Drawing closer to human connection

In a sense, these relaxed and natural portraits of young people can also be seen as self-portraits that Le creates of his own "otherness", he says.

"Of course, the casual postures and uncertain expressions displayed by these newcomers may not represent their permanent state. Perhaps they are merely pausing temporarily, using this moment of stillness to recalibrate their life's direction," he adds.

Le admits that his yearning for connection may be rooted in his own experience of "flow".

As a child, with his parents separated, he was forced to adapt to new environments from a young age.

Another more enduring "battle "that directly tempered the edge of his worldview came from the conflict with his father, a doctor, over his career choice.

"My father always thought that photography was a dead end, that I might end up begging on the streets," Le says.

Five years of shooting have given the "New Comer" project the weight of time.

He has witnessed the flow of life: the first young woman he photographed told him that she now has a good job in Shanghai, is about to get a promotion, and has tried interacting with her family again, finding it "not so terrible after all".

"For people, given enough time, space and freedom, the capacity for self-healing is very strong," Le remarks.

In 2023, while living in the Philippines learning English, he received an email announcing he had won the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award.

"I immediately rushed into the street, screaming with joy at the top of my lungs," he says.

The honor brought more opportunities and subtly improved his relationship with his father, too.

When asked what he ultimately hopes this vast archive will become, he says he has never had any great ambitions.

"If someone, being part of this group, can find a little solace in seeing this work, I think that's enough."

If possible, he wants to continue "New Comer" until 2030.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn