Narrative Photography

"If ever I were to go to Spain
And couldn't have pasta and wine
I suppose the trip would be worth it
But it would feel a bit out of line"

This photo was taken on our family trip to Punta Cana over Christmas of 2023. My Uncle David had recently passed, and my whole family felt that having Christmas at home, without him, was betrayal. We were trying to forget, swatting away the grief that lay heavy on our hearts. But all we did on this trip was remember. One morning, as I walked along the beach, I snapped a picture of rows of boats seated in the warm sand. David would have driven one of those boats, and he would have taken my cousins and I out to the most breathtaking spot with the perfect temperature of clear water. So I took this picture for David. In his memory, fueled by the love that he never stopped giving.

I was on the way to Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok when I asked the Grab driver to change the destination to a temple (a wat). I expected her to drop me off at the temple, luggage and all, and I would explore for a few minutes then find another taxi to the airport. Instead, my driver turned off the meter, parked the car and walked me through the temple herself. She didn’t speak English and Google Translate wasn’t our friend but we shared a roadside snack, filmed a Tik Tok video for her channel and lit some incense together before heading back to the airport. A true moment of Thai hospitality!

"In late December 2024, my family and I, as part of a European Christmas trip, went to visit a large ancient fortress on the German border near France—Hochburg. We heard about it from the kind residents of the nearby town, Emmendingen, where we spent the night. The fortress is located on a hill, which was quite difficult for us to find because of the opaque winter fog. After we finally found the hill and started climbing, we found ourselves in a frost-covered apple orchard. The civilization was afar, and the Medieval wilderness surrounded us. 

In the fog, under the sun, we suddenly saw a dark silhouette. It was moving towards us. As it approached, it became more legible—we distinguished a magnificent horse and rider. We talked to them, and it turned out that they are the orchard’s owner who embrace farmcraft sustainability."

Domestic chores got you down?  In the trendy Exarcheia neighborhood of Athens, known for its street art and anarchist vibes, just making a successful run to the grocery store can count as a superhuman feat.  This mural sits just outside the store's entrance and elevates our daily struggles to a higher plane.

Twenty-five years ago, a devastating tornado struck this small fishing village near Fethiye, Turkey, taking the lives of several residents. In the years that followed, the community transformed their grief into a tradition of gratitude. Every year since, the villagers have hosted a shared lunch, inviting neighbors from surrounding villages and towns to join them in giving thanks for another year spared from natural disasters. At the heart of the gathering, the villagers offer a prayer, while hands turned downward in reverence, thanking the earth and the sea for the sustenance and protection they provide.

This photo shows an attempt to learn a traditional Cambodian wind instrument, the sralai. As it is similar to my own instrument, the oboe, I felt I could get the feel of a traditional instrument.  My teacher is currently a student at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Pehn and about the same age as my current students at Rhodes.  As shown in the photo, the Rhodes teacher is a very amusing student!

As the herd leaves, the young elephant awakes from a nap under a tree. Its mother had gone ahead but realizing her child was left behind, she turns to wait until it catches up.

This is the meeting of two gay people, my son Noi and the great Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, killed by the fascist in 1936. Noi is standing by his statue at the "Plaza de Santa Ana" under the summer sun of a glorious afternoon in Madrid. We were listening to The Smiths, and the sun gave us the light that never goes out, no matter how difficult life can be.

Exploring Madrid in the summer with my son Noi, he had gone with me where I wanted, but the last day I asked him to choose freely a restaurant for dinner. He picked the gayest restaurant we have seen in our lives, "El Bestial de Rosy la Loca" (The Bestiary of Rosie the Mad One). The walls were completely covered with sea creatures, disco lights, and a DJ plus a great nonbinary person completely dressed in white was dancing around and singing great disco songs. Do yourself a favor and let your kids pick places to go instead of telling them what is best for them all the time.

This image captures the moment the Bhikkhuni’s (female monks) from Mai Sai, Thailand come back from their daily alms round. I took this picture because I recognized the bhikkhuni’s commitment to getting their alms (donations from neighboring people and villages) in the rain. These are not ideal conditions to be walking around as the ground is muddy and they only have a simple rain poncho to protect them from the rain. Alms rounds occur very early in the morning, varying from 6 to 8 am. Even in the rain, they continue this routine. The people in villages don’t necessarily have to give out alms, however, they do this to help them to grow spiritually as well. Not only does this show determination from the bhikkunis, but also the determination of the people in villages who are still willing to wait out in the rain for them to come.