Little Tibet by Zico O'Neill reveals a kind and gentle culture in northern India

"It was my first time visiting this unique place. I was drawn to Ladakh because I wanted to see its dramatic scenery and I was intrigued by the people who lived in this Buddhist region so close to the borders of China and Pakistan," says Zico.

"Over the last century, it has been the site of many conflicts, yet Ladakh still manages to exude a sense of calm and tranquillity. There are green valleys that have been forged out of the beautiful but unforgiving Himalayas.

"And the people are incredibly kind and focused on living in an environmentally sustainable way. I travelled through Ladakh for three weeks by road and foot. The images in the series capture the people and situations I came across."

From this charming body of work, with its delicate colouring and setting, Zico successfully captures the kind and gentle spirit of Ladakh: "My approach is very observational and I’m interested in seeing how people interact with an environment or their surroundings. I apply a soft colour palette to my work, generally with low contrast, and tend to capture moments that are evenly lit. This helps me portray a calm aesthetic for the viewer and allows for a peaceful representation of my subject."

A beautiful series, and one of many to be discovered at zicooneill.com.