Now I hope Jing is not mad at me because I copied some of his pictures π
n.e.w.works: To look at? All kinds of stuff, actually. Photojournalism, still-lifes and abstracts, nudes, and even good porn all interest me as a both a viewer and a photographer. Images in and of themselves are among the most powerful statements that we humans create, and so in that sense, I like all of it.
As for photography that I admire, I would have to say that the photographs that impress me the most are ones that leave me asking myself: “how did they do that?” It might be some really cool lighting in a fashion or nude photo, or some outrageously in-your-face photojournalism from a war-zone or sporting event, or even something as mundane as a candid shot that just captures the feeling of a place or time or an expression on a person’s face. Of course, as I have matured as a photographer, I have learned more about techniques, etc. and so naturally I now look at photos with a more knowledgeable and maybe critical eye. But there will always be shooters out there doing amazing stuff that will leave me stunned and dumbfounded, and that’s great!
Asian-Sirens: When did you decide to become a photographer?
n.e.w.works: Hmmmm… It was a process. For years I played around with random cameras that I got my hands on without ever really feeling “serious” about it or thinking about it much. I have a good friend and former roommate who some years ago was studying photography at the SF Art Institute, and watching him originally planted the seed in my brain.
It was another couple of years before I decided to get serious about it. I was living in Japan at the time and taking more and more photos of all kinds during the first year or two there and just knew that I loved it and wanted to get better at it and then maybe, who knows, right? I knew that, technically, I had a lot to learn and I didn’t think that I could get it from a book. I was working and I knew that it would be really tough to be an assistant for a pro photographer while working full-time (not to mention that i was too old for it and not japanese!), so I decided to go to photography school. I attended night school at the Nippon Photographic Institute in Shibuya for 2 years in the fashion/portraiture department. It was a great experience with a lot of great teachers and classmates and definitely took my photography to another level. After that I spent a couple of years doing freelance stuff in Tokyo before coming back here to Thailand, where I am now and have lived before when I was in high-school/college…
Asian-Sirens: Which photographers do you admire and why?
n.e.w.works: Whoa, that’s a tough one. There are so many! For glamour/nude stuff, I would have to say that there are a TON of great Japanese shooters out there, and I’m not just saying that because I lived there for 8 years! No, actually I am… I have definitely been influenced by several of them individually, and by the whole Japanese “shashinshuu” (literally translated: “collection of photographs”) narrative approach to photographing women, with or without clothes on. Kishin Shinoyama (subtle and brilliant!), Nobuo Araki (although he’s not so easily pigeon-holed as strictly nude stuff; his still-lifes and other stuff are awesome, too), and a friend of mine named Minoru Suwa (try googling him) immediately come to mind. Oh, and this one guy who actually has his own magazine that comes out monthly and is even on the racks at 7/11 stores in Japan (!!!) named Meisa Fujishiro is great too. For non-Japanese glamour and/or nude stuff, most definitely Adam Yurman (whom I discovered through asian-sirens.com!), a very controversial American guy named Jock Sturges, and another American guy named Richard Kern. There are two shooters here in Thailand whose work I like very much, too. One is a European guy who goes by the name “Shrimp”, and the other is a Thai guy named Chartchai Meebamroong whose work I have seen in a couple of magazines here. If you look at all these guys’ work, they’re great not just because they are technically excellent (which they all are, very!); they also all have their own very distinctive styles and are able to convey a mood, a feeling. And they have great taste in (and access to) models! You see their work and know that it’s them without seeing the name. All these guys inspire me.
For non-girlie-related (mostly!) photographers, I’ll just throw out a few names of people whose work leaves me at a loss for words, and if readers are interested, they can go googling: David LaChapelle (you have to see his work! unreal!), Annie Liebovitz (one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s original shooters and quite possibly the greatest portrait photographer ever), Sebastiao Salgado (very, very gifted photojournalist), and last but not least, the legendary Vietnam war photographer Tim Page…
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good photo?
n.e.w.works: One that succeeds in communicating something to the viewer, regardless of the genre.
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good model?
n.e.w.works: It depends on what you are using the model for. Fashion is about the clothes; glamour/nude photography is about the girl herself. But for me, besides being photogenic (which is not always the same as being “beautiful”), a good model is one that has something unique, beautiful, or striking that I can work with through the lens and who gives me what I want to see. Communication between me and the model is very important. If there isn’t a comfort-level between photographer and model, it will show. In the past I have found that the more shoots I do with a particular girl, the better the product becomes.
Asian-Sirens: Is there an Asian model you really would like to work with?
n.e.w.works: Oh, yes! For ones that are still actively working, I would say Natt Ketsarin (Thai), Kadena Reon (J-girl), and that gorgeous Chinese actress who was in the latest “Mission Impossible”, Maggie Q!
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever screw up an assignment? (please do elaborate if so! ;-))
n.e.w.works: Yes. It was one of my first freelance jobs, and I was supposed to take a bunch of shots of different guys’ hairstyles for a salon in Tokyo. I think that nervousness + the subject matter being totally uninspiring were the cause. Anyway, I measured the light wrong (this was pre-digital era) and got 3 rolls of very overexposed film, which I spent several hours in the darkroom and a bunch of money to finally make useable. It was a learning experience, especially because I spent so much money to get the prints usable that I ended up losing money on the job instead of making it!
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever get intimate with a model you worked with? (feel free to elaborate! ;-))
n.e.w.works: Without getting into too much detail… yes. However, recently I think that it’s better to keep photos photos and personal personal, mainly because when they get mixed together, they can get in each other’s way.
