Moustapha Balde (b. 2001) is a Philadelphia-based photographer working primarily with analog film and darkroom printing. His work examines everyday human life through the structures, systems, and details that quietly shape it.

Growing up in the city, Balde developed an interest in spaces people move through daily—architectural surfaces, transit systems, and overlooked moments that often go unnoticed. His photographs focus on environments shaped by human use, even when people themselves are absent, revealing the city as a lived and shared experience rather than a spectacle.

Balde approaches photography as a slow, intentional practice, committed to learning the craft from negative to print. His work reflects an ongoing interest in attention, impermanence, and the relationship between human presence and the built environment.