I first met Khasar Sandag, an incredibly talented photographer, in Mongolia in July 2014. When we were lucky enough to reconnect in Bali this past December, I gave him some LOVE bracelets. Khasar spent the next few months roaming the Mongolian steppes, gifting LOVE bracelets to his portrait subjects along the way.
Here is his story...
"I wanted to be documentary film maker growing up because it showed real life on earth. It had no script and it was genuine. However, when I went to university in 1996, I bailed on my childhood dream because I didn't think I could live off movie making in the 90’s and 2000’s in Mongolia at the time. I chose the most logical thing at the moment, Mongolia was new democracy and had opened its doors to business and capital, so I chose international business. After working in various fields ranging from government agencies, private businesses, international finance institutions and lastly a multi-national company I came to a conclusion that the only thing I didn't do is work for me and to love my work. At 34, I quit my day job and became a documentary photography, this is the closest I could come to my dream job of documentary film making right away.
I met Chrissie few years back in Mongolia while she was on her journey through various countries and had a dream of making a meaningful inclusive products and wanted to make change in the supply chain of distant and exotic lands. She had only one love bracelet with her at the time and asked people to share their meaning of what love is for them and used the only one bracelet she had with her to get their photos and quotes. It struck a note with me because love is such a a wonderful thing to give, share and experience. It is very intimate, and people were happy to share what in their mind love is. Being able to share what love is for Mongolians is a privilege for me because I get to showcase my people, my country and their love through my photos.
Come visit Mongolia a land of wonderful people and magical landscape, a place where you truly feel freedom."