Before 2017, my travels mainly consisted of beach holidays within Europe. My first trip to another continent was a photo assignment in Vietnam in 2017. There I became infected with the travel virus. The same year I went to Iran for a month. A trip I will never forget. The beauty of the country with its hospitable inhabitants is in stark contrast to the ruling regime. This trip also won me a prize. With photo 1 from this series I became the best travel photographer of 2017 in the category 'locals'. I am looking forward to returning there in the future to photograph a free Iran.