Accidental Artist, Intentional Vision
In the beating heart of Sri Lanka’s capital, where ancient traditions blend seamlessly with modern life, photographer Nazly discovered that the most extraordinary stories often hide in plain sight. This is a tale of finding beauty in the everyday streets of Colombo.
It began unexpectedly in 2006 with nothing more than a modest 1.3 MP camera phone. What started as casual snapshots gradually transformed into a way for Nazly to see the world through a new lens, finding beauty even in the ordinary. “I never set out to become a photographer,” he confesses. “Photography found me.”
A few years later, Nazly upgraded to a tiny digital camera, and by 2012, he had purchased his first DSLR. While many of his friends reserved their cameras for trips and special occasions, Nazly chose a different path – taking his DSLR on daily commutes and through the neighbourhoods he grew up in. The streets of Colombo became both canvas and muse.
“With street photography, you can’t plan; each moment holds a story, but you don’t know what that story will be until it happens,” Nazly explains.
This unpredictability became the allure. Nazly’s transition to street photography wasn’t immediate, he first explored landscapes and architecture, but the spontaneous nature of the streets always fascinated him. Around this time, photography became his creative escape from the repetitive nature of his desk job.
Beyond Pixels to pages
After years of documenting Colombo’s vibrant energy, Nazley’s images found a home beyond digital screens in “Colours of Colombo,” a book co-authored through the words of Kris Thomas. “Initially, the book was just a way to preserve these images, but it became so much more – a tribute to Colombo and its people, a way for others to see the city as I do.”
Looking back, Nazly’s journey into photography has been one of discovery, growth, and gratitude. “Street photography taught me to find beauty in the every day, to see the extraordinary in the mundane, and to appreciate my city more deeply. If there’s one thing I hope my photos convey, it’s this: life is filled with moments worth savouring, and sometimes, all it takes is a second glance.”
Meet Nazly
Nazly Ahmed transforms the mundane into the magnificent
through his lens. After eight years of exploration, he discovered street photography as his true calling, a perfect detox from his desk job and a way to see Colombo differently. His acclaimed book “Colours of Colombo,” co-authored with Kris Thomas, showcases eight years of capturing everyday heroes and fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed, proving that beauty often hides in plain sight.
