In late October 2009, the skies over New York—still shadowed by the global financial crisis—were heavy with clouds. Yet in the city, life carried on as if nothing had changed—people moved forward, each standing firmly on their own two feet. To me, it was a profoundly beautiful sight.

Day and night, I wandered from corner to corner, etching these scenes into my memory.

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Later, I lost most of the photographs from that time. Only a few prints remained, along with failed prints made on a low-quality printer. The sense of loss was immeasurable, and I couldn't bring myself to look at those prints again until 2025. And now, after many years, I am facing these photographs once more—the very starting point of my journey as a photographer.