In the Amsterdam street where Chinese photographer To Sang has his photo studio, many nationalities are represented. There is a Surinamese wig store, a Kurdish restaurant, a Chinese jewelry, and a Dutch grocery store. All shop owners decide to have their portraits done by To Sang. Outstanding documentary filmmaker Johan Van der Keuken is there to capture the process.

The result is a charming portrait in which it is easy to disappear, the street tying together many different stories. Van der Keuken portrays To Sang’s care and passion for portraying others—a perfect alter ego for the filmmaker himself, who takes a similar approach. To Sang’s monumental, staged portraits hark back to painting, just as Van der Keuken’s carefully composed images are reminiscent of photography. As image-makers, both men carefully but firmly impose their way of looking at the world.