A working boatyard is a bustling hub where skilled marine mechanics, shipwrights, fabricators and riggers build, maintain and, repair vessels… each contribute their expertise to keeping boats seaworthy. Some may think these trades are dying arts but the more I learn about the tight-knit community the more I am optimistic that the artisan’s legacy will endure.

I was lucky enough to spend a week with Magnum photographer @mattblack_blackmatt in New York City learning how to craft visual narratives. This approach is new to me, it definitely worked an untapped visual muscle.

These images are a small set from my three-day assignment on bodegas in New York City’s East Harlem and Washington Heights neighborhoods. A vibrant area with generous people.

I’ve always been fascinated by bodegas and their role in the community. They remind me of the local neighborhood grocery stores I used to frequent as a kid growing up in Asia. These stores played a vital role in our community and served as a gathering spot.

Bodegas are quaint convenience stores that dot the urban landscape. They trace their origins back to Puerto Rico and Cuba. These small yet vital establishments are deeply rooted in New York City's culture, deriving their name from the Spanish word for "storeroom." Bodegas are more than mere retail spaces offering a range of services, often acting as a deli, grocery store, pharmacy, bank, and community center all in one. They are considered the lifeblood of their neighborhoods.

The annual Naadam festival is Mongolia’s most important national festival that celebrates sport, culture, local traditions and the history of the country.

Naadam dates back over 800 years when Chinggis Khaan (aka Genghis Khan in the Western part of the world) founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire instituted three sports… horse racing, archery and wrestling… as training to keep his soldiers battle ready. Naadam has now transformed to be a national holiday festival that is celebrated across the country.

When you do an online search on Mongolia inevitably the photographs returned are of the famous Kazakh Eagle Hunters dressed in their furs with a golden eagle perched on their arm. This is the heroic shot most photographers want, however what they end up capturing, in the middle of summer, is something that only occurs during the harsh Mongolian winters when the eagles are primed to hunt.

When I finally had the opportunity to travel there and meet an eagle hunter, I was more interested in learning about him, as a person, living the nomadic life in the vast western landscape of Mongolia and the relationship he had with his eagles. I wanted to better understand how the eagles are captured, cared for, trained and made part of the family.

The Last Chance Sailing Regatta in Port Townsend is a remarkable event that marks the end of the sailing season. 2024 was the inaugural year but given its success there will be many more to follow. It is planned as a signature event, welcoming sailors of all experience levels.

 I was lucky enough to be invited on to the “Committee” boat, running the event, which offered me an up-close view of the competition and the stunning boats participating on a blustery October day.

The annual event brings together vintage and contemporary Porsche race cars on the track. The event showcase some of the finest and most iconic cars from Porsche’s history. For me, the human story of the mechanics and drivers behind each car is what I’m intrigued by.