David Shams is an Iranian-American writer and photographer exploring identity, diaspora, and the quiet intersections of place and belonging. Born and raised in Bardstown, Kentucky—the backdrop for his debut coming-of-age novel, A Thousand Touches—David’s work is deeply shaped by the places he has called home, including twelve years in Washington, DC, and time spent living in Beijing and Warsaw.

Beyond his fiction, David writes and produces visual dispatches from around the globe. He publishes his essays on Substack at Dispatches from an Iranian American Expat, which blends narrative essays with cultural commentary. His photography documents life across Asia and Europe through curated photo essays.

David currently resides in Warsaw with his family.