I call Billy Dinh (@billydeee) the photographer's photographer. Countless times I have been out shooting with other people, and when the conversation inevitably leads to who is the current GOAT, the answer is usually "billydeee!" As someone who has come to loathe Instagram, one of the main reasons I have not deleted the app is to keep up with Billy's work. Each time his posts appear in my feed, I have to steady myself for the impending rush of emotions his art elicits. The word "cinematic" is often bandied around in modern photography, but Billy's work truly embodies its essence. His work can be so visually arresting and his compositions so striking that it can lead the viewer to believe they are viewing stills from an unseen film. If you’ve ever scrolled through his portfolio or Instagram feed, you’ll notice an unmistakable signature in his style—moody yet vibrant, intimate yet vast, contemporary yet timeless.

Welcome to the first episode of Photographers in Paris, a new series where I explore the art of photography through the eyes of the talented artists who bring the beauty, life, and soul of Paris to the world. Rather than taking the traditional approach of quick street interviews, I wanted to create something more cinematic—an in-depth, high-quality look into the passion and craft of these photographers. This series is about storytelling, about diving into the inspirations and histories that shape each artist's work.

For Christmas of 2023, I bought myself a Fujifilm X-T5 camera. The reason was simple—I wanted to fall in love with photography again. For my professional work, I use the Canon R5. It's a beast of a camera that I absolutely love, but there was just something about using it for street photography that made it feel like work. When I first got the X-T5, I set myself two very simple goals: shoot in black and white and with one focal length for four months.