Waiting for an event to begin at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Photo: Pedro Pardo
2025 was a busy but fulfilling year. I travelled to fourteen countries that were new to me, revisited two of my favourites, photographed Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, all at once, learned to kite surf, had tea with the former Bhutanese foreign minister, went on my first safari and was very fortunate to see a whale shark while scuba diving in Koh Tao, Thailand. Further, I made a handful of images I am proud of and was privileged to be assigned to photograph challenging events I had never photographed before. In short, this year will be hard to beat. It was one of the best years for me both professionally and personally.
Senior citizens sit outside of US store Victoria’s Secret in Beijing, China, April 7, 2025.
I started off the year unconventionally. While most people spend the beginning of the year head to the grindstone, setting resolutions, I packed my bags and flew to the South Pacific, a region I had long desired to explore more fully, but never had the money to travel to extensively (let’s be honest, travelling to this part of the world is expensive). It was a dream. I went to Fiji to dive with sharks and unwind on the beach, then flew onwards to Kiribati, Tonga, Samoa, and finally New Zealand. It was a relaxing few weeks of snorkelling and shore-diving in aqua blue water, but also an immersion into the local cultures at a comfortable pace.
In Kiribati, I walked to North Tarawa from South Tarawa on dusty roads and rusty bridges; and poked my head into grocery stores to see what locals ate (the options aren’t great because it’s mostly imported, unhealthy processed food). I spent some days driving around Samoa’s tropical coastline and swimming in their unique sinkholes; and a few days enjoying the laid-back yet cosmopolitan Auckland atmosphere. Then it was time to go home.
Staff members look at their phones and pose for photos while on a break during the Two Sessions.
Back in Beijing, a trade war was brewing again between China and the United States. While it has never been boring to work as a journalist in China, now is a particularly interesting time to be in the nation, watching two superpowers interact publicly with each other.
In March, the annual Meeting of the Two Sessions (featuring all the leaders of China) took place and I experienced my first media dash where photographers and videographers sprint to get the best photo positions. This 6 am run is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. The actual news event starts at 9 am, but we wake up at 4 am to get to the venue by 5 am to line up in the cold, so that when the doors open at 6 am, we are in a good position to sprint the 300 metres or so (while carrying all of our gear) to be one of the first ones through the door, passing through security, to secure a good spot in the photo pit. There are dozens of international and local accredited media in the photo pit all clamouring for a prime spot, so it’s important to not end up in the back where visibility is worse (unless that is what you want).
I tell this story of my experience of working in China to other photojournalists who work in other countries and it makes them feel relieved they don’t have to do this run while covering major events. While I don’t enjoy this run particularly, I’m sure years from now, this will be one of the memories I look back at when I recall my first year working in China.
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Tony Blair, at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, in June.
I was fortunate to be able to travel a lot this year. In April, after recovering from photographing the Two Sessions and eighteen hour days photographing the World Athletics in Nanjing, I took a plane to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for some exploring. It was my first time in Central Asia and the trip answered a lot of the questions I had in my mind about the region. I liked the wide, open sidewalks that had few people walking on them, a direct contrast from the chaotic congestion that is Beijing. I tried a variety of different foods, walked around Bishkek and Almaty and went on a trek to the gorgeous Issyk Kul Canyons. I enjoyed the area so much, the next month, I went back to visit Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
In June, I visited Chongqing, China, the world’s largest city, after being influenced by social media videos showing the many levels of the city, and wanting to see the “cyber punk” metropolis for myself. I ate lots of hot pot in a city famous for it, took in the buzzing night glow of Hongyadong, and explored the famous Kuixinglou Square, a confusing building that shows as the first floor on one side of the building, but the 22nd floor on the other side.
A press tour of the mostly automated NIO car factory in Hefei, China, April 22, 2025.
In July, I flew to Bhutan, staying in the rural mountain town of Paro, which oddly reminded me of a road trip I took in 2022 through the ranges of South Dakota, USA, rather than any other mountain town in Asia, except for maybe Vang Vieng, Laos. I spent my time in Bhutan eating momos, soaking in a hot stone bath and climbing the Tiger’s Nest, where coincidentally, I bumped into the former Foreign Minister who invited me for tea at the famous monastery and gave me a tour of the cave and view (the “real Tiger’s Nest”, as they call it) underneath the building, which is closed to the public. The next day, I visited the bustling city of Thimpu and the Taschichho Dzong. Then I flew to Thailand for a week.
In Bangkok, I took the time to walk the iconic and vibrant Khao San Road once again. The last time I was on that road, I was dreaming of and wishing for a photojournalism career I did not have, but now I do. It has not been easy to get to this point, but it was gratifying to stop and appreciate how far I’ve come. My life now is full of travel and meaningful work, both aspirations I’d envisioned for myself all those years ago.
The Tiger’s Nest monastery in Paro, Bhutan, in July.
With that warm sentiment, I travelled to the islands down south, my favourite part of Thailand. Serendipity would follow. In Koh Tao, on my last dive of the trip, I saw a whale shark for the first time. The majestic creature swam above me but also in front of me. It was a poignant moment and I felt very lucky to be able to witness the shark, and to be in this season of my life, blessed with freedom, meaningful work and steadiness. I spent the rest of my time in Thailand in Phuket, eating Khao Soi, Pad Thai and curries.
