After a childhood spent traveling the world with her rabbinical family, photographer Kitra Cahana found she couldn't stop. With her camera as her vehicle, she began work as a documentary photographer, shooting for publications like The New York Times and National Geographic. When Cahana is not on assignment, she comes home to a life on the road — living among communities of nomads that wander the United States, documenting their reality. Cahana's TED Talk, "A glimpse of life on the road," offers a look into this world. But we wanted to hear more—about her own experiences, about what motivates people to take to the road, and about the history and evolution of American itinerant culture.

We called Cahana up to chat. Below, an edited transcript of the conversation. And to view more gorgeous images of Cahana's "Nomad" series, check out this gallery on Ideas.TED.com »