Green Shadows in Arles
My series about the rehabilitation of old Seoul waterways has been displayed at the Arles festival as part of the Thrutopia exhibition with my cooperative “ Inland Stories”.
In the heart of Seoul, beneath the bustling façade of concrete and steel, lies a ghostly world of forgotten waterways that tell the story of the city's history.” Green Shadows ( not final title)” is a photographic project dedicated to documenting the rehabilitation of those ancient streams, which have emerged from their subterranean confines to reveal a surreal urban oasis.
Captured exclusively at night, this photo series aims to tell the story of this eerie yet enchanting realm where trees and plants glow under the urban city lights. This nocturnal illumination creates a surreal atmosphere, transforming the familiar landscape into a strange, dreamlike environment that beckons reflection and exploration.
These revitalized waterways not only serve as tranquil retreats but also hold historical significance, connecting the small villages that once thrived before Seoul evolved into a sprawling metropolis. This project aims to highlight the delicate balance between nature and urban life, illustrating how these hidden gems serve as reminders of our collective heritage, even amidst the relentless pace of modern living.
Choi Sang-mok - South Korea's acting President for the WSJ
On Tuesday, I had the unique opportunity to photograph Acting President Choi Sang-mok for The Wall Street Journal. Assuming office on December 27, 2024, following the impeachments of President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Choi faces the formidable task of steering South Korea through a period of significant political upheaval.
One of the pressing challenges confronting Acting President Choi is managing the nation's foreign relations amid escalating global trade tensions. Despite President Trump's escalating tariffs on various countries, Choi is striving to maintain strong ties with the U.S. With South Korea running a significant trade surplus with the U.S., concerns arise that Trump may target it next with tariffs. Choi seeks to negotiate directly with Trump but faces challenges due to his temporary status. As Trump accuses South Korea of having unfair trade practices, Choi aims to assure the U.S. of the surplus's temporary nature and offer collaboration in shipbuilding. South Korea's significant investments in the U.S. reflect its commitment to strengthening economic ties, but the uncertainty of Choi's tenure and impending decisions from South Korea's Constitutional Court add to the urgency of stabilizing the U.S.-South Korea relationship.
Domestically, Choi's administration is on high alert as the Constitutional Court prepares to deliver its verdict on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The court's decision, expected in the coming days, could either reinstate Yoon or permanently remove him from office, potentially triggering further political polarization and public unrest. In anticipation, the government has vowed strict measures against any illegal protests to maintain public order.
Navigating these complex issues, Acting President Choi Sang-mok remains committed to upholding South Korea's democratic processes and ensuring stability during this transitional period.
Keum Suk Gendry-Kim for Le Monde
A couple weeks ago, I was assigned to take a portrait of Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, the South Korean coming book artist who explores the themes of war, trauma, North Korea etc… I met her at her home on the Ganghwa island where I photographed her in her studio house. Here are some the photos.
I am a portrait and commercial photographer based out of Seoul - South Korea
Macau - Vegas of the East
I recently traveled to Macau on assignment and enjoyed a night out to explore the vintage district around the famous Lisboa casino in the old part of Macau. Please find a few photos taken during that night!
Tim Franco is an commercial and editorial photographer based in Asia
New York Times Publication - Post Olympics
Last weekend, I traveled to the Pyeongchang area in South Korea to shoot a report for a story looking at the impact of the 2018 Olympics. For this story, we looked at facilities but also local businesses. The full article can be found here. More unpublished photos below
I am available for editorial assignment in South Korea.
Covid 19 - Dispatch from Seoul | Testing
Beyond the general usage of the masks, one of the big reasons why South Korea managed to get ahead of the Coronavirus is because of its intensive testing from the get-go.
Beyond the general usage of the masks, one of the big reasons why South Korea managed to get ahead of the Coronavirus ( 8 new cases today ) is because of its intensive testing from the get-go. South Korean laboratories were amongst the first to create an efficient test for the Covid 19. Then they deployed the test all around the country through free testing sites. All the hospitals became sealed off the general visitors and testing centers were constructed in container buildings in front of them. That allowed the hospitals to stay safe of contaminations. On top of that, a lot of testing centers were deployed in sensitive areas or in front of official government buildings. Then to ensure even more safety, South Korea installed drive through and walk through testing site were people did not have to get out of their car to be tested. All tests are free for locals and foreign nationals and results are available within hours by text message. Here are some of the photos of those testing sites and the people operating them.
