Land of Smiles

Spending three weeks in Thailand at the end of the year with my now fiancée Monica was nothing short of an immersive and transformative experience. Each day felt like stepping into a different movie scene—swimming in crystal blue lagoons, eating Thai food on a floating city, walking alongside elephants, and falling asleep to the hum of the jungle. The warmth of the Thai people was unparalleled, always smiling their kindness extending even to allowing me to capture their portraits with nothing more than exchanged smiles and frantic hand gestures pointing towards my chunky 35mm camera.

Every street corner offered a new exciting story, shifting with the rhythm of the day. The energy was unlike anything I had ever known, the sights, the sounds, the smells — I struggle to explain, existing only in my own experience. The chaos of modified mopeds weaving through the streets, the bustle of markets and vendors, the street food smoke that lingered in the air—all existing in a weirdly perfect harmony.

Since returning home, I find myself endlessly drawn back to these moments I experienced. Having my camera in hand felt like a dream realised, something I have dreamed off since starting out. It was more than just photography; it felt like the result of years of preparation to be let loose in paradise with a camera following only my curiosity and Monica as I don’t do well with directions and would end up getting us lost in the jungle.