My co-teachers screwed up their faces. One of them looked at me and said ‘They look….strange’. I said ‘Thanks’. I didn’t expect them to like my pictures. They saw me playing with them during lunch and asked to see them.

It’s interesting, ever since experimenting with HDR (High Dynamic Range) I’ve had a strange mix of responses. Some people have straight up told me they don’t like my pictures, which I find quite odd considering criticizing another person’s photographs isn’t normal behavior among friends. Even more bizarre is the fact that the criticism doesn’t seem to bother me. I’m a sensitive lad, if truth be told. I cried at Braveheart, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Last week I dreamt my wife had an affair. I wouldn’t speak to her for a few hours after we woke up.

I think my indifference to the criticism is down to how much I enjoy photography. I reach a point with a picture and I think ‘I like this’ and that’s all that really matters. Of equal importance is the setting of my pictures, Gwangju.

I’ve scanned my neighbourhood dozens of times and I always find something new to capture. The city itself never ceases to interest me. In a matter of meters we’re presented with wide, modern roads and also tiny back alleys that hold a mysterious allure. Even the narrow streets downtown carry an appeal that I’ve always wanted to capture.

What really peaks my interest, to the dismay of Korean colleagues, is the darker, dingier aspect of Gwangju. The old markets, the buses, and hidden streets have real character to them. So while my Korean counterparts are pointing in one direction, usually at some trees or a new building, I’m clicking away at some grubby corner or miserable looking building.

For the purposes of offering a well balanced selection of pictures, I’ve kept the grubbiness to a minimum here. I hope you enjoy them and feel free to visit my travel blog. I also have a facebook page you could join if you want updates from the blog – Facebook page here.

Author: Jimmy McIntyre