In a country that never sleeps, a man works through the night while his assistant stands idly by. I watched, mesmerized, as the slag rained down, rolling over the scaffolding onto the city street below, where cars raced by in a never ending train of chaos.
Shadows and Textures
Simferopol, Ukraine- I love photographing people. Not anybody specific, just every day people that are going about their lives, doing what they need to do to survive. They're so mysterious. Full of emotion. One way I enjoy shooting them is finding a backdrop that I'm really in love with. in this case, i was really drawn to the long shadows cast by the air conditioner and the texture on the wall and window covers. When I find my backdrop, I'll start to people-watch, which is really my favorite part. When you find someone that you really want to shoot, you have to make sure that their body positioning feels natural. You either get this by being a badass and shooting exactly when you need to, or you do what I do and shoot a as much as you can.
A Smoggy Feeling of Desperation
Simferopol, Ukraine- After spending a couple weeks filming rock climbing in Ukraine, I was able to take a day or two for myself and wander around Simferopol, one of the larger cities on the Crimean peninsula. The lackadaisical people floating in the sea were replaced with anxious workers scurrying about, trying to find a means to an end. The cool breeze coming off the sea was replaced with a smoggy feeling of desperation, perpetrated by industry and the old Russian cars clogging the streets.
In a quiet square tucked away from the mayhem of the city, a few people walk by heading to work. As they pass, their long shadows extend toward a large statue built by the old empire. Continuing, they cross the square until reaching a massive building looming overhead. Quickly ascending the stairs, they disappear inside, away from the traffic and haze of a city desperate for change.
Aimlessly Wandering
Da Nang, Vietnam- Back in 2006, I was aimlessly wandering around South-East Asia, doing some soul searching, trying to figure out what i wanted to do with my life. One morning, while i was somewhere near Da Nang, Vietnam, i got up early, hopped on my bicycle, and headed out for a ride. Feeling the cool morning breeze on my face was a reprieve from the swamp air that haunted me during the day. Winding along the coast on a one lane empty road, my thoughts circled back in on themselves. After about 30 minutes, I arrived at a harbor, just as the sun was coming up. I stopped to take in the sights and instantly the smell of fish and gasoline burned my nose. I climbed off my bike and walked down to the shore. There was a faint bustle, with people first starting to wake. The sounds of the harbor were coming to life; the waves lapped against the shore, motors turned on, a general sense of business. Just then, two people pushed off from the coast and were headed out to their boat for the day. I sat there, watching as they toiled to get out from the shore. Suddenly, my life seemed very easy. As they disappeared among the large boats, I was happy that our paths crossed, even if they didn't know it.