WHO?
I’m a minimalist vagabond, propelled by photography. Greatly influenced by the book Vagabonding by Rolf Potts, I’ve been on a permanent tourist visa bouncing from country to country for the better part of 15 years now. All of my belongings pack down to a carryon bag with a bit of room to spare. I really enjoy living this way, as I greatly appreciate the things I have and it allows me to travel quickly and spontaneously, and live very affordably.
WHAT?
I’m very influenced by cinematography and think in terms of scenes when I shoot. Candid, color and composition are what I prioritize. Other than that, I just look for scenes that I resonate with, characters that I want to cast in my ‘film’. I’m not too concerned about shooting a specific genre. Comedy, mystery, drama, suspense, etc., I’m open to shooting them all.
WHEN?
Photography in one form or another happily occupies most of my day. I try to shoot for at least a couple hours each day, usually in the afternoon / evening. If I’m feeling burnt out or uninspired, I’ll leave my camera at home and enjoy a stroll just photographing with my eyes. I almost always spot something that makes me wish I had my camera on me, which re-ignites my inspiration. I also greatly enjoy being able to find a good source of photography books in whichever city I’m in as a source of inspiration. Photography books are the only material object that I feel I lack with my minimalist lifestyle.
WHERE?
Stamps from Japan occupy the most amount of real estate in my passports, with over 25 visits. Other favorite and frequent destinations are Mexico, Istanbul, and India, where I have been involved in long-term photography projects as well as teaching week-long intensive street photography workshops. I enjoy places that are full of color and culture and also get a bit stir crazy after staying anywhere for a couple of months, thus the ‘where’ is constantly shifting.
WHY?
I obsess over the idea that there are constantly amazing, unique, beautiful moments unfolding out there that will never happen again. Are they happening around me? Am I blind to them? On the occasion that I do notice them, will I react too slowly? Will my composition be poor? Will I be too shy to take the photo properly? The answer is often yes to some, if not all of those questions. I can easily go weeks without taking a decent picture, despite shooting daily. I never know when or where my next good photo will happen, and the best part is I have no idea what it will look like or be about. All I know is that if I’m not out there with my camera in hand, observing the world with an open mind and a curious heart, I’ll never find it. That is why.