The rest of my summer was spent in South Korea, where I did many of the things I did last time: Yakiniku and Korean BBQ, and shopping in Myeongdong and Hongdae. Different this time was a unique tour to the Demilitarized Military Zone by a photojournalist friend who showed me his favourite photo spots (off the highway) and also introduced me to cold bean noodles.
A whale shark in Koh Tao, Thailand, in July.
Eventually, I made my way to Jeju Island via Mokpo, taking the passenger ferry among locals who sang karaoke in the many karaoke rooms onboard and rested in the unique carpeted group rooms with no seats (I have never seen these types of rooms before in all my travels) during the passage.
Jeju Island was idyllic. The island is quieter than Seoul and has beautiful black rock formations and seascapes. I spent my time hiking, seeing the tea museum and relaxing at Seogwipo beach, which has some of the brightest blue water I’ve ever seen, like the Carribean, except it was filled with Korean people on holiday with their blow-up donut floaties, fully covered head to toe in rashguards and hats for sun protection. At night, I ate banchan, ramen and fresh seafood.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre), Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (right) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025.
Back in China, around this time, while we were waiting for a press conference to begin and exchanging stories, a veteran photographer told me about the time he photographed Boris Yeltsin and Bill Clinton together. I wondered if I would ever get a chance to photograph a historic moment like that and the kinds of stories about my work I might tell a younger generation in a few years.
I got my opportunity to photograph that historic moment in September when I was assigned to be one of the correspondents covering Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Sino-Japanese War. We (the photographers) assembled our gear and went through the security checks hours before, spending most of our time waiting, while the actual moment with all three leaders appearing side by side was just a mere few seconds.
Couples pose for pre-wedding photos on May 20th or 520 day, which is a Valentine’s Day in China, because the pronunciation of ‘five two zero’ sounds similar to ‘I love you’ in Mandarin.
In the early fall, still in awe at seeing the whale shark in Thailand earlier in the year, I booked a trip to Timor Leste for the start of whale season, hoping to see a whale cross the Ombai-Wetar Strait when they migrate for winter. It was a little early in the season, and only four whales had crossed by that point. While luck was not on my side that time in terms of seeing what I had travelled to see, I still enjoyed a slower pace of moving through the day in Dili and on Atauro Island.
Camps Bay in Cape Town in November.
In October, I finally travelled to a destination I had long been trying to visit: South Africa. It was a magical time being in a beautiful place with a vastly different culture to ones I have previously experienced. I started my journey in Johannesburg and went on my first ever safari at Kruger National Park, spending my day driving around in a 4X4 under a blazing African sun, looking for animals in the wild. My nights were spent eating under moonlight while hyenas circled (we felt reasonably safe), and sleeping in a bush tent. Then I made quick stops in Maputo, Mozambique, where I had some of the best seafood of my life; and Mantenga, Eswatini, a place not typically on most travel agendas, but one that I am glad I travelled to, to further add to my knowledge about the Southern African region. Afterwards, it was onward to Shelly Beach, Durban and the mountains of the Sani Pass that were so easy on the eyes, in Lesotho.
It’s been a privilege to see for myself parts of the world that I had only previously learned about through movies and books and to listen to stories and perspectives from people who grew up with vastly different experiences. While driving through the different neighbourhoods and seeing who worked different types of jobs, it is clear apartheid had massive effects on the quality of lifestyles and outcomes for different people, even decades later.
Finally it was time for my last stop: Cape Town. I spent my time there climbing Table Mountain, learning how to kite surf and exploring the stunning city. I finally understood why so many people move there, with the sweeping mountain views along the coastline, abundant choices of dining options, the golden beach sunsets and the youthful energy coarsing through the city.
A performer sings in Chongqing, China, in June.
Though I spent much of this year travelling, I have also been enjoying Beijing and further settling into my life in China. I’ve developed routines and have recurring grocery and take-out orders. There’s a favourite noodle place in my neighbourhood I go to often, I’ve become friends with my neighbours in the hutong I live in and I’m relishing in deeper friendships with other expats who have also chosen to work in Beijing. My favourite thing to do on the weekend is order in dim sum, but I also adore going regularly for grilled oysters and tacos (not at the same time). I don’t think I will ever get used to the hectic chaos of the traffic but the convenience of having fresh groceries, food and other items delivered to my door quickly and relatively inexpensively is a consolation.
Zebras in Kruger National Park, South Africa, in October.
It has been such a honour to work alongside and learn from so many experienced journalists and photojournalists this year. I am constantly in awe of their dedication, professionalism, intellect and craft. It is a good environment to be in and I feel like I am becoming a better photojournalist by osmosis and sheer proximity.
I am spending the end of the year relaxing at home in Toronto with my family and my cats. I have seen a lot, learned a ton, made a handful of images I am proud of and travelled far and wide this year. I know this year will be a hard one to beat because it was absolutely fantastic, but here’s hoping I haven’t peaked yet and that 2026 will get even better. I am looking forward to continuing to get better at covering news in challenging new situations and to more travel to exciting destinations. Thanks for following along on my journey this year!
People dressed in traditional clothing walk past a light display during the Lantern Festival in Beijing, China, February 12, 2025.
