Korea How interviews Canada-born professional photographer Gregory Curley. His work has appeared in The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, SEOUL, Elle, MTV, 10 Magazine, Morning Calm, CNNGo and CNN.

NW: Where did you take this photo?

Gregory: Gyeongbukgong Palace, Seoul.

NW: What’s the story behind it?

Gregory: I wanted to capture an otherwise very common and much photographed scene and make it much more dramatic. I always loved that huge expanse of sky behind Gyeongbokgung Palace so I wanted to use it to create a sense of grandeur in this particular shot.

NW: How long have you lived in Korea?

Gregory: Eight years.

NW: What’s your job?

Gregory: Copywriter and freelance photographer.

NW: What’s your favorite photography or travel quote?

“For me, photographs are escapes. They should not only freeze moments in time, but should also be worthy enough to make the world fall away for a while when gazing at the finished result.”

NW: What’s your tip for taking great travel photos?

Greg: Basically, I don’t like to hang around scenes for too long, waiting for the ‘perfect shot’. I find there’s less integrity in that. The trick for any good travel photographer is to use instinct, map out the scene and hone in on what counts. Almost anyone can take a decent shot if they hung around long enough. Just not the way I prefer to shoot.

NW: Where can we see more of your work?

Greg: I write a Korean photography blog called Hermit Hideaways which explores South Korea’s familiar and lesser known travel destinations. It serves as a way of introducing Korea to those on their way over, expatriates that are already based here and Koreans wishing to learn more about their own country from a foreign perspective.

You can also see my photos on Flickr at Nocturnal Photography.