Moments That Stayed: Hisham Firdaus’ Top 10 Photos of 2025

It’s natural for creatives to grow attached to certain pieces of work. Not because they’re technically perfect, but because they capture something honest — a moment that felt right when the shutter clicked.

For Hisham Firdaus, 2025 was a year shaped by movement, anticipation, stillness, and trust. From high-energy performances to quiet personal observations, these are ten images that stood out to him — a mix of professional commissions and personal frames, all seen through his Fujifilm X-T2.

This is the world as Hisham paused it.

NTFB — Timing Over Speed

These two frames from NTFB sit in contrast with one another, yet they speak the same language: timing.

In the first image, the action itself was slow; but the way it was framed made the moment feel dynamic. The performer’s movement spoke louder because the photograph allowed space for it to breathe.

The second frame flipped that idea. The dancer was moving fast, but Hisham Firdaus caught him mid-air, frozen completely. No motion blur. No light trails. Just a suspended moment where everything stopped. It’s a reminder that photography isn’t about how fast something moves — it’s about when you decide to stop it.

Wadokai Open Championship — Anticipation in a Split Second

This photograph was taken just moments before a point was scored.

What makes it powerful isn’t the action itself, but the tension before it happens. You can see the desire to win, the focus, the intensity between competitors. It’s a frame charged with anticipation — the kind that only exists for a second before everything changes.

Sometimes the best sports photographs aren’t about the victory, but the breath before it.

Potato Habit — Trusting the Process

This image became a quiet turning point.

Shot for Potato Habit’s hashbrown campaign, it was one of those moments where the team stepped back and gave Hisham space to work. He remembers telling them to trust the process — and when the image came together, it felt like a shared win.

It wasn’t just a strong photograph. It was confidence settling in. One of those “okay, slayyy Hisham” moments where instinct and patience aligned.

TUAI — Precision, Drama, and Intention

This frame carries a quiet elegance.

Even without remembering the exact name of the dish, Hisham Firdaus remembers how it felt to photograph it. Exquisite. Dramatic. Intentional. Every element placed with care — from the vibrant garnish to the restrained composition.

This was the fine-dining vision our client, Ezzah Afifah wanted, and the photograph followed that intention closely. It’s a reminder that food photography isn’t just about appetite — it’s about atmosphere.

X.EDC Vol. 2 — Presence and Energy

This image stood out for a simple reason: the subject looked completely in his element.

With a light leak behind him, a confident stance, and an expression that felt unbothered, the dancer seemed fully present in the moment. Not performing for the camera — just being.

There’s a quiet power in photographs where subjects forget they’re being photographed. This felt like one of those moments. Like he could take on the world, as Hisham Firdaus puts it.

Bangkok — Motion and Solitude

Bangkok moves fast.

In one frame, a bike cuts through the city, motion blur wrapping around the rider. Everyone is rushing somewhere, yet the subject feels isolated in his own headspace — focused only on getting where he needs to go.

In another, the BTS train appears. A familiar sight during Hisham’s trip, especially since his accommodation was just two minutes from the station. These images weren’t planned — they were observed. Everyday moments turned into quiet documentation of rhythm, routine, and movement.

Miscellaneous — Evergreen Frames

The final two images fall into what Hisham Firdaus describes simply as “evergreen”.

They feel like stock photos, but in the best way. Versatile, calm, and timeless. The kind of images that don’t shout for attention, but remain useful long after they’re taken.

Sometimes, the most valuable photographs are the ones that don’t belong to a specific moment at all.

Pausing Time, One Frame at a Time

Looking through these ten photographs, one thing becomes clear: Hisham Firdaus doesn’t chase spectacle. He watches for moments — the ones that sit quietly between action, emotion, and intention.

Whether it’s a dancer mid-air, a fighter seconds before impact, or a carefully plated dessert under soft light, his work reflects patience and trust in observation.

And maybe that’s what made 2025 memorable through his lens — not how much happened, but how often he knew when to stop.