This is just a throwback to my trip to Sri Lanka last year. One of the best things when I’m travelling is to talk to locals on the street. Why? Obviously, travelling is more than just exploring a new place for me. I experience the local culture by visiting those famous history sites; experience the local food by checking out those hip restaurants and cafés to eat like a local. But how about the mentality, the language, the spirit and the values? I do that by talking to the people on the street – in the shops and parks while I’m taking photographs of them. Even though in some cases I might not exactly be able to communicate with them due to language barrier, it’s always fun to try to talk to them, even just by body language and the people’s smile and kindness always unexpectedly warm my heart in the new surroundings.

I love fashion photography – but when it comes to portrait shoots, I love shooting faces of young kids and elder people. The expressions of young kids are always so real and innocent, and I love using my camera to explore those elder people’s faces that are just like reading their life stories. Every face has its own story that you can find through their eyes, wrinkles and the smiles.

“I feel connected to the people every time when I catch their smiles; feel connected to the world every time when I decide to jump into it.” – Cynthia Lo xx

Read more about the Sri Lankan HERE