Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five
Issue 58 - Through the Lens
Welcome to Issue 58 of Deep Life Reflections. A special welcome to new subscribers and a grateful thanks to long-time readers.
This week, I take a special focus on photography, which is a passion of mine that has spanned over a decade. Since I bought my first camera in 2013—a Nikon D5300—I’ve captured over 3,000 photos from more than 65 cities and 35 countries around the globe. Reflecting on that journey, I’ve handpicked five of my favourite photos to share with you today. Each image represents something of the journey of life—from the raw power of the natural world to the innovation, resiliency, and beauty of humanity.
Photography is a fundamental aspect of Deep Life Journey because it opens the door to the deep life. Through the lens, we gain a unique perspective on the world, freezing moments in time that allow for deep introspection. It’s a tool for self-discovery, prompting us to contemplate our past, present, and future.
So, join me as we explore this week’s visual Friday Five and perhaps find a piece of ourselves reflected in them.
This week's cover photo is from my trip to Morocco in 2015. This particular photo was taken on a busy street in Marrakesh; I aimed my camera into the mirror of a street stall, capturing the people behind me going about their daily activities.
1. ‘Boat Lady’ - Vietnam
Captured in November, 2013, during my first photography adventure in Vietnam. This photo was taken whilst traveling along the Mekong Delta river—a vast labyrinth of rivers, swamps, and islands—in a small two-person boat. I remember it being a serene experience, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the natural landscape as well as the floating markets where local inhabitants traded goods and worked the land at their natural, unhurried pace.
2. ‘Yankees & Dodgers’ - Bangkok, Thailand
Captured in November, 2015. This was just one of those lucky shots you get once in a while. I was walking down the steps of a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, instinctively turned around and took this single shot. What I love about this photo is how everyone is looking in a different direction, symbolically reflecting the different paths of life and the possibilities. One figure stands out—the young man at the back, staring straight ahead, his gaze focused and resolute.
3. ‘Eruption’ - Iceland
Captured in September, 2019. Photography is often a game of patience and timing. This photo is such an example, capturing a geyser called Strokkur a half-second after its eruption, catapulting scalding water into the thunder grey sky. Stokkkur is found in a geothermal area in the southwestern part of Iceland and usually reaches a height of 15-20 metres. It’s a small reminder that nature is unstoppable and runs to its own agenda. Iceland is an incredible place to photograph—it’s like being at the end of the earth. I’d love to return.
4. ‘Rebirth’ - Florence, Italy
Captured in June, 2022. Florence is a city steeped in history and artistic genius. Climbing to the top of the Piazzale Michelangelo a couple of hours before sunset, I found a spot and waited for the sun to set. As the sun dipped into the horizon, this photo was the result, painting a golden hue over the city that gave us Dante, Da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Botticelli, Raphael, and of course Michelangelo himself. This panorama of the birthplace of the Renaissance is a magnificent reminder of human ingenuity and creativity.
5. ‘Abandoned’ - Chernobyl, Ukraine
Captured in May, 2021. This photograph captures a rusted and derelict dodgem car, serving as a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of human error. I took this photo during a trip to the abandoned town of Pripyat—the feeder town for the Chernobyl power plant, which faced a catastrophic meltdown in 1986. This was one of several photos from a children’s abandoned fairground in Pripyat. The fairground, normally a place of joy and excitement, is now an eerie graveyard of silence and phantom memories.
Read more about my experience at Chernobyl as part of my Photo Stories.
Thanks for taking this visual journey with me and for being part of the Deep Life Journey community. If you enjoyed these photos, you can also explore my full photography. If you have any thoughts or reflections on the photographs featured in this issue, or if there’s a special photograph of your own that you’d like to share, please drop me a message or leave a comment below.
Have a great weekend.
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