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Lens Speak Asia

Lens Speak Asia

Written by: Veejay Villafranca and Charlene Winfred
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Conversations about Photography in Southeast Asia. Veejay Villafranca and Charlene Winfred talk to photographers from across the region about questions about the profession and what things are shaping it today. Each episode looks at documentary practice on the ground, the ethics of making images in complex situations, and the topic of representation: who tells which stories, how, and on whose terms. It's a space to think through what's changing. The rise of AI-generated imagery, shifting platforms and audiences, the economics of the profession, and the tools photographers actually use are all part of the conversation, alongside the disciplines of seeing, narratives, and sustaining a long-term practice. Lens Speak Asia is a continuation of an ongoing conversation on the new perspectives on photography and the vibrant community in Southeast Asia. * Veejay Villafranca is a photographer and visual language lecturer from the Philippines. His work has appeared internationally in AFP, AP, Reuters, World Picture News (WPN), Getty, and Bloomberg, covering topics such as the evolving Filipino cultural landscape, effects of displacement on local communities, and the underbelly of gangs and secret societies. Veejay was World Press Photo’s 2024 Southeast Asia jury chair, 2023 jury member, and 2021 Southeast Asia regional coordinator. Charlene Winfred is a photographer, writer and editor. Born and bred in Singapore, she has spent over two decades working in Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. She is passionate about community, and in her work as a producer and editor, has championed important social issues, supporting practitioners in the field to tell stories of those most in need, as well as those making an impact.@ 2026 Lens Speak Asia Art Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Tom White on photographic practice, and visual literacy training for all

    Tom White on photographic practice, and visual literacy training for all
    May 7 2026

    Born (and very much still rooted in) Yorkshire, this episode’s guest Tom White has spent the last 15 years in Southeast Asia, where he works as a photographer, and in off camera hours, teaches photography. Tom has designed and delivered the Photojournalism & Documentary curriculum for Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and taught at the International Center of Photography and Columbia University in New York, in addition to instructing workshops and community-based social programs wherever he’s lived in the world. We chat about the process of documenting a story, why visual literacy training is more important than ever (for everyone, not just photographers), Parallax Photo Journal, and of course, cameras.

    Tom
    Website: tomwhitephotography.com
    Instagram: @tomwhitephoto

    Parallax Photo Journal
    Website: https://parallax.asia
    Instagram: @parallax.asia

    Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic for supporting this episode.
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    40 mins
  • Geela Garcia on the documentary process

    Geela Garcia on the documentary process
    May 7 2026

    Geela Garcia is a distinguished Manila-based documentary photographer focused on socio-political issues on women, food sovereignty and climate issues. She takes us through the shifts in her professional path, her vision in visual storytelling and democratized media platforms and her personal pursuit in promoting alternative voices in photojournalism. We chat about the changes in the industry, and gear… of course! Geela also shares her favourite women photographers, how their ways of working are as important as the images that they’ve made, and the process of her own award winning work on the artisanal salt makers of the Philippines: Tubig Alat.

    Geela
    Website: geelagarcia.com

    On Instagram: @geelagarcia

    Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic for supporting this episode.
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    38 mins
  • Natthaya Thaidecha on overcoming loss, photography and community

    Natthaya Thaidecha on overcoming loss, photography and community
    May 7 2026

    A film production graduate who is based in Thailand, Natthaya (Mai) Thaidecha weaves the method of cinema and the practice of photography in her personal work. Fueled by tragedy and personal loss, she shares in this episode how the greed and corruption that affected her life became the impetus to process the emotional turmoil with photography, resulting in the shadowed, evocative imagery that is so prominent across her work. But it’s not all darkness. Mai chats with us about the brighter spots - and inevitable challenges! - of building the Bad Eyes community - and the rewards of championing local voices.

    Mai
    Website: natthayathaidecha.com
    Instagram: @maiheartandsoul

    Bad Eyes Collective

    Website: badeyes.org

    Instagram for the collective @badeyes.collective and publishing arm @publishedbybadeyes

    Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic for supporting this episode.
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    40 mins
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