Around the end of each year, I like to slow down and revisit the work in the order it actually happened. Rather than a highlight reel, it’s a way of seeing how the year unfolded through the assignments themselves, moving between different clients, locations, and types of work as they arrived. What follows is a selected snapshot of the year, made up of projects I’m able to share publicly; as always, not every shoot makes it into a post like this.
The first half of 2025 moved steadily between Seoul and the southern cities, with a balance of portrait sessions, institutional events, travel, and commercial days.
January
I spent most of January in the Philippines, visiting family and friends and easing into the year at a slower pace.
While I don’t usually take on work there, I did make time for one portrait and family session, photographing the family of my high school classmate Florence. She and Billy were actually among my very first clients when I was starting out, trusting me with their engagement photos years ago. Coming back now to photograph them again—this time with four kids—felt like a full-circle moment.
February
In early February, I photographed Dwight Night for the international school’s PTA group. The evening’s theme was Wicked, which was quite fun.
Later in the month, I traveled to Daejeon for Beni’s graduation portraits, meeting up after the ceremony to capture his portraits at memorable spots around campus.
In the last week of February, I covered the WISE Conference in Seoul, an international gathering centered on education, leadership, and global impact. This year, it was hosted by my good friends at Dulwich College Seoul.
March
March brought a mix of portrait and event work.
I photographed Kelvin and his wife at Seokchon Lake for their anniversary portraits, working with some gorgeous early spring light.
I also covered the HKAC exhibition and reception at Insa Art Center, part of A Visual Voyage: Hong Kong and Scenes Hong Kong Comics × Movie Exhibition — a show blending comics, film, illustration, and augmented-reality animation to showcase Hong Kong’s urban culture to a Seoul audience.
Later, I spent a morning in Tongyeong with Mark and Vanessa, combining environmental portraiture and documentary coverage during their very meaningful Korea pilgrimage trip together.
Back in Seoul, I photographed the Microsoft AI Tour, documenting both the scale of the event and the interactions happening beyond the main stage. Between taking shots, it was interesting listening in on Satya Nadella’s keynote and reflecting on just how far AI has come—and how quickly it’s reshaping the conversations happening across industries.
Then it was back to Busan for a shoot with Elaine and family early in the cherry blossom season.
April
April included frequent travel, beginning with a personal trip to Japan with my mom. We visited Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi Prefecture during peak wisteria season—an experience long on my mom’s bucket list. The vast hanging blooms and tunnel-like walkways made for a memorable few days, and I also did personal shooting there and in Tokyo, including a particularly striking rainy night wandering and photographing in Ueno.
Back in Korea, I photographed Mary Rose’s family session and Andres and Jamie’s engagement portraits in Jinhae.
Mid-month included coverage of a CFN Law Hong Kong event in Seoul, followed by a Candlelight Concert in Busan, where extremely low light and a focus on candlelit ambiance were central to the brand’s atmosphere.
Then it was back to Busan to meet Minny and James in Gamcheon Culture Village for a combination engagement and extended family shoot.
May
May was quite portrait-centric, with some events in between.
I photographed Jasmine and Ethan at Ahopsan Forest, shooting amidst the centuries-old bamboo with a fantastic couple.
Then it was off to Haeundae Beach to work with She Hui and Jun Xin for their couple and early maternity portraits.
Portrait work included Carly West’s author portraits and husband Matt’s LinkedIn headshots, alongside family sessions such as Tara and friends at Namsangol Hanok Village.
June
June closed out the first half of the year with a mix of institutional events and family sessions.
I photographed a Sartorius event in Seoul, covering a day of presentations and interactions for the life sciences company.
Shortly after, I covered the Canada Trade Mission to South Korea, an initiative focused on strengthening creative and business ties between Canada and Korea.
Then it was back down to Busan to photograph Alex’s business headshots and portraits. He’s a talented 3D artist, so we had to go beyond the usual, which was a lot of fun!
Family sessions included Claire and family in Seoul, and Hannah with extended family at Dalmaji Gil, Busan.
The first six months of 2025 felt full without being rushed. The pace was just right with a mix of new faces and returning clients, familiar collaborators, and a steady balance between scale and intimacy.
Part II will continue from July through December…
And if you like what you see here and need a photographer in South Korea for your event, portraits, or any other projects, please get in touch!
