Wearing a tattered “I love New York” shirt and baggy blue jeans, Andri Tambunan could easily be mistaken for a Sacramento State student, but when he shares his experiences photographing terrorist attacks in Mumbai and orphans sleeping on wooden doors in Indonesia, that stereotype quickly fades.

Tambunan, who graduated from Sac State in 2006 with a degree in photography, once had a lucrative job and owned his first house by the age of 22, until one day he decided he was unhappy with his life.

He quit his job and took off to see the world for a year.

Tambunan’s book, “Growth,” which he dedicated to his mother, encapsulates his experiences within that year which include experiences from China to Nepal.

Tambunan said one of his most cherished photos is of a woman fixing her veil.

“I just noticed her small figure in the distance and it was like she was lifting her arm in a triumphant way,” Tambunan said. “For me, it’s something very optimistic and hopeful, despite all the negative things going on in your life.”

Born in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tambunan moved to California with his family and was raised a poor immigrant. Tambunan said in high school he realized he wanted to tell stories through photographs.

“People ask me if I was afraid of being right in the middle of a terrorist attack and say, “No, if I’m not there to capture that moment, who will?'” Tambunan said. “I have to be there to tell a story.”

Tambunan’s latest exhibition, “Growth,” housed in the University Union’s gallery, is spiritually significant for him.

“I believe that growth is the seeds of happiness. I think change is inevitable, but growth is intentional,” he said. “I truly believe we stand in the way of our own happiness, so if you step out of your own realm, and just go and experience life for yourself – you will be happy.”

Jonathan Pearson, Tambunan’s friend of 13 years, said he is deeply moved by his friend’s dedication.

“He does a great job showing people and making them socially conscious of what is going on in other parts of the world,” Pearson said. “His work is a great medium for that.”Tiffany Ruiz, undeclared freshman, said Tambunan’s photographs are beautiful works of art.

“Everything looks so effortless, even though he is capturing hard times in other people’s lives,” she said. “I really like the one of the two prostitutes.”

Tambunan said the two girls live in a country where they may be physically beaten or even killed for having AIDS because they are considered a disgrace to society.

“My job is to tell their story but at the same time not endanger their lives,” he said. “It’s what these girls have to do to get by.”

In the end, Tambunan said keeping a positive attitude is what drives him toward success.

“The good things are good, but the bad things also have some good in them too,” he said. “My favorite quote is “it’s not what happened, it’s what happens next.'”

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