photo poster project | Made friends before the walk to the station by Eldeeg.shoots | ISSUE #240

cizucu hosts the photo poster project (ppp) around the world—a photo poster exhibition you can join simply by choosing a city and date.

In this issue, we spoke with Leo (Eldeeg.shoots) about what brought them to their first exhibition, what they found beyond the screen, and how the conversations kept going—even after the show ended.

Hi there! I’m Leo.

I love witnessing beauty—and freezing a moment that will eventually pass into something that feels like eternity.I dabbled in photography when I was younger, but life happened and I put it on hold for a while.

Working with young people who love photography reignited my passion for the craft, and since then I’ve found myself picking up the camera again—especially when I travel or when I’m simply people-watching.

Since it was my first time exhibiting, I was honestly hesitant.

I worried my images might not be “good enough,” and I also thought that maybe no one would come—because I don’t have many friends who are into photography.

But with encouragement from Rin and my family, I decided to give it a try and do something new.

It was wonderful.

The community was so welcoming and encouraging that I quickly realised my fears were unfounded. I made new friends at the exhibition—warm, positive people—and some even left me lovely affirmation notes.

I also loved how we cheered each other on: applauding when someone was nervous about speaking, and again when someone finished sharing. Many photographers had such interesting stories behind their shots that I found myself mesmerised—sometimes even more than the photos themselves.

Before I knew it, a few of us were still talking long after the exhibition ended, walking together to the train station… and even meeting again the next day. What I appreciated most was the real human connection—so much more satisfying than chasing “likes” online.

I chose this piece because everything fell into place—the light and shadow, the monochromatic white crossing stripes, the way the subject was dressed, and even the swish of her hair.

It all came together in one fleeting moment. To me, it also represented two loves of mine: family holidays (this was taken during one, while my family was resting their feet) and photography.

Don’t be afraid to seize the moment and try something new.

Trust me—you won’t regret meeting such a welcoming community of friends and creators.