Mornings in my household were always chaotic. Dad was dressing for work, Mom was firing up the stove for breakfast and I had to get ready for school. Wake up, shower, eat and pack my bag — from the alarm to the commute, my morning slowly became a to-do list to complete before my day really started.

This photo essay represents a reinterpretation of those childhood mornings. I’m used to commuting in big cities: Los Angeles, Seoul, Jakarta and Washington, D.C. have all been home to me. But the busy roads and bustling subways always left my commutes in a blur. City life doesn’t often allow for the luxury of slowly seizing every moment.

But there’s no way the blurred, monotone and repetitive scenes of the city define every morning. Today, I seek the more vibrant yet quiet moments of an otherwise busy day, because those are the moments that keep me going. I’ve learned to admire the mornings as a time of calmness and reflection.

I’ve fallen in love with the camera’s ability to capture the moment. As a journalism student, I’ve been told to “look for the story,” to seek what’s interesting and newsworthy. That principle has dictated the articles and op-eds I’ve written. 

As a photographer, I say the opposite. The narrative, the emotions, the beauty — they’re around you; I say the story shouldn’t need finding. Carpe diem?