How did you improve your knowledge?
I prefer to read books than online reference sites. Reading books helps me focus more because of its static nature. As a result, I absorb knowledge quickly and can easily apply it to build the template development. The book I read recently is The Still Life .The Internet is a quick reference tool. It helps update daily creative trends and finds the world’s talent. If a book has condensed content, then the Internet is overloaded. While fast and convenient, the Internet disperses user focus.
How do you find your own style?
I realized that I should not focus too much on shaping and framing style as it is these things that will limit creativity. On the contrary, I keep myself relaxed and open-spirited. Experiencing new things helps keep my creative treasure more and more abundant.In terms of my own style, I think it was the influence of the living environment, the mood, and the life stages that I experienced.
I was born and raised in Saigon. All I saw was the golden color of sunshine. As a result, I collected the sunshine into my lens to the point where the photos from the early stages of my career tended to be yellow.
Later, when I had a chance to go to Europe, I saw the clear scenery and felt a sense of relaxation. So I decided to change Saigon’s temperature. I want anyone who looked at my photos to feel cool and comfortable. So instead of using the yellow color as much as I had before, I replaced it with more greens and lowered the contrast when editing images.Additionally, since my life has typically been peaceful and bright, my works are often in sweet pastel colors. I still haven’t experienced any event that made me view this life with other colors. If you later find that my works appear dark, it means that I am going through “turbulence” (laughs).
What is the secret that keeps you fresh when working in this harsh creative field?
I always try to keep my nature curious and naive. I never reject any idea, including the idea of a child. For me, only being a creator is absolutely forbidden. Being creative means you have to listen, learn, and update constantly.I love working with young people. It was the naive and sometimes crazy ideas of young people that renewed my old perspective.
One of the young people working with me is Ben Pham. As a stylist, he supported me a lot in sketching and presenting ideas. There is the boldness and passion of youth in Ben, and I balance and sharpen his ideas with my experience. So, after forming our ideas, there are two elements that are new and practical.There are many young people who send me photos taken on their phone, asking me for reviews and further instructions. It was this naïve effort that made me consider the idea of taking photos of products by phone in the future.
What is the challenge of this industry?
Photographers must balance their “artistic selves.” When working with customers, we have to shrink our ego to listen to others more.However, it is not because we want the work to go smoothly that we indulge ourselves and our customers. Instead, as experts, we must advise them on the most effective options.Sometimes the photographer must accept torment because the photos the customer chooses may be his most unsolicited photos. Although force majeure, as artists, we should keep that torment so as not to lose our “artistic self.”Photographers must know how to do business because art projects often do not bring much financial benefit. When they have strong finances, they can pursue more individual artistic projects.Adapted by Agnes Tran
Related Content:[Article] Ask A Senior: From Fire Alarm Salesman To Creative Director[Article] Ask A Senior: Huynh Vinh Son On Creative Struggles
