Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
Words & Photography by Mei Lin Tan
The air in Luang Prabang hangs heavy just before the rains. Locals say you can smell the monsoon coming—earthy, electric, alive. For Malaysian-born photographer Mei Lin Tan, it’s this precise moment of stillness, anticipation, and quiet tension that she spent days trying to capture.
“I waited nearly a week,” Mei Lin says. “The sky would always threaten to open, but never quite did. I wanted the image to feel like holding your breath—because that’s what it felt like to be there.”
Shot just minutes before the downpour finally arrived, Before the Monsoon frames a solitary figure crossing the bamboo bridge at dusk, the Mekong River shimmering below. There’s a hush to the scene—a softness in the light, a weight in the clouds. The result is an image that feels less like a photograph and more like a memory.
This limited edition piece is part of Mei Lin’s "Water & Weather" series—an ongoing exploration of life in the river cities of Southeast Asia. Each work is rooted in her deep respect for traditional communities and changing climates.
“I try not to interrupt when I photograph,” she adds. “The story is already there. My job is just to witness it.”
Available exclusively at Jaga Prints.
A portion of proceeds from this print supports community-led flood resilience programs in northern Laos.