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"What is your dream?"
I asked
Pojangmacha, Nakwon Sangga, Seoul 2016
Pojangmacha, Nakwon Sangga, Seoul
South Korea, 2016
Pojang-macha, Nakwon Sang-ga, Jongno, Seoul
South Korea, 2016
Something wasn’t working in my photography.
I was thirty-one.
I didn’t know.
It already felt too late.
I was on the street.
Night came, and I was standing in Jongno 3-ga.
To me at that time, Nakwon Ssanga Arcade
was an old music market,
left behind by time,
something that remained only in form.
A place where musicians gathered in the 70s and 80s,
a place where many disappeared after certain events,
and still a place that sold instruments.
In 2016, near it, pojangmacha (street stalls) were lined up,
and ajeossi were drinking soju, talking, arguing, and laughing.
“Why are there so many ajeossi?”
When I thought I should photograph something unusual,
street karaoke clowns appeared.
The ajeossi went wild.
South Korea, 2016
Pojang-macha, Nakwon Sang-ga, Jongno, Seoul
South Korea, 2016
Something wasn’t working in my photography.
I was thirty-one.
I didn’t know.
It already felt too late.
I was on the street.
Night came, and I was standing in Jongno 3-ga.
To me at that time, Nakwon Ssanga Arcade
was an old music market,
left behind by time,
something that remained only in form.
A place where musicians gathered in the 70s and 80s,
a place where many disappeared after certain events,
and still a place that sold instruments.
In 2016, near it, pojangmacha (street stalls) were lined up,
and ajeossi were drinking soju, talking, arguing, and laughing.
“Why are there so many ajeossi?”
When I thought I should photograph something unusual,
street karaoke clowns appeared.
The ajeossi went wild.
Street Karaoke, Nakwon Sangga, Seoul 2016
Street Karaoke, Nakwon Sangga, Seoul
South Korea, 2016
South Korea, 2016
Airbrush Artist, Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan
2026
Airbrush Artist, Ximending, Taipei, Taiwan
2026
2026
Mr. Hunda, Khatgal
Mongolia
Mr. Hunda, Khövsgöl, Mongolia
He said he had many children.
I only saw five.
During Tsagaan Sar,
family members came one by one.
The house kept filling up.
He mostly sat on the ground,
and gave the chairs to his daughters.
I watched him for a while.
He now lives in a small hut,
but he built a ger for me.
This photo was taken that day.
He said he had many children.
I only saw five.
During Tsagaan Sar,
family members came one by one.
The house kept filling up.
He mostly sat on the ground,
and gave the chairs to his daughters.
I watched him for a while.
He now lives in a small hut,
but he built a ger for me.
This photo was taken that day.
Barber, Madaba
Barber, Madaba
Jordan, 2026
Jordan, 2026
Iman’s friends
Iman’s friends
Aqaba was like a stop on the way to Petra.
The restaurant I went into alone
was a place where families usually came.
I felt a bit awkward,
so I thought it would be better to sit outside
and took a seat on a small terrace.
While I was eating, a woman came in.
She was talking on the phone in Arabic,
and when she finished, she smiled at me, as if to apologize.
In fact, she didn’t speak English,
and I didn’t speak Arabic at all,
but I don’t remember how we became close enough
to exchange contact information.
She told me
to contact her if I came to Madaba.
Five days later,
I contacted her in Madaba.
Aqaba was like a stop on the way to Petra.
The restaurant I went into alone
was a place where families usually came.
I felt a bit awkward,
so I thought it would be better to sit outside
and took a seat on a small terrace.
While I was eating, a woman came in.
She was talking on the phone in Arabic,
and when she finished, she smiled at me, as if to apologize.
In fact, she didn’t speak English,
and I didn’t speak Arabic at all,
but I don’t remember how we became close enough
to exchange contact information.
She told me
to contact her if I came to Madaba.
Five days later,
I contacted her in Madaba.
