Author Julia Cameron once said, “Serious art is born from serious play.” The photographs I’m most proud have always been the ones I took during peak experiences. So at the start of 2018 I decided my mantra for the year would be to play more.
I gave myself permission to do more of the things I wanted to do and less of things I thought I should do. Don’t get me wrong. I still did stuff like pay bills and clean the house. It’s just that as a photographer, I felt like I was limiting my creativity by not letting my curiosity lead my art.
I paid more attention to the voice in my head that said, “It would be cool to photograph that!” And when presented with a choice, I chose the option that made for a better story. Here’s the result of my experiment…
Thailand Island Adventure
I’ve never started off a year like I did in 2018. I got an invitation that sounded like something out of a spy novel:
“Go to the Chew Jetty on the morning of January 1st. Look for the bald guy by the girls who do henna. His name is Mr. Chew. Ask him to ferry you out to the blue sailboat.”
When we got to the 45-foot yacht anchored just off the coast of George Town, Penang, my friend Lisa and her partner Fabio welcomed us to their floating home.
A few weeks later we met up again for a week-long journey through the turquoise heart of South East Asia. We sailed all the way from Langkawi Island in Malaysia to Phuket, Thailand.
Then Lisa and Fabio set sail for Sri Lanka. Not wanting my Andaman island hopping adventure to end, I slow-traveled my way back to Penang by ferry.
In the end, I traveled over 600 miles (1,000 km) by sea, from Penang, to Langkawi Island, Ko Bulone, Ko Muk, Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi, Ko Racha Yai, Phuket, Krabi, and other idyllic island pit stops in between.
Lightning Photography by Drone
Kuala Lumpur makes for a great cityscape photography playground. And when you add in my friend Rustam Azmi (visiting from Dubai), two Mavic Pro drones, and some lightening, well then it’s just awesome.
One night in March we were out flying our drones when storm clouds blew in. Thunder and lightning followed.
Both of us were yelling excitedly as the sky lit up with each strike. Thankfully, neither of our drones were blown out of the sky.
A couple months later, there was a huge storm over Penang, Malaysia. This time I grabbed my Sony A7II camera camera and Nikkor 28-300 lens. Then I added one more shot to my 2018 lightning legacy.
A PHOTO CONTEST: Also in March, I hosted a camera giveaway contest with a group of photographers. In the end over 9,000 people entered! We gave away one Sony a6000 camera, a year’s subscription to the Adobe Lightroom Creative Cloud Plan, Lightroom presets, and 1-to-1 photography coaching.
Urban Portrait Photography in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur has to be one of the most enigmatic cities in Southeast Asia. At first glance, the Petronas Towers seem like the logical heart and soul of the country’s capital.
As most visitors find out though, once you go beyond KLCC park where the twin towers are located, the city fans out into an endless spider web of asphalt streets, concrete towers, and greenery. It’s a real urban jungle.
The question I wanted to answer was: What is Kuala Lumpur? Whenever I asked locals, one neighborhood that came up often was the Malay enclave of Kampung Baru or “New Village.”
So I booked a trip to KL in April, then made a video (my only of the year) about what I discovered. I also wrote a follow-up article here: 5 Environmental Portrait Tips Every Photographer Should Know.
Architectural Photography in Hong Kong
Did you know Hong Kong has more skyscrapers than any city in the world? There are over 7,000 towers with 14 floors or more. That’s DOUBLE the amount of New York (the city with the second most number of skyscrapers).
I love photographing HK so much that I’ve returned a number of times. On my last trip in May, I focused on the theme of urban density. I was inspired by Peter Stewart’s work, in particular his Hong Kong Stacked series.
The other thing I was eager to explore was Hong Kong from above with my drone. In particular, I had a vision for creating a 360 spherical panorama from within the grid.
The spherical panorama ended up not only being my favorite from the year, it opened a whole new direction for my photography. In fact, I bought an Oculus Go VR headset just to see the image in virtual reality.
When I put on the headset, my draw literally dropped. I was inside my own photo, a world I created, floating above Hong Kong like Superman. I even felt a bit of vertigo when I looked down.
At that moment I saw the future of photography. I know VR is not mainstream…yet. But it’s such a powerful way to not only capture a place, but experience a moment in time, that there is no doubt in mind the future will be a virtual one (for better or worse).
Zhangjiajie Photography Pilgrimage
Right after Hong Kong, I headed into China in June. Back in 2015 I took a photo trip there with my friend Jimmy McIntyre. We visited a number of places in the area around Guilin, like the legendary cormorant fisherman of Xing Ping.
There was one place we were drooling to see: the soaring spires of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to go.
It’s been at the top of my bucket list ever since. So I took trains from HK all the way up to Zhiangjiajie, stopping in Guilin, Xing Ping, Yangshuo, and the Longsheng (Longji) Rice Terraces.
And thousands of foreigners, who had long had a soft spot for chinoiserie and old Cathay, were more than willing to comply with any and every demand in their eagerness to inspect a Middle Kingdom as romantic to them as Middle Earth.
PICO IYER, from his book Video Night in Kathmandu
I always think I know China before I go. Then I realize I don’t. When I leave, I have more questions than answers. It’s what’s kept me going back. That and a 10-year multiple entry visa.
