Alexia Wright: Photography has been a constant presence throughout your life, evolving from taking casual snapshots to capturing intentional scenes. How has your understanding and relationship to photography changed over time?
Billy Dinh: I’ve always associated photography with personal, intimate moments. The first time I saw a photograph was one that my parents had taken of our family. When I got into photography, I used a disposable camera from places like CVS or Walgreens to take pictures of my friends. The pictures I took were not artistic, they were more personal. In a way, I’ve always had an artistic, more visual side to me, dabbling in painting and illustration. I express myself and understand the world better through visuals.
Traveling opened my eyes. Before that, I used photos to document personal memories, but traveling bridged both worlds. As I captured new places, I began seeing photography in a different light. It wasn’tt just personal anymore. I was experiencing and sharing the world, seeing that my photos were meant for others.
What started as private and intimate became more about what I was seeing and wanting to share. It shifted from being about me to being about the world: showing what we look like, believe in, and how we live. This is how my journey in photography evolved.
“17:52”, Taiwan (2019)
AW: You used to travel a lot, backpacking and choosing locations based on their beauty. How has that approach shifted?
BD: Growing up, I never traveled much. We weren’t well off, so my parents couldn’t afford to take us abroad. I also think that this was something they didn’t care much about, they were set in their ways. As I grew up and got into my mid-20s, I left the country for the first time. I was inspired by friends who encouraged me to see the world. The first country I traveled to was Japan, which is an extreme place to visit if you have never left the USA before. Since that first trip, I caught the travel bug.
I backpacked a lot because it was a more affordable way to travel. I also had more time and I didn’t have to worry about lugging around a suitcase. It was easier to get around, and I did not care about doing fancy things. I just wanted to see the world and learn about it, which helped me learn about myself and the people around me. Somewhere in between, it inspired me to pick up a camera. Since then, I no longer travel just for joy. I’m not a tourist; I do not visit touristy places. I am out there with a camera, sometimes for 12 hours a day or more, walking and discovering moments. I discover intricate details about communities and how people live. Why does a culture do the things it does? What are the religions there? What makes these places special beyond what you’d find on TripAdvisor?
My trips went from being typical vacations to a need to share and capture the world.
“Kids of Omo Valley”, Omo Valley, Ethiopia (2020)
AW: You walk a lot to find those moments worth capturing. What kind of subjects or scenes catch your eye?
BD: Over the last couple of years, I’ve realized that what I look for changes over time. Overall, if I sum up my experiences, I’ll take photographs of anything that seems interesting. It doesn’t have to be the best or most attractive scene. I’ll even take a photo of a basic corner if the lighting is good and if it makes me feel or reminds me of something. When I’m out walking around and I see something that interests me, I capture it. Later, at home, I go through everything I shot and pick what stands out. Sometimes, when you're in a place for the first time, everything feels interesting. But then you realize you saw that same thing over and over, and it loses its uniqueness. So I stay open-minded to not limit myself.
AW: How do you decide the story you wish to convey when taking and sharing a photograph?
BD: It’s interesting you asked that because I’m starting to be a little more intentional. I used to share each photo as its own story without thinking about a bigger theme. I’m starting to put more pieces together to build a story, almost like a series or collection, that I might one day turn into a book or exhibition focused on a single theme. I look through my archive and notice patterns. Whether an artist realizes it or not, what they create is based on their experiences.
I love dramatic scenes, sometimes violent, sometimes tender. That probably comes from my general interest in stories with contrast. I enjoy dynamic music and books with emotional highs and lows. Without thinking about it, I take photos based on what I find interesting, even if it’s different from what others might notice.
To answer your question, the photos I take often depend on how much I want to share with the world. I don’t want to be known for only sharing intense or violent images. I like to balance what I share while also working on collections that build a bigger story.
For example, I live in an area in Brooklyn called Bushwick. It’s becoming super gentrified. A lot of the community who lived here for decades are being pushed out. It still has that old New York look — a lot of culture and diversity — and I’m working on a project to capture that before it disappears. I’ve lived here almost 10 years. It’s my home. So, there are parts of me in it, but ultimately, it’s about showing the place.
“Conflict At The Park” NYC, USA (2021)
AW: Can you recall a time when, when you took an image that captured the essence of what was happening around you at that moment in time?
BD: I feel like all the moments I capture are frozen in time. You have to be quick to capture them. If there’s one moment I can think of, there’s a shot where a woman is about to kiss a man, maybe her date or boyfriend. I could see it coming, so I anticipated it, pulled up the camera, and just as I took the photo, she gave me a quick glance with one eye. It’s special because it feels mysterious. It almost looks like she’s not looking at me, but at another guy in the foreground. It feels like a movie scene, where you can imagine a story. She is kissing one guy, but the way she looks at me creates a story that is not real if you analyze the scene. I caught her in the moment when she was a little confused, wondering why I was taking the photo. I always enjoy that shot and it fits within what I like to capture: mystery, a real moment in time, something gone in a split second. If I’d caught her kissing him with her eyes closed, it would have been a different shot. Or if she had pulled back and both her eyes were visible, the photograph would tell a different story.
