Christian Tâm Schalch. Life In The Streets.

What I love about South-East Asia is that a huge part of daily and social life takes place in the streets. Be it merchants saying the morning prayers for good business, women practicing dance choreographies in public parks, elderly gentlemen cutting their hair at a street hairdresser, or children doing their homework outside. Furthermore, I find people to be very open and for those who are curious and respectful, it is easy to get into conversations with locals. I think this makes South-East Asia a paradise for street photographers.

My first significant experience with a camera was when I was 8 years old. We were on our way home from a family vacation in Italy and I took my older brother's Canon AF35M. After trying all the buttons, I found the back cover opening latch and pressed it... 

...well, besides being beaten up by my brother, I got my fascination for photography from the overexposed vacation photos and from that moment on, my personal journey of photography began, which still continues today.

For me, photography is a tool to gain access into the environment. I like documenting humans, their actions and interactions very much.

In street and documentary photography I have found the style in which I feel most comfortable and inspired and shooting black and white reduces my photos to that which is most essential.


Check out more of Christian’s work HERE

and you can find more information on PLAZA HERE.