He shared the glimpses of his trip with the rest of the world on his Instagram account, here they are…

“Making a portrait of a local is basically impossible due to a tricky separation between tourists and general public. The only reason I was able to capture the man in the last post is because he was distracted by this, a mini-version of mass dance – a celebration that takes place on Liberation Day, a highlight of the trip.

“One of the first things you do in North Korea is go pay respect to the great Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. These bronze statues are 22 meters high and part of a monument complex that was constructed in downtown Pyongyang. You could argue that the two figures depicted here are North Korea’s equivalent of Jesus, the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and Gandhi combined (which still may not even communicate the importance these two hold in North Korean lives). Paying respect here is pretty simple: patrons purchase flowers, lay them at the base of the monument, make a bow, and go on their way. It’s mandatory to do so.

“While I was in North Korea, a new time zone was established. From what we were told, this was an effort to further identify as an independent nation, one that no longer shares time with South Korea. The DPRK time zone is now 30 minutes prior to what was established when Japan controlled the Korean Peninsula thru WWII.

“Our liaison at the demilitarized zone. He was actually very friendly and laid back, despite having caught him in an evil staredown.

“Pyongyang metro, 100 meters deep under the earth. This was a fascinating place to visit, not only because the opulent imagery, but because you had the opportunity to be in a contained space with the Pyongyang locals – North Korea’s ultra-privileged.”

“North Korea has no internet, no television, no free information. This is the only public news I saw in Pyongyang, where each headline and each image is a tribute to the DPRK and great leader.

“Hospitality is taken very seriously in North Korea. The Yanggakdo hotel is perfectly staffed with a wide array of workers to always suit your needs. Food is plentiful, rooms are tidy, the entire presentation feels very grandeur.

Meanwhile in North Korea, broccoli…

“One of the first rules you’re told is that you should not, under any circumstance, photograph military personnel. When I took this photo I was moving in a fast bus and didn’t even see the mass of soldiers at ease. Truthfully, you can push these limits if you dare, but the consequences could be disastrous.

“Pyongyang train station. I arrived at the airport and was instantly escorted to meet up with my group that had arrived from Dandong, China. Since I’m American, I had to fly into North Korea, a reason I’m still not 100% sure of. This building is pretty spectacular, inside and out, and is the central railway hub for connecting Pyongyang other towns that lie on the outskirts.

“Typical scenes in North Korea happen just like everywhere else in the world. People tease each other, they trip up the stairs, they try to fix their hair in the reflection. I’m inspired by all this because it brings a sense of relation to a society that is alienated for obvious reasons. We were crossing underneath the main road when I saw this. I chose to take this photo (and now post) because it makes me know those things are real, even if it’s just for a moment.

“Young school children we saw wandering around at random. They were hoping across rocks in the water and freely playing around, a nice sight.