‘STRAIGHT OUT THE HOOD’

Straight Out the Hood is a long-term documentary project exploring the darker, unseen side of urban life—beyond the postcard views and familiar city streets. Rooted in rough neighborhoods and marginalized communities, this body of work represents the very beginning of my photographic journey and stands as my life’s work.

In this series, I immerse myself in the diverse and historically layered fabric of the cities I photograph, moving past surface impressions to confront the realities that exist beneath. By documenting the lives of gang members, mafia figures, and individuals connected to criminal networks, I aim not to sensationalize but to humanize—revealing the complexity, contradictions, and daily realities that shape their world.

Through candid observation and an unfiltered photographic approach, Straight Out the Hood seeks to provoke thought rather than offer simple conclusions, presenting moments that challenge assumptions and invite deeper understanding of the environment and people too often overlooked.

Although the images are presented without location captions to emphasize the universality of these issues, the photographs were created across multiple cities, including Paris (France), London (UK), Naples (Italy), Los Angeles (USA), Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), and Mexico City (Mexico)