1. How long have you been shooting street and what drew you to the genre?
I officially started my photography journey in August 2025, when I decided to finally pick up a camera.
But it actually goes back a bit earlier. When I first moved to Canada from Vietnam in 2023, everything felt new to me. I found beauty in almost everything around me. At that time, I only had an iPhone, so I used it to take photos (mostly landscapes). I even started my Instagram account with a bio that said “shot on iPhone.”
As time went on, I started seeing more and more different styles of photography on my feed. Then one day, I came across photos that captured multiple people, each living in their own world within a single frame. I didn’t even know the term “street photography” back then, but I was instantly drawn to it. There was something so intriguing about those moments, so alive, so layered. It felt completely different from the landscapes I was shooting, which, for me, started to feel a bit lonely, and I thought I might not be built for this genre.
From that moment, I knew street photography was what I wanted to pursue.
And I have to give a special thanks to my wife. She’s been supporting and encouraging me from day one, mentally and even financially when I bought my first camera. That means more than I can put into words, and it’s allowed me to really focus and commit to this path, even though it’s uncertain. Because honestly, we don’t know where this journey will lead, right?. It’s like blind love, but one thing I do know is that photography is no longer just a hobby for me, it’s something that runs through my veins.
2. What’s your favourite part of Toronto to photograph and why?
My top pick is always Kensington Market .
There’s something about that neighborhood that keeps pulling me back. It’s chaotic in the best way possible. You’ve got this mix of cultures, colors, street art, vintage shops, food spots, everything kind of layered on top of each other. For street photography, that’s gold.
The visuals are crazy good. The graffiti, the textures, the tight streets, the way light hits between buildings that gives you so many opportunities to play with composition. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s full of life, and it matches exactly what I’m looking for in street photography.
3. What’s a creative challenge you’ve been dealing with lately?
Lately, my biggest challenge has been time. My work schedule has been really busy this year, and I often have to work through weekends. Because of that, I miss out on a lot of great events and summer activities, which are usually the best moments for street photographers.
Right now, I only get to shoot once a week, usually on Wednesdays. And I think the real creative challenge for me is learning how to create strong, meaningful work with that limitation. So instead of chasing more, I’ve been trying to slow down, go deeper, and focus more on observing, being patient, and really feeling things from the edge. Sometimes I can stand in front of one scene for an hour, just watching and waiting. It does get frustrating, for sure. But at the same time, I think this limitation is teaching me how to see better, not just shoot more.
