Begun in 2004, Julian & Jonathan is my most personal, intimate, and extensive body of work, portraying the evolving relationship between my father, Julian, and my half-brother, Jonathan. Jonathan is twenty years younger than me, and my childhood memories of our father find quiet echoes in his experience. I’m interested in the triangulation between us; the changing proximity and distance we share, and the peculiar feeling of looking in on a world to which I don’t fully belong.

The theme of Closer resonates deeply with this work. Over nearly two decades, I have photographed Jonathan’s growth from a toddler to a young adult. Each session reflects my ongoing attempt to get closer to him — to forge a bond across the years and experiences that separate us, to understand his inner world. Yet, often I encountered a quiet resistance, a distance that only deepened my longing to know him. This repetitive, almost ritualistic act of photographing became a way to bridge that emotional space: moments of stillness and contemplation where mutual presence could briefly unfold.

At the same time, the work observes the slow and steady aging of our father, in contrast to Jonathan’s rapid transformations. There is a dual timeline in the series: one of swift change, the other of gradual, inevitable aging. Through these photographs, I reflect on the passage of time and the shifting dynamics within our family: how Jonathan’s arrival altered my relationship with our father, and how the bonds between us continually ebb and flow.

Julian & Jonathan is a reflection on family, intimacy, distance, and the desire to come closer — even when true closeness remains fragile, imperfect, and ever-changing. It is about what connects us, what separates us, and the complex beauty that exists in between.

My monograph Julian & Jonathan was recently published by GOST Books.