Sebastian Copeland is an award-winning photographer, explorer, author, and environmental advocate.

"I wanted to work in China, because of the fast speed urbanization that has completely reshaped the topography of the country in the past decades."

"The bottom line for me is always to shoot what you love to shoot. Be curious about the world, and be energetic, decent and honest when you engage the world with a camera to your eye."

For more than 5 years, Khuzestan has been engulfed by dust storms. This phenomenon is an environmental crisis and poses numerous health concerns for the citizens of Khuzestan.

"One of my greatest motivations is to create images that ignite a sense of fascination and appreciation in the viewer but more so to encourage involvement and responsibility in their preservation."

"Winning the Student Focusprize is a beautiful feeling. The moment I received the award, I could see the reward of a lot of work so it was a wonderful and unforgettable moment."

"Without travel I am anxious. My horizon is something I want to explore rather than a line in the distance that remains still."

"The way I approach my photography has been relatively unchanged for the past decade, I hope the execution has become more refined but the way I look at the world and react to it is much as it was then."

"It gave me a deep respect for their job, to go out with their herd of sheep, day after day, with average temperatures of -20 degrees celsius, fighting against wind, ice and snow."

The project spawned itself during my first visit there, when I discovered that there are many unexpected layers to the country over and above the standard narrative.