Encounters

Travelling is about discovering landscapes, observing wildlife and exploring different cultures. Yet the memories that stay with us the longest are often the people we meet along the way.

On a remote trail, in a bustling market, in a small village or beside a dusty road, a simple smile or a brief conversation can become one of the most memorable moments of a journey. Even when words are few or a common language is missing, kindness, curiosity and human connection often speak for themselves.

This gallery brings together the women, men and children I have had the privilege of meeting during my travels. Some portraits were taken after long conversations, while others capture only a fleeting moment before our paths separated again. Together, they reflect the extraordinary diversity of cultures, traditions and ways of life found across the world.

Beyond these differences, they also reveal something universal. A smiling schoolboy in Nepal, a young Afar in Ethiopia, a grandmother and her granddaughter in Mongolia… each encounter reminds us that, wherever we travel, the language of a smile is understood by everyone.

These photographs are an invitation to travel differently: not only to discover places, but above all to meet the people who give them meaning.

2026, Encounters, Nepal Selection

Prayer at Swayambhunath, where Hinduism and Buddhism meet, Nepal

Prayer at Swayambhunath, where Hinduism and Buddhism meet, Nepal

Prayer at Swayambhunath, where Hinduism and Buddhism meet, Nepal

At Swayambhunath, one of Nepal’s most iconic sacred sites, a devotee prays before a Hindu shrine while the great Buddhist stupa rises in the background. A scene that beautifully illustrates the peaceful coexistence of religious traditions in the Kathmandu Valley.

At first glance, the viewer’s attention is drawn to the woman’s gesture of prayer. With her hands pressed together and a smartphone gently held between her palms, she continues her devotion with a sincerity that transcends everyday objects. Modern life quietly finds its place within an ancient ritual, without diminishing its meaning.

The scene takes place at Swayambhunath, one of Nepal’s oldest sacred sites. In the foreground, an intricately carved Hindu shrine welcomes worshippers, while the Swayambhunath Stupa rises in the background, its famous Buddha eyes overlooking the Kathmandu Valley.

This close architectural relationship reflects a reality deeply rooted in Nepalese culture. Hinduism and Buddhism have coexisted here for centuries, often sharing places of worship, festivals and traditions. It is not uncommon for families to naturally take part in practices from both religions, reflecting a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect that remains an integral part of the country’s identity.

2026, Encounters, Nepal Selection

On the Way to School – A Slice of Life in Nepal

On the Way to School – A Slice of Life in Nepal

On the Way to School – A Slice of Life in Nepal

Every morning, thousands of children make their way to school, whether on foot or by bicycle. In Nepal, this young schoolboy wears a bright smile as he proudly shows a small paper crane. A simple yet universal everyday scene, reminding us that curiosity and the joy of childhood know no borders.

Like every morning, this young schoolboy is on his way to school, riding on the back of a relative’s bicycle. As he notices me, he flashes a broad smile and proudly holds up the small paper crane in his hand. A spontaneous gesture, a few seconds of shared connection, and then we each continue on our way.

It is often these everyday moments that give travel its greatest meaning. They appear in no guidebook and are not tied to any famous landmark, yet they reveal far more about a country’s character than pages of description ever could. A glance, a smile, or a simple gesture is sometimes all it takes to create a lasting memory.

In Nepal, education represents a real opportunity for many children. Depending on where they live, some travel several kilometres each day to reach school, on foot, by bicycle, or using whatever transport is available. Despite these challenges, the journey to school often remains a time of sharing, carefree laughter, and hope for the future.

2015, Encounters, Mongolia Selection

Kushi and her grandmother, Mongolia

Child looking out the window in the morning light inside a wooden house in Mongolia, with her grandmother, intergenerational life scene

Kushi and her grandmother, Mongolia

A suspended moment of connection between generations, at the heart of the Mongolian home.

Kushi stands beside her grandmother, her gaze drawn to the morning light streaming through the window of the wooden house. Her attention turns outward, as if captivated by the world beyond the walls, while her grandmother watches over her, present and attentive. In Mongolia, several generations often live under the same roof, and these simple moments shape everyday life.

In many nomadic or rural cultures, such as in Mongolia, the extended family plays a central role in education and daily life. Knowledge, traditions, and values are passed down over time through closeness, gestures, and the presence of elders.

2015, Encounters, Rajasthan Selection

Changing a light bulb on a street garland in India

Changing a light bulb on a street garland in India

Changing a light bulb on a street garland in India

At nightfall, one of the bulbs on the garland was no longer working.

