I visited North Korea twice within one year. The first time was in the summer of 2011 during a time of national celebration, where I had the opportunity to see the unbelievable Mass Games, and go on a well-orchestrated tour of the country in a van with two North Korean guides. The second time was about six months later; it was winter, just after the few brutally cold months that North Korea is essentially closed to visitors. It was also the first time the country was opening up after Kim Jong-il's death, and it was an opportunity to see for ourselves how the country reacted to this seismic change. It was markedly different visit, bitterly cold, and decidedly less joyful, given that the country was still in an official state of mourning. Certain activities such as karaoke and bowling were forbidden. Oddly, Kim Jong-Il's birthday celebrations went ahead as scheduled. 

These are a selection of photos from both trips, some digital, but most taken on film with my trusty old Pentax K1000.

You can also see the short film I made about North Korea here.