It might seem unusual for a Wisconsin native to find his calling documenting San Francisco's Chinatown, but for Sam Johnson, it seemed a natural fit.

Through his Instagram page Chinatown San Francisco, Johnson has spent the past year and a half capturing the essence of one of the city's most photogenic neighborhoods. He believes Chinatown is on the precipice of change with the conversion of SROs, rising rents and the Central Subway.

"San Francisco's Chinatown has survived through Bubonic Plague outbreaks, the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906, and widespread anti-Chinese sentiment and legislation," Johnson said. "It is truly amazing that it is still there, and it says a lot about the spirit of the people that have lived there since the city's wild Barbary Coast days."

Johnson says he's talked with other San Franciscans who lament there was not a photographer who documented other iconic neighborhoods like North Beach or the Mission before they changed drastically.

"My main focus is to capture the everyday lives of the denizens of the neighborhood," he added. "Chinatown is such a beautiful place with so much rich history that's on display. I feel that a lot of San Franciscans avoid or overlook Chinatown, which is a shame because you see and hear new things every time you pass through."

Always carrying his camera with him, Johnson describes his shooting style as minimalist street-photography.

"I usually stand off to the side and wait for things to happen," he explained. "I'm drawn to vibrant colors and unique textures which is why Chinatown is like a candy store for me."

His ultimate goal is to put together a photography book of his images as a record of the neighborhood as it is today. "That may be a long way off, but someday it will happen," he said.

You can follow Sam's work on Instagram.com/ChinatownSanFrancisco