Meeting Olivier: A Moment of Letting Life Lead

Magic happens when you stop seeking and start allowing your energy to flow.

After my adventurous trip to the Philippines, I arrived on my favorite island in Thailand — a place I’ve been calling my second home since 2013.

My secret island in Thailand :)

Meanwhile, a photographer and dear friend invited me to work on a photography project for Getty Images — The People Project.
I submitted test shots, passed the selection, and spent a month working on the project while living on the island.

I felt deeply grateful. I was living my dream — working on a meaningful photography project while surrounded by island life.

Office outside of my bungalow

I worked every day, not because I had to, but because I love what I do.

With my camera and headphones on, I spent my days riding a motorbike across the island, moving from one place to another.
Most of the time, people would approach me. We would start talking, and I would share the story of my project, inviting them to participate.

I photographed people from all over the world, just as they are. We laughed, connected, and created together.
With some of them, I became friends. :)

Since the island is small and I already knew some locals, I even asked them to place my advertisement in their shops and restaurants.

*I put yellow hearts over the name of the island because I want to protect it from over tourism

One day, I received an email:

Hi Maya,
I saw your advertisement and would be happy to contribute to your project. As a photographer and writer, I’m also interested in getting a few testimonials of my work here in ********** and would pay you for it.
Can we meet? I’m here until the 4th.
You can call me on WhatsApp **********
— Olivier

My reply:

Hi Olivier,
Thank you for your email. I would be happy to meet you while you are here.
I will message you on WhatsApp for easier communication.
— Maya

I reached out to Olivier, and we agreed to meet the next day.

I didn’t check his social media.
I didn’t look at his website, even though it was included in his email.

I was simply going to meet someone new — as usual.

Olivier Föllmi
photo by Maya Reef

Olivier suggested meeting at his house and offered to pick me up along the way.

I thought I knew the island well — but the road we took felt like entering a completely different world.
We rode through the jungle, slowly climbing uphill. He was on his motorbike, and I followed behind.

At that moment, I understood why he had asked me earlier if I was an experienced driver. :)

At the top of the hill, there was only one house — the place Olivier was renting for the winter.

The view from the balcony was stunning, stretching across the island and out to the ocean.

We sat down and started talking.
It turned out that Olivier wasn’t just writing a book — he had already published over 40.
He was also a well-known travel photographer who had been traveling the world for more than 40 years.

I started to notice how similar we are.

It felt like I was looking at an older version of myself.

I thought about how I had just published my first book two months ago…
And how I’ve been traveling and photographing for the past 15 years.

For a moment, I became quiet.

I felt grateful. Present. Calm, yet excited.

Our conversation flowed naturally and peacefully.

At some point, I took my camera and made a few portraits of him for my project.
Then Olivier asked me to photograph him while he was working on his laptop, giving me complete freedom to use the space and guide him however I felt.

At the end, he asked how much he should pay me.

But something about the meeting felt different.
So instead of setting a price, I told him to simply give what felt right.

And he did.

With generosity, appreciation, and a deep understanding of what it means to live as an artist.

Olivier Föllmi
photo by Maya Reef

After the session, I returned to my bungalow to process the unexpected and unusual meeting.

I felt filled with gratitude, beauty, and love — touched by the quiet magic of life.

Once again, I was reminded that there are infinite possibilities available to us.

And that if we want to experience more magic, we need to move through the world with an open heart and mind…

Allowing our soul to lead the way.

Sunset in Thailand, 2026