ABOUT YONA
Tajik men discussing the weather in Tashkurgan City – Xinjiang Province 2011
I am Merijn Yona, or Yona for short.
In the beginning of 2012, I became a shortlisted photographer for the World Photography Organisation (WPO) 2012 Youth Awards. Which triggered me to do something with my collection:
This website is the End-(work-in-progress)-Result!
To me photography is about two things, firstly, the simple capturing of outward and inward curiosities of where one finds him -or her-self and secondly, about the esthetics of framing images, concepts or ideas behind the content of an image. Therefore, I regard my camera sometimes as a scientific instrument with which I experiment in order to learn more about the natural and humanistic world around me. Whereas I also consider my camera a tool to effectively capture stories, atmospheres, icons, trends or memories.
How I got into photography, is through reading books and watching documentaries of various photographers like Anton Corbijn, Jay Maisel, Eugène Atget or Eugene Smith, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, William Klein, Ansel Adams.
But for inspiration, I try to adopt many lenses through which the world can be observed – which can often be only found in books and online content that is not related to photography at all.
If you wish to view a few more of my Collections, I have also started making themed series:
and photographic documentaries about short trips or adventures:
The last Uyghurs in Kashgars Ancient Town
Autumn in PingTian County’s ‘Gingko Biloba Village’
If you would like to contact me, please click on the ‘Contact Yona‘ page at the top or visit me at facebook.
Yona Photo 