen