Hong Kong Photographer Kiu Brings her Eclectic Inspirations to Portrait Photography Using Lomography 35 mm Films

We are happy to invite Kiu, who is a portrait photographer, a film director, and a street dancer, to use our films. The three rolls of film included LomoChrome Metropolis 35mm film, LomoChrome Turquoise 35mm film , and Lomography ISO 400 Color Negative film. Kiu took photos with different themes with the three rolls, which recorded her daily life with multiple identities and also realized the interplay and inspiration between her different identities. Let's take a look at her works!

Hello and welcome to Lomography Online Magazine! Please introduce yourself to everyone.

Hi everyone, I'm Kiu! I am a portrait photographer, a film director and a street dancer. I'm always creating contradictions, like taking black and white photos but wearing colorful clothes, studying philosophical art films and watching Marvel. I'm a greedy and sentimental human being!

When did you start photography?

When I was still in college, I studied a film related course. At that time, my father gave me a DSLR camera to practice with, and I started to explore the possibilities of images. At that time, I didn't know anything but just used the camera's auto function to take pictures. I also invited a lot of friends to take random photos. Eventually, I started to feel the joy of photography and I learned that photography is “your eyes”.

Describe your photography style in three words.

Soft, strong and true.

You shot three rolls of our film this time. Could you tell us a bit about your experience shooting with them?

I received LomoChrome Metropolis, LomoChrome Turquoise, and Lomography ISO 400 Color Negative film. Each of them has a different vibe.

LomoChrome Metropolis is a cool-tone film, so I asked my model Hilary (@hilaryheihei) to do an editorial fashion shoot with me. I really like the 1990s version of everything (movies / fashion), so I decided to do the shoot in an old Hong Kong hotel. Since the décor and design of the hotel has a vintage style, with Hilary's cool vibe, it was a very suitable choice for our theme. To better cohere with the theme, I prepared some mood and pose references to discuss with Hillary during the shoot. Apart from the makeup and costume, I think one of the most important parts of the project was to explore postures that fit the model. Therefore, I like the process of figuring out how a model's body can be positioned in the shoot.

Lomography ISO 400 Color Negative film is a classic warm-tone film, which I like to record my daily life. I have seen a lot of male photographers use film to capture their girlfriends daily. Hence, I would like to make a female version! The process is really fun as you can record your partner's small habits and emotions. Timing is so important for this kind of shoot. Sometimes you may miss the emotions at the time when you pick your camera up. It's all about luck!

LomoChrome Turquoise is a film that I have heard about for a long time. Before I received it, I had already decided to use it for taking pictures with strong comparisons, like a silent street and a busy party scene. As the film would naturally be adjusted to a color that is not close to the original color, I want to convey the color change of the film in the two different scenes. I think it bring us surprises.

You're more used to shooting digitally. Were you surprised by the experience of using film this time?

Because of my work, I use digital cameras more. In commercial photography, all we need is to be accurate and perfect. Yet, film shooting is a fun journey. I can't make sure how the photo will turn out. The environment, lighting, quality of the camera, and color of the film, may all affect the final look of my photo. This process requires courage and a certain level of randomness. I believe that the moment you press the shutter, you have already achieved a good photo. Some photographers might take every frame of the film carefully, but I prefer intuition. That is, if I feel right at the moment, I will record the moment. It is a very romantic and beautiful thing!

Do you have a favorite photo from this shoot?

I love all the photos I took with Hilary, but this one is my favorite.

Although the backlighting is very heavy and even stays right on top of the model, it presents a mysterious and hopeful feeling. I am used to taking people's side faces because it is an interesting way to look at their eyes. Sometimes, you get a glimpse of the model's inner self.

You are a photographer and a director, as well as a dancer. How do your multiple identities inspire you?

Dancing is my life. Photography is my passion. Directing is my job. The three identities have always nurtured my vision and my understanding of who I want to be, and have always influenced and inspired each other.

Since I am a dancer, I have a better understanding of how my body is utilized in my daily practice. Hence, it is easier for me to imagine what kind of pose a model would look good in a photo shoot. It helps me in exploring different visual possibilities. Usually I communicate with the model in advance about what kind of feeling I would like to convey. It could be flouncy, sexy, introspective, or depressed. The body movements have to match different moods. Maybe these thoughts are things that dance brings to me.

As a video director, I have to take care of a lot of things. One thing is to express clearly to the model what I want in the final product. This role has taught me to communicate and cooperate with people. At the same time, I should not be too harsh in giving the instructions, but make them feel safe in front of the camera. This process needs to be learned.

You mainly shoot portraits. What appeals to you about portraiture?

Although I wanted to study something related to fashion, I chose to study TV and movies in college. That's why I've always been interested in fashion photography. At that time, I was really interested to see the collection of YSL, CHANEL and CELINE every new season because these three brands are more neutral. They do not have a delicate, feminine feel but a bit strong. Hence, these brands tend to find models who are more neutral and plain. Their shooting scenes, as well as the lighting, are also more simple and clean when compared to other brands. All things are integrated with a cool sense of mystery. I don't know much about fashion, but the images I liked at that time have always been the direction I am pursuing in photography.

Therefore, I usually invite neutral girls to shoot with me. With clothing, makeup, and hair styling, I try to create the soft yet strong image that I want. Portrait photography allows me to understand more about people's different perspectives, such as extroverted and introverted. As they are the one being photographed, I want to bring a sense of security to them and make sure they feel safe and comfortable in the shoot. Only by doing this can I show their inner self or other side. This is also the satisfaction that photography brings me.

How much time do you usually spend preparing for a photo shoot for work?

To prepare for a general editorial or fashion shoot, we tend to discuss the theme of the shoot with the stylist or content creator. For example, if a brand launches a new collection, they will soon set a theme, then look for suitable models and venues. In terms of preparation time, it usually takes about two to three weeks before the shoot.

In addition, I also do photography about makeup activities. For this kind of job, I would usually inform the guests about the place, theme, and overview three the four weeks before the shoot. After that, it is only the packing job before the shooting day. What I feel so lucky is, the customers who are in cooperation with me now have always shown me their trust and respect. It is a very important thing: the customers believe your taste, and give you a certain freedom to do the job.

Did your passion for photography change when your hobby became your job?

The current stage is the most comfortable state for me. I can make my favorite hobby a career. Although there are still a lot of skills that need to be improved (I envy those skillful photographers with lots of equipments), I am very grateful that photography could become a tool for me to make a living. For now, I would say my passion will not change!

What are your future photography plans?

I would like to shoot some conceptual still objects instead of portraits. I am not good at taking pictures of objects so I will try to go in that direction. I hope that in the coming year, I can prepare my own themed photo exhibition. I want to try an all round project without any commercial considerations, just shoot what I like and share it with others. As a sentimental and greedy human being, there is never enough time for me. But I will make it happen!

Thank you Kiu! To see more of her works, please follow her Instagram!

written by kawai21 on 2024-10-03 #gear #people #portrait #hong-kong #lomography-color-negative-iso-400 #lomochrome-turquoise #lomochrome-metropolis Share Article