My name is David Tesinsky and I have been traveling the world and searching for controversy and confrontations for 14 years. I've photographed gang problems in Guatemala, revolutionary youth in Iran, Satan followers in the Czech Republic, women warriors in the war zone in Ukraine, serial killers' portraits in Ukraine, the tragicomic life of Japanese businessmen, exorcism in Ethiopia, and much more.
I went through many risky and dangerous situations and I was living a very bohemian lifestyle. By the way, the word “Bohemian” comes from where I'm from. My aim is to dissipate stereotypes and open my eyes with photography. I was searching for controversy and I wanted to confront people with it.
During these 10 years, I have visited over 60 countries, but there was no other trip like the last one...
Leaving home (Prague)
Some people envy my lifestyle, but they envy something that they only think exists, but it's only an unrealistic thought. They think about how I'm traveling the world and selling the pictures. It's actually partly true, but it's just one side of a coin. For example, I ended up without money on the street in India, Thailand, the USA, Jamaica, or Ethiopia. I could go on with a list of how stupid I am since it's only me who's getting me into these situations but it's a real life full of seeking more than just people's stories.
A "little gangster" in Mexico City that got out of a jail and is living a good life now
Recently I was witnessing a life being taken away by a gang member in Guatemala and I was getting vital fluids out of my shoes. Meanwhile, I received a text from a friend “how do you enjoy Central America so far?”
Some people have just no idea what I'm doing.
I left for two weeks in Mexico in order to get to the USA as COVID hasn't allowed EU citizens to go directly without 14 days being out of the EU.
Instead, I ended up traveling for four months around Mexico, Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, and then California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, etc.
Soccer Team Love - two members of one "LGBTQ soccer team" in Mazatán, Chiapas, Mexico
Relax in San José del Pacífico. My friend just smoked and relaxed most of the time
In Oaxaca
Me and the police in Guatemala City before the first gang mission
What happened is that it completely changed my life as I was getting myself into a lot of trouble, plus I had health issues most of the trip. I got a heart attack in San Francisco and was out of the air for a while, my heart wasn't beating and doctors told me I'm very lucky that I survived. I photographed gang problems in Guatemala and spent too many hours with the volunteering ambulance and firefighters on the crazy missions around Guatemala City. It was very stressful as even the police are scared of the gang members and the police can't even enter certain areas since they respect the gang's activities.
Safety check, Police is checking whether the locals are unarmed. Police can only go to the edge of this favela in Zona 3 since it's a territory of Mara gang and they have certain deals between each other
At one point I was crossing the border from Honduras to Nicaragua and I was refused to leave Honduras. It took me 23 hours to find a way to get out and all that just for finding out that they wouldn't allow me to enter Nicaragua, so I had to come back to Honduras from where I was escaping hopelessly.
Police went to a favela in Zona 3 for a brief check of gang's activity without previous announcement, which is a dangerous step for the police, as they admit
I was not very successful with publishing all these "gang" photos in any major media, but after one local TV interview, I was reached by a woman that she was interested in what I'm doing and we met for a coffee and a walk, we fell in love, she quit her job, and I moved out of Prague to a house in a village and we plan to get married and have children. I can't imagine a happier result of my photography work than that.
In Mexico City, I decided to search for the gangs and try to photograph them and what happened is that I got into a house where a guy told me “I'm holding a hostage in the basement at the moment and soon I'm going to cut his fingers and you can photograph it without my face, if you wish.” No need to explain that I refused and similar situations have happened some more times. Instead of going to L.A. after that, I listened to my heart instead and I went deeper south to Mexico and then to Central America.
Police can't go any further to the gang's territory from here
Cheap local pub in Guatemala City
Me helping the life-guards volunteers
These volunteering are going through very traumatic situations every day and for free
Ex-gang member of Mara group is now planting seeds and doing business with plants instead of harming people
Streets where the gang has it's own territory
Finally in the Ood in The United States
Finally, after many months, I left from the capital of Honduras, from Tegucigalpa to Los Angeles.
"Life is good," shot in Beverly Hills
Czech friend
Las Vegas
Me and my love captured on a film
After these crazy ten years, I'm creating a huge line and I'm settling down with my love also I wrote a book about these crazy ten years. It's called “Different Beauty” and it is possible to purchase it through my website.