Mr. Jamil, Madaba
Jordan, 2026
Mr. Jamil, Madaba
Jordan, 2026
There were many photographs in the house.
He spoke proudly about his second and third children,
and said his daughter was a doctor.
She was his pride.
He said he had worked in the U.S. for a long time when he was younger.
But when it came to his first son,
he spoke less.
“not good.”
I said to him,
“He is a good person.”
He paused for a moment.
“He is my first son. He is strong.
I believe in him.
He is like me.”
After some time, in another room,
his son said,
“There aren’t many photos of me.”
He said it almost to himself.
On his grown face,
there was a faint, childlike smile.
I wanted to tell him
what his father had said.
Jordan, 2026
There were many photographs in the house.
He spoke proudly about his second and third children,
and said his daughter was a doctor.
She was his pride.
He said he had worked in the U.S. for a long time when he was younger.
But when it came to his first son,
he spoke less.
“not good.”
I said to him,
“He is a good person.”
He paused for a moment.
“He is my first son. He is strong.
I believe in him.
He is like me.”
After some time, in another room,
his son said,
“There aren’t many photos of me.”
He said it almost to himself.
On his grown face,
there was a faint, childlike smile.
I wanted to tell him
what his father had said.
Musician, Swanston Street
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Musician, Swanston Street
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Guitar Case, Swanston Street
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Guitar Case, Swanston Street
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
Melbourne, Australia, 2010
City, 2025
City, 2025
Woman, Roppongi, 2025
Woman, Roppongi, Tokyo
Japan, 2025
Japan, 2025
Night, Itaewon, 2023
Night, Itaewon
Seoul, 2023
Seoul, 2023
Soldier from Germany, Shibuya Yokocho
2025.01.07 – A bar in Yokocho, Shibuya
After a drink with Joel at Tai Mama,
we crossed the alley to another bar
one of those narrow spots behind Shibuya Yokocho.
Two foreigners were already there, drinking with a few locals.
We ended up sitting nearby and talking.
They were from Germany, maybe soldiers, though I’m not sure anymore.
They lit cigarette after cigarette, saying how cheap tobacco is in Japan.
they said In Berlin, a pack costs around €8.
In Auckland, nearly $30.
We talked about travel, work, and age.
At some point, I laughed and said,
“I’m just an English teacher.”
and the funny german guy said,
“Come on, don’t say that.”
On my way back to the hotel,
his voice echoed in my head
gentle, unexpected, and strangely comforting.
After a drink with Joel at Tai Mama,
we crossed the alley to another bar
one of those narrow spots behind Shibuya Yokocho.
Two foreigners were already there, drinking with a few locals.
We ended up sitting nearby and talking.
They were from Germany, maybe soldiers, though I’m not sure anymore.
They lit cigarette after cigarette, saying how cheap tobacco is in Japan.
they said In Berlin, a pack costs around €8.
In Auckland, nearly $30.
We talked about travel, work, and age.
At some point, I laughed and said,
“I’m just an English teacher.”
and the funny german guy said,
“Come on, don’t say that.”
On my way back to the hotel,
his voice echoed in my head
gentle, unexpected, and strangely comforting.
Man, Cairo, 2025
Man, Cairo
Egypt, 2025
Egypt, 2025
Soldiers, Desert Road
2025
Soldiers, Desert Road
Egypt, 2025
Egypt, 2025
The Field Trip
Laura and Kalifa, 2025
Laura and Kalifa, Gili
Indonesia, 2025
Indonesia, 2025
Jamil’s Nephew, 2026
Jamil’s Nephew, Madaba
Jordan, 2026
Jordan, 2026
Abdu from Sudan, (self-portrait)1
Abdu from Sudan, (self-portrait)1
Egypt, 2025
Egypt, 2025
Abdu from Sudan, (self-portrait)2
Abdu from Sudan, (self-portrait)2
Egypt, 2025
Egypt, 2025
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