Respect。Connect。Reflect。 "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited - The Vanishing Kalasha

Pakistan | Monday, January 14, 2013 | 5 photos

Photography took me on a 3-year journey traversing overland from China to Zimbabwe.

At the beginning, my camera was only a tool to capture beautiful lines and shapes. Then I started photographing people. At the first click of shutter capturing the happy faces of a father holding his son, my heart was filled with indescribable joy. From then on, I started wandering off the beaten path, greeting and meeting random strangers in winding back alleys, hoping to find interesting faces to photograph and loving souls to strike a connection with. It is the life and energy within these lines and shapes that make this world so intriguing.

Photography became a medium for me to interact with the world in a different manner. I strive to tell stories of dignified ordinary heroes through my lens, and hope they will inspire others to respect traditions and preserve diversity, against the rapid spread of Starbucks.

Having lived too comfortably with my photographic habits, I desperately need to further my skills and seek inspiration from a mentor who is experienced in the field. I hope this scholarship will allow me to carry on my mission with a new perspective and amplify the impact of my photos.