“Ben’s Pizzeria”, NYC, USA (2021)
AW: You have described your work as a blend of visual appeal, storytelling, emotion, and atmosphere. How do you hope viewers will engage with your photography, and what do you want them to take away from your work?
BD: I feel like I started sharing my work online with no intention of getting attention. I didn’t know I would eventually have this many people enjoying or following my journey. If I could say one thing, I think it’s just that the world is a beautiful place. Even in some of the ugly moments. I don’t think beauty can exist without the ugly, and I don’t think happiness can exist without sadness. There has to be a balance. I want the viewer to understand that even though my images are a bit dressed up and have a cinematic look with dynamic lighting, they are still real. Some of the poses or scenes I capture may look staged, but they aren’t. These are real moments.
I want people to look at my work and know that even in the most mundane moments, something beautiful can be found.
AW: You have described yourself as a chaser of light. What does that phrase mean to you and how does it impact your work?
BD: For me, light really enhances a scene. It takes a basic everyday scene and makes it pop, makes it more dynamic, and enhances the feeling you get when you look at it. When I chase light, I often find it in my favorite locations or during certain times of the day when the lighting is optimal. This doesn’t only refer to natural sunlight; artificial light from storefronts or billboards can also play a significant role. Light is crucial to a photograph. Even a flat image with an interesting scene can come to life through light.
“Highs & Lows”, NYC, USA (2021)
AW: How did you develop the comfort of photographing strangers in everyday moments, and do any of those interactions lead to a deeper connection with the people you capture?
BD: To develop comfort in photographing strangers in everyday moments, I believe it has to be natural. I understand that street photography can be controversial, especially today, with privacy being such a big issue. People sometimes see it as creepy since photographers are often taking photos without consent. I understand that, but for the sake of art and documentary work, I believe it’s important. When you look at old street photos or photos in textbooks, many were taken without consent. These photos capture the essence of a time and place.
People can read your body language. On days when I am not as invested, I have a harder time taking photos. But on most days, when I am happy and excited, even if I get yelled at or asked not to take photos, I always respect that. When I present myself in a positive way and believe in what I am doing, even if it’s a bit controversial, people are more likely to let me take their photo. In some countries, it is almost impossible to take someone’s photo without being confronted, while in others, people do not mind at all. The key is to believe your intentions are positive and that you are not making anyone look bad.
Over time, I have built relationships with people. Sometimes they will stop and ask if they can have a copy of the photo or want to know what I am doing. Some interactions develop into acquaintances or even friendships. In places I frequently visit, like New York City, I see some of the same people regularly. We exchange greetings and develop a connection, which I value because they are people I otherwise would have never known.
“Manhattan Bound”, Brooklyn, USA (2020)
AW: If you had to select one of your works that best described who you are as an artist, which work would you select and why?
BD: That is a very difficult question to answer, as my work continues to evolve and many of my works are very different and it would be difficult to select one and say "This is Billy’s work." But if I had to pick one I am particularly proud of, I would select Salt and Pepper. Two older ladies are sitting in a restaurant. The restaurant had scaffolding which created a weird rectangular box that framed them. They had opposite-colored hair, one white, one black, both with the same short haircut. I like that you cannot see their faces; it adds mystery to the piece. It’s almost like a yin-yang, very opposite.
I love when people look at a photo and think, "I don’t really know what that is," but it makes them want to keep looking and thinking.
These are the photos I gravitate toward, not just for myself, but in general.
“Warm Bodies”, NYC, USA (2023)
Billy Dinh is a New York based photographer whose work captures the beauty and complexity of everyday moments, often infused with mystery and emotion. Originally drawn to photography as a way to document personal experiences, his journey evolved through travel, shifting his focus to capturing the world around him. Dinh’s approach is grounded in discovering the unnoticed details of life, often portraying dynamic, cinematic scenes that blend light, atmosphere, and storytelling. Through his lens, Dinh seeks to convey that beauty and reality coexist, and that even in the most ordinary settings, something extraordinary can be found.
Alexia Wright believes in the power of storytelling and the importance of providing context to art. She shares this passion through writing and content creation, including the Art After Hours interview series for Tribul, and co-hosting the Collectors Call Podcast and FOMO Factor video series. As Communications Director for the Charles Csuri Estate and Head of Social Media and Marketing at Tribul, she elevates the stories behind the art. With a Master of Arts degree, Alexia stays engaged with the latest trends in art and web3.