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.
When you think about life, there’s so many different path you can take. I decided to take the more interesting path. My favorite path was the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. I photographed conflict at the frontlines in the West Bank. I slept on the floors of mosques and learned about Islam. I got to travel all around Israel and live on a kibbutz and volunteer there. I worked in the garden and learned how to farm. I’ve volunteered with the Peace Corps and worked alongside the department of fisheries to secure nutrition in a rural Village. I learned a local language, new customs, and prayed under the Seventh-day Adventist Church with my host family. Covid hit, and I was still feeling the urge to travel once it showed down. I ventured to Mumbai, Mexico City, and Hanoi. I explored dangerous neighborhoods and climbed mountains where locals told me not to go. I found myself contemplating my process around the tranquil lakes of Hanoi, Vietnam. There is where I decided to make a change in my photography and lifestyle, switching to black-and-white and embracing minimalism.
The future is unknown
Now I’m on the path to the unknown. I’m looking forward to whatever chaos is thrown my way here in my hometown Philadelphia. I’m aware that there is so much to do and so much to see in this world. There are so many multifaceted complexities in this world and life itself. 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 wander 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 help me innovate and create new art.