Weekend Walkabout — Grand Winner

I was selected as the grand winner of a recent edition of THE WEEKEND WALKABOUT , a weekly photography challenge curated and judged by a rotating panel from the Instagram community. The jury described the selected image as “a work that keeps drawing you back,” noting its sense of calm alongside a quiet, open-ended atmosphere. I appreciated that reading, as it aligns closely with how I approach photography.

The Image

The photograph was taken in Seoul. It reflects my interest in moments that sit somewhere between clarity and uncertainty—images that do not explain themselves immediately. The subject in the photograph had previously appeared as the lead in the Moonchild music video by M83. I made the image while working on set, during a pause between setups, without staging or direction.

Working Across Projects

At the time, I was involved in the production of the Moonchild music video together with Neil Dowling. That project later received recognition as a finalist in Genero’s music video competition and was named one of the five runners-up in Genero’s Best of the Year selection in 2013. The photograph and the film emerged from the same working environment, but they followed different rhythms and intentions.

About the Competition

The Weekend Walkabout brings together a broad range of photographers each week. The selection process focuses on single images rather than series or projects. For me, the recognition mattered less as an award and more as an acknowledgment of a way of working that values restraint and repetition—returning to similar spaces and situations over time.

On Looking and Returning

The jury’s comment about the image being something you return to stayed with me. That idea of return is central to how I work, both in photography and film. I am less interested in capturing a decisive moment than in images that allow viewers to stay a little longer.

Seoul as Context

Living and working in Seoul continues to shape how I see and photograph. The city’s density, its pauses, and its constant movement form a backdrop that I do not try to explain. Instead, I work within it, allowing the environment to influence framing, distance, and timing.