Photo: Tariq ZaidiThis post may contain affiliate links.
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Photo: ©️ Tariq ZaidiThis post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please readour disclosurefor more info.
To most of the world, North Korea remains a mystery.
And much of what we do know about the country is tied up in politics.
That is why the few glimpses we get of life in North Korea are so important.
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
They help humanize an often misunderstood culture, even if what we see is tightly regulated.
Photo: Tariq Zaidi
What first inspired you to travel to North Korea?
While it wasn’t what I had initially envisioned, the guided tour offered its own insights and surprises.
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
What surprised you the most about what you saw in the country?
From your perspective, how isolated is life in North Korea?
The only real links are to Mainland China and Russia.
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
Visiting North Korea is a rare privilege afforded to only a few individuals globally.
During my visits, I was always accompanied by two North Korean minders.
This applies whether traveling alone or in a group.
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
They regularly scrutinized my photographs and occasionally requested deletions.
The places, routes, and destinations were all predetermined and could not be altered once set.
What was it like to work there?
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
Im pretty used to working in challenging or inflexible environments.
Rules are there regardless of where I work; it’s just the kind of restrictions that differ.
How did people in North Korea react to you photographing them?
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
Im unsure if that was due to cultural differences, shyness, or the lack of camera culture.
I had taken many pictures at an amusement park in Pyongyang at night, which were deleted.
What was the most memorable part of your time in North Korea?
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
They primarily guided me on what issues were allowed and what was prohibited.
Their insistence on achieving good photos amused me, prompting me to pledge improvement in my photography.
They also discouraged photographing individuals alone but allowed group shots.
Photo: ©️ Tariq Zaidi
Photography involved rapid shifts between locations, allowing little time for shooting.
Many images were taken in motion, capturing street scenes from moving vehicles.
Conversely, authorized locations like the Science Center and official monuments were photographed with guide accompaniment.
Once I feel the work is complete, I collaborate with a designer to create a book dummy.
The dummy is then presented to potential publishers.
Between photographing, editing, researching, and writing, the entire project took over three years to complete.
What do you hope that people take away from these photos?
Many of my photographic projects deal with underreported communities and places.
North Korea has intrigued me for years because of how little we know about itexcept from mainstream media.
Forming one’s perspectives now falls upon those who engage with my work.
