Travel Notes
Where It Began
Los Angeles was one of the first places Cici and I went after we met, close enough to Irvine to feel like an easy escape and far enough away to feel like a new life beginning. We wandered through Hollywood, Universal Studios, Disneyland, and the streets in between with the kind of energy that comes from having no idea yet how many places a life can hold.
Downtown never fully became a favorite of mine—its energy can feel rough, and I move through it with more caution now—but it was the first city I saw after landing in the United States. I carried my camera through it anyway, photographing people and details as I learned to look more closely.
The coast is what I remember most: Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and all the California light along the Pacific. These are not my most polished photographs, but they mark the year I truly began making pictures. When I look back at them, I remember the excitement of meeting Cici, the early passion we shared, and the warm confidence of a first year in America.
First Frames
Learning to Look
Pacific Light
The Coast Stayed With Us
California in Motion
Small Stories on the Road