A nurse posing in front of a drive through testing center in Downtown Seoul
The drive through testing for Coronavirus is divided in 4 stages and takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
As cases are decreasing, the nurses are often waiting in their suits cars to come through.
The nurses & doctors are in full protective gears during the test.
A test center on the parking lot of the main hospital of the Hanam district of downtown Seoul
An old woman waiting to be tested in front of an hospital in downtown Seoul.
A selective clinic testing center in front of the Yongsan government building
A queue for people waiting to be tested in front of the makeshift testing center of the Yongsan Government building.
All photos by Tim Franco | Available for publication, please get in touch: timfranco@gmail.com
Warsaw Memory
Photograph of memories of growing in Warsaw - Poland shot with an old 1930’s analog camera.
After my group exhibition in Germany, I have decided to take a trip to Poland where my mother's side of the family is from. I used to spend every single summer there since I was a little child. Back then it was still communist Poland and things were very different. I grew up observing those changes and the opening up of the country as an adolescent. This time, I just had a couple of days to stroll around the city and go back to places that we significant to me as memories. The only camera I had was this old Rolleicord from the 1930’s - it seemed to be the perfect tool to capture distant memories from a city I haven’t seen in years. Here is a mini slideshow from this strange weekend traveling in the past.
This trip made me want to reconnect more with part of my heritage that I have forgotten. Hopefully more to come!
North Korea's life
A story from North Korea by Asia photographer Tim Franco.
In June 2019, I got the chance to get to travel to North Korea. During 10 days, I was able to shoot with my medium format analog camera around Pyeongyang, Hamhung, Wonsan, Sariwon, Kaesong and lot of other places. I produced a mini series now available on the site, here are a few of the phots as well!
check the full series and text here: The Democracy of the people’s dictatorship
Kabukicho | Tokyo Red Light district
There is something magic and electrifying about walking around Tokyo at night. The kabukicho district in Tokyo is certainly one of the most lively and extravagant district out there. Between bars, live shows and love motels, I enjoyed a few days in the city to shoot some of the streets with a medium format analog camera. Here are some of those photos:
Tim Franco is available for editorial and commercial assignments in Japan and greater Asia.
China - North Korea border | Rivers of defection
As both Koreas are trying to work towards a peace solution, the defections from the DPRK are happening daily. In my first chapter ( http://www.timfranco.com/unperson ), I have interviewed & portrayed those defectors. This time, I traveled along the border of the secretive state and China. The two countries are separated by two rivers and one mountain. Most of the defectors are crossing the rivers into China before finding their difficult way into South Korea. Crossing those rivers is the first step into a new world. Those photos are documenting those places and showing how close and easy it is to make this first step.
North Korea from the city of Dandong
Chinese fishfarm overlooking North Korea
North Korea
China
just a few meters between China and North Korea
An old bridge destroyed to cut the traffic between the two countries.
All those photos are copyrighted Tim Franco 2018 and available for editorial use upon request.
Get in touch timfranco@gmail.com
North Korean portraits | Unperson
This is the first portrait of my new series about North Korean defectors.
When Kim Pil-joo was a young boy, his mom was often traveling to China illegally to purchase and sell products. Every time she got back, a smell of candy and sweets was invading their home. He imagined China as a big candy factory. At 12, during a rough year of famine in the country, he experienced a public execution. The man had stolen a copper safety line from a mine and tried to sell it. It took him two attempts to manage to escape North Korea. His mom was already in China and it was a question of survival. When he finally arrived in South Korea, he was first shocked by how welcomed he was by the local government. All his life he was told how evil the South Korean were. Even thou he now lives and studies in the south, he finds it difficult to integrate fully the social and hope for a unique identity, where north and south are just one.
To reflect this incredible transition, I chose to portray those defectors on an analog material that is not supposed to exist. Just as their situation, the negative of a Polaroid is not supposed to be usable. It is only obtained through a series of chemical purification’s of the back paper of the original image. The result is often uncertain, dirty and imperfect. This series of portraits is the first chapter of a project reflecting on North Korea and the notions of borders and identity.
