BUFFALO, N.Y. - If a picture is worth a thousand words, the tales Law Eh Soe's photos tell might never fit between the covers of a book.
And if not for him, their stories might have never been shared beyond the borders of Burma.
Nearly 6,000 Burmese refugees now call Buffalo their home, and while they came here looking for a better life, they still remember the lives they left behind.
Law Eh Soe picked up photography from his father in his native Burma and often took pictures of the things the government didn't want outsiders to see: the poverty and struggle of daily life.
He risked being arrested on numerous occasions to capture poignant moments on film, often times with the camera hidden in his coat. His images were published under a different name in Thailand, so Law Eh Soe wouldn't be punished for his work.
He received refugee status in 2008 then came to the Queen City.
When he's not working as an interpreter for the International Institute of Buffalo, you can find Law Eh Soe in the dark room at CEPA Gallery, developing film the old fashioned way.
Dozens of his images will be on display at CEPA Gallery through June 9th.The exhibition opens with a special reception Friday, May 11th at 5:30 p.m.
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