Beyond the Mountains

I arrived in Muang Ngoi, in the North of Laos during the burning season, when smoke from nearby fires drifts through the valleys and the landscape takes on a soft, sepia hue. While the village has become a familiar stop for travellers, I wanted to go beyond the trails, into the mountains, where daily life continues largely untouched by tourism.

In remote villages like Ban Koukhan and Ban Phon, days move slowly. I spent time walking through rice fields and jungle paths. Conversations were few, but open. Daily life unfolded quietly with meals cooked over open fire, shared work in the fields, children calling to each other across the rice paddies. Nothing staged. Nothing extraordinary. Just the rhythm of everyday life.

This series is a reflection of that pace: shaped by seasons, not time.