Welcome to my website, my name is Domenico, Nico in short for family and friends, Italian-born I am now based in Germany. I named this website REFLECTIONS OF LIFE. Reflections produce thoughts, sometimes I am able to frame them in a photo, sometimes just in a text. They are images of things that I am passionate about like travelling, photography both underwater and above, sustainable technology, history, cooking, languages or things that I see or experience. 

Travel is a primary source of life for me like air is to humans or water to marine life. During my life, I have travelled in about 60 countries on all continents and before moving to Germany where I am currently based I lived in different parts of the world for study and work, i.e. Italy, USA, Australia and in China for almost a decade. My two little boys are both born in Shanghai. Since my first visit in 1999 China has had a strong impact on my life and I have witnessed the dramatic changes and its controversial rapid development, with modernity surrounding things but people who hardly can catch up with the progress available. In this frenzied rush towards modernization with an evident clashing disparity between who makes a great show of prosperity and who has nothing, in all this, the environment paid the highest price. China is not the easiest country to live in and raise kids and for us, there were daily challenges and satisfactions to equal measure extent. 

For me, the ocean has been always a challenging and mysterious world apart deserving high respect, so in 1998 during my stay in Australia I took my first underwater license with mixed feelings, it was only a few years later that I discovered underwater photography and since then my passion kept growing. Being based in Asia, I had a chance to dive into some of the most amazing Asia-Pacific waters. Since I moved to Europe again I am discovering also the waters of this part of the world. During all this time I have also learned that the ocean ecosystem is in danger and we should do something about it, so I hope my photos can contribute to raising awareness towards this problem.

Photography, in general, is a great way to relax and express a creative side of myself. Underwater photography has a powerfully positive impact on my life because I can step into a magical different world and be part of it. The colours and the living forms underwater never stop to amaze me so I always find it interesting to compose them into a lens frame in my artistic way. To capture images underwater there are many challenges to overcome, light acts very differently than on the surface or good buoyancy control for example, but even practicalities such as maniacal attention to details required and carrying around over 20 kg of equipment in remote locations is a major challenge.

I hope you enjoy my REFLECTIONS OF (the journey through) LIFE.     Nico