A Photo Tribute to the Experience of Being Alive
How Photography Always Leads Me Back to the Right Path — Reconnecting Me with Myself
The Awakening of Aliveness
As I look at the introductory photo and ones that you are about to see, I find myself in a state of rapture and inner joy that feels so powerful that I feel compelled to share it here somehow. However, as much as I want to express myself, I find it challenging because it is such an overwhelming feeling that has no beginning or end. So, where do I start?
Perhaps with what I feel right now — the experience of being alive. Such a wonderful feeling.
After all, that’s what I am. That’s what we all are. By saying that, I am not talking about the simple fact that we are alive; I am talking about the experience of aliveness itself.
It’s a rare sensation to me, quite different from most emotions I usually have in my repertoire. When I reflect on my life, I often find myself in a state of chronic tension and slight dissatisfaction, where life looks more like an obligation or a burden rather than a source of joy or bliss.
However, something started to change. Besides my years piling up, I began listening more to my intuition and myself. Through this, I discovered something that provides me with stability and salvation amidst the daily chaos — photography.
Finding Flow Through the Lens
I started with photography three years ago for no particular reason. I didn’t look for a reason. I simply noticed that the more I did it, the more I was drawn to it. It became a self-fulfilling activity, giving me a sense of wholeness with every step. Among all other activities, it was photography that connected me the most with my inner being — my authentic self.
Although I consider myself primarly a street photographer, this month I decided to explore a genre that I haven’t dealt with before — landscape photography.
Arriving at Lake Bohinj in Slovenia, I saw it in its full splendor— greenish-blue and completely still like a mirror, faithfully reflecting the towering peaks that watched over it from above. A gentle breeze enhanced the feeling of peace and tranquility, further reinforcing my impression that I came to the right place — at home.
I was so deeply moved by nature that it awakened my childlike spirit of exploration and instantly put me in a state of flow — one where I do something not for the final reward, but for the sheer experience of being alive.
Knowing that I would encounter a beautiful scenery, I took my Fujifilm XH-2, along with a Fujifilm 16–80mm F4 lens, which I found practical due to its versatile range of focal lengths, weather sealing, excellent image stabilization, and lightweight build of less than half a kilogram.
Although I am not experienced in landscape photography in terms of technical aspects like using a tripod, doing multiple exposures, or professional editing, it didn’t prevent me from sharing these photos here, because, when I look at them, they feel nothing short of impressive. Not because of their technical quality or framing, but because of everything they represent — nature, the lake, the mountains, the forest, and the privilege of being there to witness that beautiful scenery firsthand.
The Spark That Never Fades
That inner feeling of joy and rapture I experienced there is so contagious that, once you feel it, you cannot forget it. It comes from somewhere beyond, from higher spheres, leaving no room for doubt.
Now that I can experience it whenever I engage in photography and writing, I know how to find it and how to bring it into existence. That’s why I have created my own “sacred place” where I practice these activities. And no matter how small it may be, finding refuge in that place radiates its light across all other aspects of my life, helping me to find peace amidst the daily chaos.
It’s miraculous how, no matter how lost I feel, photography and writing always bring me back on the right track — every single time.
Another thing I’ve realized is that this spark of aliveness was always within me. During my younger days, there were certain activities and moments that used to awaken it. Unfortunately, at that time, I didn’t have the wisdom or the courage to pursue the experiences that evoked that feeling.
Luckily, today I understand that this experience of aliveness is the ultimate guideline by which to make decisions. If something resonates deeply with me, then that’s it — I will do it. I will be it.
All the questions and doubts that arise when we face something big, including all the “what ifs,” are merely mental constructs of learned limitation or self-doubt. They give us a false sense of safety — at the expense of the true experience of being alive.
That’s why I’ve realized that the final judge must be experiential, not mental. It has to feel right. Photography has helped me immensely in finding that feeling, becoming aware of it, and grounding myself in it.
A Tribute to the Experience of Being Alive
Based on my experience, it is possible to evoke that feeling. It doesn’t have to be photography or writing, as it was in my case. However, it has to be something creative — and truly yours. Nobody can tell you what it is. You can only know what to look for — the experience of inner aliveness, radiance, joy, and curiosity — at least, that’s how it was for me.
Once you find it and follow it, it will validate itself through its fullness and beauty, through the way it fulfills you and shapes every part of your being.
Maybe that’s the reason why I’m writing these lines and sharing these photos — not to describe them, but to convey something they awaken in me. If you can feel that spark, even for a brief moment — the same spark that compels me to pick up my camera again and again — then I’ll know that these words and photos have found their way.
As the sun slips behind the mountain peaks, a cold wind begins to blow, reminding me that it’s time to leave Bohinj — a place where I felt completely myself. Soon, I’ll step away from this keyboard as well and return to the world of everyday tasks and responsibilities.
But no matter what, I know where I will return — to that inner world where aliveness never fades.
This is my tribute to that.
Thank you for reading my story.
Although it is customary for the host to make the coffee, if you’d like, I can leave it up to you. Thank you for your support. 💛
About the Author: I am a passionate photographer and a philosopher of both photography and life, a TEDx speaker, a Master of Molecular Biology, and a product manager. I curate two newsletters: Lens Chronicles, where I explore the intersections of photography, travel, and philosophy, and Thoughtful Corner, where I share ideas, reflections, and insights for curious minds. Thank you for taking the time to enjoy my work.
You have a fantastic eye for a photograph, whether it be street, landscape or, I suspect, any other genre. As my mentor, David Ward, is fond of saying, “nobody ever wept over how sharp a picture is”, the image must contain some emotion from the photographer if we want it to provoke a reaction from the viewer. Your description of the feeling you get from photography is very similar to how I feel although I’m not sure I could word it so well. Thank you for sharing.
loved what you wrote about writing and photography, for me, it's a way to reconnect to life.