Continuing the journey from Part I… As the year moved into its second half, the pace naturally quickened. What follows is again a curated selection of projects I’m able to share, rather than a complete record of every assignment—an overview shaped by client work, personal moments, and the way the year unfolded.
July
July opened with portrait work outside Seoul. I photographed Abby’s senior portraits in Gyeongju, capturing her in the soft summer light amid the historic surroundings of her birthplace.
I then photographed Bora and her family in Yeouido Park, including her father, husband, and sister. The session had an easy pace and doubled as a family reunion shoot, birthday, and maternity announcement shoot.
Up next, I photographed extended family sessions with Stephanie and the Shihoe family at Changgyeonggung Palace, using the palace’s architecture and gardens as a shared backdrop for two distinct but complementary shoots.
Later in the month, I covered an Ambassador’s Farewell Dinner at Lotte Hotel Seoul. It was great to reunite with Yvonne and bring back a bit of the Asia Society-style events.
I also photographed the DPR Construction 35th Anniversary event at Marina Park, marking a milestone for the international construction firm known for its technical building expertise and people-focused culture.
August
I spent most of August in the Philippines, taking some time to rest and reconnect with family and friends. Before flying home, I made a quiet return to YouTube, sparked by an urge to film a more vlog-style piece during a landscape shoot at Pokpoam Temple.
Once in the Philippines, I had a standout day photographing at Dinahican Port and Fish Market, arriving just as the fishing boats came in and the market filled with movement. The warmth of the people, the rhythm of the place, and a memorable meal afterward made it a particularly rewarding shoot.
September
September marked a busy return to event and portrait photography across two cities.
I kicked things off in Seoul with the AVCJ Private Equity Forum 2025 at the Four Seasons Hotel. This was my third time covering the forum, and it is always a pleasure to work with the team from Mergermarket again.
Then, it was down to Busan for a series of assignments. First up was an event for Wolfspeed, followed by a very unique session at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). I was there to photograph the Pickford AI presentation, which introduced the interactive film Whispers. It was fascinating to see audience-driven storytelling in action—viewers could influence the narrative in real time via their phones. In this rapidly evolving AI age, it was definitely one of the more interesting discussions I’ve documented.
Back in Seoul, I covered the BCCK Garden Party. Though originally planned for the British Ambassador’s Garden, a heavy rain forecast moved us to the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul at the last minute. Despite the change of scenery, the “Garden Party” spirit remained intact. It was a packed house of international and Korean business leaders enjoying an evening of great food, drinks, and networking.
To round out the month, I also had the honor of photographing Natasha’s wedding vows and portraits, followed by a chill session at Ahopsan Bamboo Forest with Ross Anne and her family. The light in the bamboo grove never disappoints and was the perfect way to round out a productive month.
October
October was easily one of the busiest months of the year, with my schedule split between large-scale event coverage and a steady stream of portrait work.
On the portrait front, I met up with Bobby’s extended family at Changgyeonggung Palace and Andy’s family at Seoul Forest. Even though the autumn colors were a bit late to arrive and proved a bit unpredictable this year, we still managed to find some lovely pockets of seasonal tones to frame our sessions. It’s always a fun challenge to hunt for the best light and color, regardless of what the weather is doing!
A standout session from the month was Samantha’s senior portraits in Busan. We started at the incredibly picturesque Bokcheonsa (복천사) temple for a traditional backdrop. We had to brave an extremely steep uphill climb to reach the best vantage points, but the results were fantastic and very much worth the effort. We then headed over to Huinnyeoul Culture Village to wrap up the shoot, utilizing the unique coastal alleys and sea views to give the set a completely different feel.
On the event side, I photographed a Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) gathering in Seoul, during the visit of LCIF Chairperson Fabrício Oliveira. These gatherings were dedicated to awarding Lions for their humanitarian efforts, providing a great opportunity to document the recognition of the organization’s global service leaders.
Later in the month, I covered the SIAC Seoul Conference 2025, a key part of the Seoul ADR Festival. The conference brought together international arbitration professionals and industry leaders for a deep dive into the latest legal trends, and it was a pleasure to capture the focused energy of the sessions and networking throughout the day.
November
November brought a wide range of assignments.
I traveled to Jinju to photograph an intimate show at Moon Theater by the legendary Korean heavy metal band Black Hole—a welcome return to concert photography after some time away.
Back in Seoul, I covered the U.S. Marine Corps Ball, followed by a Kimchi Day Lunch for ambassadors at The Signiel, organized by Lotte Hotel Seoul.
I also photographed Ken and Angélica’s autumn engagement shoot at Dadaepo Beach, where late fall light and silvergrass created a particularly magical setting.
Later in the month, I covered the KGCCI Innovation Awards 2025 at The Ambassador Seoul, working alongside my friend Dylan Goldby. The evening celebrated innovative work across the Korean and German business communities, and it’s been a pleasure collaborating with the chamber year after year on this event.
Portrait and family work continued with Barbara’s family session at Haeundae Beach in Busan, our third shoot together—thank you!
I also photographed Claire and her family’s hanbok portrait session in historic Gyeongju. Challenging weather made things interesting, but we were still able to find some quiet, meaningful moments in between.
December
December brought the year to a close with a flurry of end-of-year events. My schedule was packed with several assignments for Dulwich College Seoul, a partnership that has been particularly meaningful this year as the school celebrates its 15th anniversary. More about them in the next section.
Fittingly for the season, my final flagship event of the year was the BCCK Christmas Lunch at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on December 12th. It was a spectacular, festive affair as always, featuring traditional British fare and the much-loved “12 Days of Christmas” game. Covering this for the British Chamber is a long-standing tradition for me, and it was the perfect way to wrap up my 2025 event calendar with a bang.
The final “bow” (as in like a Christmas gift) on my year was a fun Hanbok session with Phylicia and her family in Gyeongju. They were traveling together with a close friend’s family, and it was a joy to capture both groups exploring the historic hanok villages and ancient backdrops in their traditional attire. It was a wonderful, low-key way to end the year, focusing on the simple, personal connections that make family photography so rewarding.
Before closing, I want to make a special mention of Dulwich College Seoul. While most of that work stays behind the scenes, they’ve been a consistent and trusted client throughout the year, and it’s always a pleasure to work with their team.
I also had the pleasure of teaming up with my good friend Dylan Goldby on various commercial assignments for Volvo Construction Equipment throughout the year. It’s always great to collaborate on these larger-scale projects and tackle the unique technical challenges they bring.
Finally, I want to sincerely thank all the clients I had the honor and pleasure of working with this past year—from individuals and families to the organizations and institutions who trusted me to document their meaningful moments. I’m grateful to continue working with returning clients and look forward to meeting many new ones in the year ahead.
Thank you for reading, and all the best to you in the New Year!
And as always, 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!