A few minutes later, a table, some friends to hold the balance… and the street turns into an improvised workshop.
When travelling, it is often these small everyday scenes that tell the most about a country.

2009, Encounters, Laos Selection

Children playing hide and seek, Ben Tou Gong Temple, Pakse, Laos

Children playing hide and seek, Ben Tou Gong Temple, Pakse, Laos

Hide and Seek, Pakse (Laos).

In the shadow of the Ben Tou Gong Temple, the sacred and the carefree meet in a moment of laughter.

Located in Pakse, the Ben Tou Gong Temple (本頭公廟) is a vital hub for the Sino-Laotian community. Dedicated to the “Local Lord” or Spirit of the Soil, this sanctuary is much more than a place of worship: it is a protective space watching over the neighborhood and its residents from the banks of the Sedone River.

Here, the imposing lion guardian statues, or Chinthes, do more than just ward off evil spirits. They become silent accomplices in children’s games.

2023, Algeria Selection, Encounters, Sahara

Desert Bonds: A Moment of Connection in Immidir (Algeria)

Two Tuareg men sharing a moment in the Immidir desert, Algeria

Their weathered faces tell as many stories as the landscape that surrounds them.

Two Tuareg men exchange looks and words in the heart of the Algerian Sahara.

Their weathered faces tell as many stories as the landscape that surrounds them—a harsh yet familiar Sahara made of stones, sand, and silence. Their dark tagelmusts (chechs) contrast with the brilliant desert light, filtered through the golden grasses of the foreground. This scene from Immidir illustrates the strength of human bonds within the mineral vastness.

2023, Algeria Selection, Encounters, Sahara

When the Desert Remembers – Algeria, Immidir Massif

When the Desert Remembers - Algeria, Immidir Massif

When the Desert Remembers – Algeria, Immidir Massif.

Beneath the golden shelter of the rock, the voices of the past still whisper in the heart of the Immidir mountains, in the Algerian Sahara.

Cave paintings stretch across the walls of a natural shelter, protected from the wind and time. Drawn in red ochre, camels, cattle, and human silhouettes form a silent fresco—a graphic memory of an ancient, humid, and vibrant Sahara. Sitting before these ancestral traces, a man of today contemplates the marks of yesterday. Between the present and the past, an invisible thread connects today’s nomads to vanished peoples, sharing the same relationship with the land, the herd, and the light. Here, rock art is not a mere vestige: it is a motionless bridge between eras, where the desert still speaks to those who know how to listen.

2013, Encounters, Kyrgyzstan Selection

The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan

Tea ritual in a yurt, Kyrgyzstan

The Art of Nomadic Hospitality, Kyrgyzstan.

By the flickering light of a storm lantern, gestures are precise, repeated since childhood in the heart of the Kyrgyz highlands.

In this high-altitude yurt, black tea simmers in an enameled teapot. The hostess delicately pours the brew into piala, the small handleless bowls typical of Central Asia. In Kyrgyzstan, serving tea is much more than a daily task: it is a ritual of hospitality deeply rooted in nomadic culture. Never filled to the brim—out of respect and modesty—the bowl is offered with a smile, often accompanied by boorsok or warm bread. Here, around the tea, stories flow and bonds are forged; it is the heart of the home and the beginning of every encounter.

2012, Burkina Faso Selection, Encounters

Smile, Burkina Faso

Smile, Burkina Faso

Smile, Burkina Faso.

Beyond the savannah landscapes, the essence of Burkina Faso lies in the warmth of encounters and the sincerity of exchanges.

This photograph captures the expression of Sahelian hospitality, where a smile is not merely a politeness but a truly universal language. In the “Land of Upright People,” the human dimension takes precedence over the setting, reminding us that travel is, above all, about shared glances.

2015, Encounters, Mongolia Selection

Reunion among the Mongolian farmers

A colorful meeting for a sensitive debate - Mongolia

A colorful meeting for a sensitive debate.

This photo was taken in 2015 in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

Large livestock owners from all over the country met once again to discuss the consequences of the latest “white dzud” that had just hit Mongolia. A “dzud” is a climatic phenomenon (sometimes a summer drought, sometimes a freezing winter, or sometimes a combination of both) that leads to the death of many head of livestock. In recent years, “dzuds” have been occurring one after another. Annual losses are counted in the millions of animals.

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