Who is Shawn?
Greetings. I'm Shawn – an educator, writer, and trainer. Currently I'm based in Fergana, Uzbekistan, where I am Assistant Professor of English Philology at Korea International University Fergana. My specialties are educational technology, and using AI for research and writing.
I have worked in the education field in the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. In Taiwan I also ran my own corporate training business, and in Saudi Arabia I was a founding administrator of its first American-style, co-ed university.
Photography is my lifelong hobby. I've taken photos of the Giza Pyramins, Roman Colosseum, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, and other amazing places. My favorite photos, though, are ones I have taken of ordinary people in daily life.
Cats are my friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I contact you?
Feel free to contact me if you fall into one of these 3 categories:
*You live in an interesting neighborhood that you want me to photograph.
*You have a business that you want me to photograph.
*I have taken a photo of you and given you my card.
How do you photograph neighborhoods or businesses?
I walk around by myself, totally independent, taking photos as situations arise naturally.
I don't take posed photos.
The best photos are ones in which the people in them do not know they are being photographed.
Do you take portrait photos?
Not by request.
When I choose to take portrait photos, it is with a subject and location I have chosen by myself. Everything is chosen to look natural, real-to-life. (There are rare exceptions.)
I don't like 95% of staged, posed photos – especially ones like you see on social media all the time. They make people look un-natural. They are boring to me. And usually fake looking (fake facial emotion, unrealistic makeup, etc.)
How much do you charge for photoshoots of neighborhoods or businesses?
I don't charge anything. I take photos and give the best ones to the person/business. People can display the photos on their social media, and business owners can use the photos for marketing.
But I own the photograph rights. I can display the photos on my website, and sell them online.
Can you travel to take photos?
If you have a very interesting place to photograph, one that fits my real-life style, and you arrange the transportation – I can consider it. I am extremely busy, so this would be a rare event.