Maggie Steber’s Portrait Masterclass in Penang
By July and August I was questioning what the hell I was doing. Call it burnout, creative block, self-doubt, or resistance.
Luckily for me, the photographic world descended on Penang in August. First, the annual Obscura Festival of Photography took place. It’s Malaysia’s premiere photo festival and is centered around storytelling.
Also, Penang’s George Town Festival (GTF), an annual, month-long celebration of culture, heritage, art, and community took place the same time as Obscura. The GTF had a bunch of photo exhibits too.
I spoke to Malaysian/Singaporean photographer Stefen Chew about the meaning behind his acclaimed exhibit The Poverty Line. I heard legendary Malaysian photographer SC Shekar wax lyrical about Grit & Grace: The Grandeur of Monochrome Malaysia. I shadowed German World Press Photo Award-winning photographer Peter Bialobrezski on a private shoot through the streets of Penang. And that was just the beginning.
MY MAGGIE STEBER MASTERCLASS
One day I bumped into my friend and organizer of the Obscura Festival, Vignes Balasingam. He suggested I join Maggie Steber’s 6-day Masterclass: Portraits That Tell Stories.
I’d never heard of Maggie, nor did I have a big interest in portraiture. I paid my money and signed up anyways. I was eager to step out of my photographic comfort zone.
I figured anyone with a decades long career in photography who’s also been a Guggenheim grantee and regular contributor to National Geographic has got to be able to teach me something. Maggie’s work about the youngest face transplant in US history was on the cover of Nat Geo that September after all.
Photography gave me courage and purpose.
MAGGIE STEBER
During our masterclass we had to pick a topic and develop a project around it, all within a few days.
I’ve seen this type of rampant commercialization wipe out the past first hand, from the old ways of life on Jeju Island, South Korea, to the historic hutong neighborhoods of Beijing and the lost landmarks of Singapore.
In the end, the festivals, masterclass, and my project were hugely rewarding. Being part of a supportive and dedicated community of visual storytellers helped me define what my work means to me.
3.. 2.. 1.. Launch!
Right after that, my friend and fellow photographer Ugo Cei visited Penang in September. We met up with Matt Brandon and recorded an episode of Ugo’s podcast, The Traveling Image Makers.
We talked about why we love Penang, working as a travel photographer, and Fuji gear stuff. And in case you missed it, here’s an interview I did with Ugo last year.
MY LANDSCAPE COURSE LAUNCH
Over the summer I also updated my landscape photography course. Then I relaunched it in September. Not only did I get a lot of great feedback about the course, there was a significantly more interest (over 100 copies sold) compared to my first launch in 2017.
On a side note, I spent quite a bit of time improving my marketing skills this year. The book that had the biggest impact was without a doubt Jeff Walker’s book ‘Launch’.
Brooklyn Bridge Bucket Shot
One photo I’ve always wanted to take is that of the Brooklyn Bridge. Even though I grew up just a couple hour’s drive away in Connecticut and had visited the city dozens of times, I still never saw it with my own eyes.
That finally changed on my trip back home last October. The view from under the bridge is one of the most iconic. I don’t care if a million people have already shot it though. I hadn’t… until now.
Another Podcast Interview
Also in October, I recorded an interview with Quinton Carlin for his podcast Self Developed Life. I talked about How to Get Paid to Travel And Take Photos.
My Most Popular Photo
I included a stopover in Dubai on my Emirates on my way back to Asia from the US in November. While there, I met up with Rustam Azmi again for a photoshoot in the desert. That pic ended up being my most popular of the year on social media.
It was also one of the most heavily edited (i.e. Photoshopped) images I’ve created. It’s a composite made up of 5 different pictures and I really enjoyed making it.
As a result, I’m definitely going to let go even more of trying to be “real” or factual in my landscape photography. I’d like to continue to experiment with composites and creating images from my imagination. To follow your artistic instincts is the greatest form of authenticity.
Cityscape Photography in Korea
Busan’s I’Park and Zenith skyscrapers are some of the tallest in Korea. In the winter the towers are bright orange when they reflect the setting sun. I wanted to capture it all in a single image.
It wasn’t so much the photo I was after. I wanted to prove to myself that I could solve the visual riddle.
After days of trying to get the shot and failing, I gave it one last go. The steel and glass skyscrapers reminded me of the human towers I saw in Barcelona. The Catalans stand on each others shoulders to make castles or castells that can be ten stories high.
To finish the castle, a brave child called a ‘rider’ or enxaneta has to climb to the peak. The child then raises his or her hand above their head and holds up four fingers. The gesture, known as aleta and meaning ‘little winged one’, signals the completion of the tower.
Up and up my little winged one went until I was staring the massive I’Park sign in the face. I snapped the 34 photos needed to create my spherical panorama.
When my drone came back down I previewed the final image. The code was cracked. My castle was complete. Aleta!
Attitude of Gratitude
To end this mini novel of my year in pictures, I want to rewind back to the very first day of 2018. On that day, 52 photographers on 7 continents to capture the world’s story in 24 hours. Our theme was “A New Beginning.”
My idea for our group project was a rite of passage or sorts, a way to enter the new year by reaffirming our dedication to live a creative life, to follow our curiosity, to play.
When I look back, what I’m most grateful for is the support and friendship from all those who helped me develop my creative practice. I appreciate everyone who shared their story with me.
Now let’s make fine art together in 2019!
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
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