Photography & Digital Art,TravelMAY 12, 2017

I Introduced Polaroid To North Korea, And It Made People Open Up And Tell Their Stories

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I first went to North Korea in 2008. At this time, there were no mobile phones in this Hermit Kingdom, and the only pics people were taking were thanks to the official photographers who stood at the entrance of the main monuments to sell some photo souvenirs to visitors.

I first thought about making Polaroids just as a kind of artistic work, to keep the dull colors of this country, but quickly I discovered this camera was the best way to make contacts with the North Korean people and to break the ice.

Every time I was taking a polaroid, I was taken another one I offered to my North Korean "model". So many times, this allowed me to see life in North Korean in a very different way, and to start some conversations, through my guide, of course. Something that was not allowed in 2008.

More info: ericlafforgue.com

#21

I Introduced Polaroid To North Korea, And It Made People Open Up And Tell Their Stories

Woman playing bowling in Pyongyang.

11points

#22

View from the Yanggakdo hotel in Pyongyang. In 2008, you could sleep with the window open, there were no cars at this time in town.

11points

#23

Nurse in a kindergarden, Nampo.

11points

#24

Waitresses in a restaurant in Pyongyang.

11points

#25

The DMZ from the North Korean side. As there were no South Korean soldiers or American soldiers on the other side, the guide said that they were afraid to be seen. Cowards, he said.

11points

#26

Woman working in a subway in Pyongyang.

10points

#27

Accordion classroom in Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace, in Pyongyang. The visit that every tourist does. The guide opens the door and for 30 seconds you can see accordion, dance, singing, calligraphy… The guide keeps on telling: "We are late, we are late…"

10points

#28

Decoration in the bowling in Pyongyang. A good place to visit to see North Korea having fun and having dates. Tinder is not yet in North Korea.

9points

#29

Young guard in a museum in Pyongyang.

9points

#30

North Korean Army Parade in Pyongyang. It was a rehearsal. Each man has a number on his uniform and an officer shouts orders to the ones who are not in the good tempo.

9points

#31

Worker woman in the mineral water factory of Nampo. The guide was so proud to show us this factory that visited President Mitterand before he was elected in France. But in fact the sound of the machines was incredibly loud and aggressive, and everybody was sorry for this young worker who had to stand there during our touristic visit. She was forbidden to leave her position to take the Polaroid I did. She had it at the end of his day job.

9points