Vietnam
My mother fled Vietnam with nothing, and decades later, I returned to understand her homeland through my camera. Living in Saigon now, I see the resilience she passed down to me reflected in every face, every moment of daily life that carries on despite everything. (Read the full story)
Street Life
In essence, I would consider myself a street and a travel photographer. The difference among these two is subtle, but defined. Travel photography centers around the story of the place through photos that show off the environment or the city, through landscapes, monuments or landmarks. Street photography is more a study on people and about capturing unique moments in time: Travel is the place, while street is the human element. The real purpose of my artistic work is capturing a human moment rooted in the context of a specific place or culture –the perfect marriage between street and travel photography.
Fishing
With over 3000 km of coastline, it is easy to see why fishing is an integral part of rural life in Vietnam. From commercial trawlers to the father and son fishing on the banks of a pond, fishing is firmly woven into the Vietnamese culture and economy.
Elderly
I have always enjoyed taking pictures of the old and the young, or “the immunocompromised” as I like to joke (sorry, doctor’s humor). As for the elderly, I am attracted by their frailty and resilience - their faces tell a history not only of their happiness and joys but also of their hardships and pain.
Kids
I have always been drawn to photographing children. Their innocence and unspoiled nature is always something I have tried to capture. In Vietnam, as opposed to other countries, instead of being timid, I find that their initial reaction to my camera is one of wonder and awe. This lends itself to some very candid and genuine photography.
Rural Life
The contrast of urban life and rural life is abundantly clear here in Vietnam. Just a quick 15-20 minutes’ drive out of the city can make you feel like you are miles away from civilization. Much of the rural life revolves around farming and fishing, all-encompassing a slower paced lifestyle.
Religion
I was born into the Jewish faith. My mother converted to Judaism when she married my father and I was bar mitzvahed in Nairobi Kenya when I was 13. Unfortunately, I became less practicing as I grew older, blaming it on the fact that I lived in countries where there was not a large presence of Jews (Spain, Puerto Rico).
Napping
With the stifling heat we experience in Vietnam, it is no surprise that we seize every opportunity to take a quick nap. Here is a collection of shots of some incredible places (and conditions) in which the locals take some much-needed zzzz’s.
Market
Outdoor open-air wet markets are to be found all over Vietnam. Almost every neighborhood will have one and the majority of the locals will buy their fresh produce and meat from there. They generally open very early in the morning and close before the mid-morning heat gets too unbearable. I have always loved to shoot in markets, not only because of the beautiful textures, colors and patterns you find there, but also because of the way that the locals react to me as I walk through –often coaching me to take photos of their neighboring stall mates, much to the laughter and delight (and embarrassment) of everyone.
Hands and Feet
Much like the eyes, I have always found that a person’s hands and feet are windows to their soul. You can tell a lot about people’s hardships by looking at their hands and feet and, as such, I have always enjoyed photographing them.