The complete series is available for publication upon request @ timfranco@gmail.com
Metamorpolis Exhibition in Paris
During the summer of 2017, a collection of photos from my Metamorpolis project are exhibited at the "Maison de la Chine" in downtown Paris. The venue has a Chinese Tea House which includes exhibitions year around. Here are few phone photos of the exhibition.
The exhibition will be displayed until the end of august. For inquiries please contact me directly : tim@propagandastudio.asia
kathmandu Jazz Scene - Nepal Portraits
A few month ago, I was assigned by Silk Road magazine to travel to Nepal to shoot a story on the small growing local Jazz Scene in Kathmandu. During a few days in the capital, I have met many musicians and shot their portraits. Here are some of them
Tim Franco is an Asia based photographer living between Seoul & Shanghai and available for assignment in China, South Korea, Japan and all over asia. Contact him at tim@propagandastudio.asia
Ulan Bator | A new Democracy in Mongolia
More photos from a story I have worked on a few month ago about the new democracy in Mongolia. During my time there, I had the chance to visit local herders and resident from the Capital city Ulan Bator as well as prominent politician & Journalists. Here is a few photos taken in the Mongolian Capital city
The smog arriving from the Ger city into the downtown area
The full story is available here
Tim Franco is a documentary and commercial photographer available for assignment all over asia.
herders in the Mongolian Steppe
Last month, I had the chance to travel back to Mongolia to work on a story about Democracy and the coming presidential election for Monocle Magazine. We have spent an intense week meeting all kinds of interesting characters from herders to the probable future president of the country. Here are few photos taken in the steppe.
Tim Franco is available for editorial and commercial assignment all over Asia, please contact him at timfranco@gmail.com and follow him on istagram @timfranco
Chongqing Feature in the Good Life Magazine
Earlier this year I traveled back to Chongqing to work on a story for The Good Life Magazine. It was a nice experience to look around the city and see how much has changed since I have last visited it. Here are a few of the images from that body of work as well as the tearsheets.
Tim Franco is available for editorial and commercial photography assignment in Asia. He is based between Seoul and Shanghai and often travels to the following destinations : Hong Kong, beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok & Singapore. Please contact him directly at timfranco@gmail.com
Fashion Designer Portraits
This month issue of the Silk Road magazines feature a story about up & coming fashion designer in China that I have shot . As I often work with this magazine, each portrait was done on my old time favorite Hasselblad Medium format Film camera. Here is a couple of the portrait as well as the tearsheets.
Tim Franco is available for editorial and commercial assignments including portraits, stories and architecture in China, Korea and Hong Kong please contact him at timfranco@gmail.com
Fisherman in the Lofoten
A couple month back as I was visiting the Lofoten islands , i had to pleasure to meet Roger, a very nice fisherman eager to share his knowledge and stories, here are a few photos from a beautiful morning spent discussing the preparation for the Cod Fishing Season near Roger's boat. I am hopping our path will cross again !
Tim Franco is available for travel and documentary assignments please contact him at timfranco@gmail.com
Urbanism & Modern architecture in Baku - Azerbaijan
Baku has a really impressive range of architecture. From the traditional old city to the out of proportion Flame Towers, it is hard to understand where the city is going in terms of urbanisation. Here are a few photos from my "Crude Gentrification" project about some of the craziest and more modern part of the city's architecture.
The series is available for editorial usage with my agency , click the link here
Khazar Islands - A failed urban dream ?
During my time in the Azeri Capital, working on my Crude Gentrification Story, I tried to visit and learn about as many places and project as possible . The Khazar Islands project is by far the one that surprised me the most ! This gigantic complex, as large as a small city is suppose to be spread on 30 Km2 over the caspian Sea and house about a million residents over luxury villas and supposely the tallest tower in the world ( Azerbaijan Tower ) . As per the wikipidia page , the project is suppose to go and be finished by 2025 but the reality seems otherwise. The site has been abandoned after only a few of the buildings have been erected. The Khazar Islands project can be seen as a reflection of the situation in Azerbaijan, a country that is trying hard to shine through new urban development and international event but that fails to see its realities . Here are a few images of it and some renders of the project found on the wikipedia page.
Only the entrance building with its swimming pool seems to rise at the entrance - here below a few of the rendering of how the project should look like
