Crispin Zeeman
I never knew my grandfather. He disappeared in mysterious circumstances, long before I was born. Christian left his native Denmark when he was 22, seeking to explore the world and find adventure. He was last seen in Japan in 1929, embarking on a new ocean voyage of discovery. He was never seen again.
When I was three years old, I met Christian’s sister in Denmark for the first time. She took one look at me and told my parents: "That one is Christian all over again". Decades later, having now visited some 40 countries, I know I was destined to travel.
My photographs show the extraordinary everyday: life, diversity, and the world around us; the beauty of the land and the richness of culture. They celebrate the human spirit.
Many of the people I have met have impressed and humbled me with their strong sense of cultural identity. It is in the eyes of these people that I most often feel the greatest connection with the world. I am compelled to capture their essence; to document the beauty and elegance of our world before it changes or disappears altogether.
Annemarie Papatheofilou
As soon as I learned to read, I knew I wanted to write. Stories drew me in, took me away – sparked a curiosity for countries and cultures beyond my childhood reach. As a young adult the world beckoned: a two-year sojourn in Greece; short trips and long treks to find the unfamiliar, the offbeat, the stories yearning to be told.
On all my journeys, a notebook is never far away. I try to preserve the impactful but fleeting first impressions. I collect details and construct an experience, a meeting, a place. Stories are always there to find - the search is half the fun, half the magic.
As a copywriter for Oxfam, I ventured into some of the poorest, often remotest communities that have left their mark. Some have captivated, impressed, surprised. Others have chastened and challenged. All have helped to subtly shape who I am, who I am yet to become.
Why buddha34?
In 1949, when Magnum photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson was on assignment in Peking to cover the Communist Revolution in China, he needed transport and an interpreter. A local rickshaw driver provided both and became an invaluable companion. His name was simply Buddha 34.
As long-time admirers of Cartier-Bresson, the extraordinary story of an ordinary rickshaw driver felt right to reflect who we are and what we stand for.
The authors of the quotes used on this website include André Gide, Eduardo Galeano, Freya Stark, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and Roald Dahl