Take the More Interesting Path in Life

Thinking of my time walking the streets of Baltimore, sleeping on the floors of mosques in the West Bank, eating watermelon with Italians in Napoli, milking cows on a kibbutz, rowing through caves in Belize, praying under thatched roofs in Zambia, climbing the mountains of Ethiopia, exploring the slums of Mumbai, dancing with locals in Mexico City, exploring the markets of Hanoi, and trekking off the grid in Costa Rica with my brother.

A camera can be the passport that takes you on an adventure of a lifetime.

Choosing the Road Less Traveled

When you think about life, there are so many different paths you can take. I decided to take the more interesting path. My favorite route was the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. I photographed conflict at the frontlines in the West Bank, slept on mosque floors, and learned about Islam firsthand. I traveled across Israel, lived on a kibbutz, and volunteered in the gardens, learning the ways of farming.

I’ve worked alongside the Peace Corps and collaborated with the department of fisheries to secure nutrition in a rural village. There, I learned a local language, embraced new customs, and prayed with my host family under the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Even when Covid hit, the urge to travel didn’t slow down. I ventured to Mumbai, Mexico City, and Hanoi, exploring dangerous neighborhoods and climbing mountains that locals told me to avoid. Around the tranquil lakes of Hanoi, I began contemplating my photographic process, making the decision to shift to black-and-white and embrace minimalism.

The Future is Unknown

Now, I’m on the path to the unknown. I look forward to whatever chaos comes my way here in Philadelphia. There’s so much to see and do, so many multifaceted complexities in this world. The road is endless and the world is open. We can explore endlessly if we choose to do so.

I’ve led the life of a nomad—a wanderer, if you will—but for now, I’m looking to ground myself here in my hometown and create an endless body of work that will push me to innovate and create new art.