The Chosen Ones (There are currently 5 photos)

A fisheye lens can sometimes create a whole universe within a single frame, where the most important story unfolds in the quietest corner. This 2011 London street capture is a masterclass in observed human comedy, but it’s easy to be distracted by the vibrant chaos of the foreground.

The real drama lies with the people walking past. If you look closely, you’ll see that the true ‘craving’ is not coming from the woman about to take the first, blissful lick of that giant, syrup-drenched cone. It is etched with heartbreaking clarity on the face of the young girl in the pink helmet. Her stare is one of complete, envious focus on the forbidden dessert. And just a few paces behind, the father’s resignation is palpable. His expression suggests he has already seen his fate, accepted the inevitable, and is mentally calculating where the next ice cream shop might be. In a single, distorted second, I captured a cross-generational story of desire, longing, and parental duty.

In 2012, the Ramat Gan Safari witnessed a rare and extraordinary event: two baby gorillas were born just weeks apart. But the real story wasn’t just the double birth; it was Lucas, the massive silverback leader of the troop. Breaking the typical distant behavior of alpha males, Lucas stepped up as a fiercely devoted and remarkably tender father, frequently taking both infants onto his broad shoulders to give the tired mothers a rest.

This frame captures the very essence of that unique bond. Looking at this photograph, you don’t just see a silverback gorilla; you see a father. The contrast is breathtaking – the immense, muscular back of an apex primate transformed into a safe, warm haven for a tiny, fragile soul. The way the infant completely surrenders to sleep, draped over the giant’s back with a small arm hanging down, speaks of absolute trust. It is a powerful reminder that the greatest strength is often found not in aggression, but in the quiet capacity to protect and hold what is small and vulnerable.

While everyone else was focused on the tour guide’s lecture during a trip to Vietnam, my eyes wandered to a makeshift pitch nearby. A group of local kids were playing soccer, their laughter echoing through the humid air. I found myself watching them, capturing their raw joy every now and then. But then came this single, unbelievable frame.

It is a moment of pure levitation. Time stands completely still as the boy is suspended in mid-air, the ball floating right along with him. His body is contorted into an impossible, fluid shape that only exists at the absolute peak of a jump – a split second before gravity reclaims its prize. He is barefoot, his sandals left behind on the pavement to mark the boundaries of his world-class arena. It’s a testament to the beautiful game stripped of any glamour, where all you need is a ball, a hard floor, and the boundless freedom of youth.

Traveling through the national parks of Botswana with an exceptional, knowledgeable guide, I brought back thousands of frames. My archive from that safari is filled with action: predators in mid-leap, roaring lions with wide-open jaws, and even a rare, brutal fight between two grown males. Yet, out of all that adrenaline and movement, it is this quiet, motionless shot that became the true face of the entire journey.

The lion was simply resting on a bed of dry, golden leaves. There was no chasing, no drama, no display of aggression. But his gaze… it carries a weight that is far more powerful than any action. It is the steady, weary, and profoundly wise look of an aging monarch whose face is etched with the scars of past battles. He has nothing left to prove. In the theater of the wild, this single second of absolute stillness speaks louder than the fierce chaos of combat.

Theater is the art of the fleeting. This scene lasted for a mere second or two, yet it captured a complete universe of raw human intensity. What looks like a moment of profound, almost biblical drama is actually born from the theater of the absurd – a comedy where the actors are witnessing the departure of an insect’s soul. The brilliant light illuminating their faces is nothing more than a simple bulb, raised on a string to symbolize the ascension of that tiny spirit.

Visually, this accidental frame instantly evokes the mastery of Baroque chiaroscuro. Instead of referencing any single canvas, it speaks to the entire genre of classic religious paintings, where divine light cuts through the eternal darkness to expose the depths of the human soul. A second later, the performance moved on, and the light faded. But the camera captured its eternity.