What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Film photography was a way to develop how I depict a story and emotion, and that’s since progressed into film directing work—particularly in commercial, fashion, and documentary.
What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
Through photography, I learnt to react quickly and channel the emotion that I felt in the moment to capture what was in front of me. A lot of my pictures often romanticised a situation or setting, and I wanted them to feel ethereal and surreal while being grounded in a tangible reality.
Translating that into film work, especially commercial, has been a bit more difficult because most of the work is in pre-production, like scripts, shot lists, and storyboards. When you have so much time to develop an idea, it's no longer just reaction and intuition; it’s a deep dive into an emotion and amplifying it tenfold. Despite the fleeting nature of emotions, I found myself having to cling on to one to build an entire project around it.
What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
It's just pure wonder and marveling at the world around me. Whether it's a fascination with stars, clouds, people, or views—it can be on a farm or in a nightclub—, the best photos I’ve taken are when I'm wearing rose-tinted glasses.
Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
It's cliché, but I've always loved the Henri Cartier-Bresson quote: “Life is once, forever.” Especially since that approach to photography contrasts so heavily with my film work, where I'm doing 30 takes of the same thing only for it to be cut out in the edit.
What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
Travelling recently, I've been trying to let go of hunting for good shots. I often find myself travelling with a camera strapped to me, capturing anything and everything as soon as I arrive—which can detract from my own experience. I'm trying to teach myself how to put the camera down, observe, and experience something mindfully, and let that inspire my creativity.
What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
Just any Singaporean hawker with a three-treasure combo.
If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
Lost in Transit, soundtrack by Monte Booker.
Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
My biggest inspirations are the artists in my immediate circle. As I watch them grow and experience things, I see it reflected in their work. They all have such unique voices, and their constant pursuit of craft really inspires me. Bane Tatiya, Minori Ueda, Mika Campbell, Linh Chi Dinh Trinh, Sarah Rawson, Aleja Hine.