Asian-Sirens: What kind of camera and lighting equipment do you use?
n.e.w.works: If you look at my website, you will find a lot of pre-digital stuff where I used a variety of cameras: Pentax 67, Mamiya RZ, Canon EOS 1V, Contax T2, and others. Since I have gone digital I only use Canon equipment; they are by far tops in digital SLRs, and I can use the Canon lenses that I already owned. My two main cameras now are a Canon EOS 5D and Canon S80 compact and I love them both dearly, although I must say that I miss the weight of the Mamiya in my hand and selling the 1V recently was a bit of a sad occasion!
If I am in a studio, I will use whatever they have that I need to in order to get the right feel; usually nothing overly fancy. I very much admire a lot of pros who can concoct very elaborate lighting and make it work seamlessly, but I am more inclined to keep it simple if I can in the studio. Speaking of simplicity, one great tool for portraiture of all types is a ring-flash. It can do the job of much more complicated lighting schemes, and is cheap and fits in your camera bag. Very versatileβ¦
Asian-Sirens: What are your future ambitions as a photographer?
n.e.w.works: Technically, I would like to get to the same point digitally that I have been before in the darkroom. In other words, to feel as comfortable and be as proficient using stuff like Photoshop as I felt a couple of years ago processing film and printing. They are such different beasts on the surface and yet in the end they are really both just means to an end, which is creating the image that you want to create. I see people here and there on the web crowing about how they never alter their photos blah blah blah, but so much of the stuff that you can do with color correction, cropping, contrast and brightness, etc, in Photoshop is nothing that you couldn’t do in the darkroom with the requisite know-how. Use the tools that are available to you.
Career-wise, I think that I have done my time as far as working as a shoot-anything-for-money freelance photographer. I have decided that from here on out I would rather pursue it for myself and “shoot what I wanna shoot”, even while doing something else for money, than try to make a living with my camera at all costs. I believe that if I keep shooting what inspires me and the timing is right, sometime down the road I will be able to make an impact with the work that I want to do and perhaps do it full-time again. Until then, I am just going for it and doing other things besides photography as well. Hope springs eternal for the frustrated artist!
Asian-Sirens: Thanks for your time n.e.w.works – and don’t forget to check out his web site!
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before – an auto (self) interview! Actually not really – I’m just answering our standard ’10 questions for’ series that Robin originated a while back, and which I’ve been promising to answer for quite a few months now. π
As you may know, I am the exclusive photographer (as well as webmaster) for Sachiko McLean’s site – my first job as a professional photographer. Anyway, I have some pretty unconventional and controversial ideas about photography, which you can read about in this interview. And to all the photographers whose work I’ve criticised in the past – here’s your chance to get some of your own back! π
I’ve chosen the image above as I feel it represents many of the things that define my approach to photography. The wierd lighting effect in this image hasn’t been added in Photoshop (as I never modify my photos) – it is in fact lens flare. Photographers normally try to avoid this, but my spontaneous approach allowed me to use it fortuitously. The photo below is simply a personal favourite, which epitomises my ‘model as part of nature’ ideal.
When it comes to glamour photography specifically, I admire the sort of photography you see in shashinshu (Japanese photo albums) – it’s a lot more naturalistic than most western (especially American) glamour photography.
Asian-Sirens: When did you decide to become a photographer?
Dr. Lee: I’d known Sachiko for quite some time before she launched her web site. I don’t remember clearly how the idea started, but she was always impressed by my photography, and we found we had very similar philosophies about how this sort of thing should be done. So basically, Sachiko’s site is what made me decide to become a photographer (not to mention a webmaster!). I certainly enjoy the flexibility as well as being my own boss – I enjoy it far more than any other work I’ve done in fact!
Asian-Sirens: Which photographers do you admire and why?
Dr. Lee: Actually, I’ve never been a devoted fan of any one particular photographer (although as I say above I love the kind of photography you see in National Geographic). I am entirely self-taught, and I’ve actually made a point of finding my own way to do things, without being overtly influenced by professional photographers. When I look at photography magazines explaining how to ‘improve’ my photography, I often find that in the ‘before and after’ Photoshop tutorials I strongly prefer the ‘before’ shot! The Photoshopped versions almost always look somehow ‘unreal’ to me – the originals look more realistic and natural. And I decided right from the beginning that naturalism and realism is what I wanted to capture.
So to this day, I never use Photoshop on my photos. And I use an absolute minimum of equipment to take them as well – just a camera and a flash. No extra lighting, nothing. I want to capture the light that was there in the actual scene. Many of my photos of Sachiko are pretty overexposed because I took them in very bright sunlight. A pro would normally try to compensate for this, but I don’t – the midday sun in Australia often ‘overexposes’ my eyes too, so that’s what I try to capture. I think it gives my photos more life, vibrancy and realism, even if they aren’t always technically perfect.
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good photo?
Dr. Lee: For me, what makes a good photo is how well it captures what you are trying to photograph – and how worthwhile what you’re trying to capture is! My philosophy is simple: find something worth photographing, and try to capture it as much as possible. It might seem self-evident that this is what photography should be about, but surprsingly it almost never is these days. People always use Photoshop to make their photos look ‘better’ than reality. And it seems as though almost every photographer these days wants to be taken seriously as an ‘artist’.
Ironically – although my photography has been widely acclaimed for its artistic quality – I do not consider the act of photographing something to be an art form. For me, a camera is like a tape recorder: it is simply an instrument for recording something. Nevertheless, if a tape recorder is used to capture a great performance, then it will produce a work of art. And so it is with photography. If you capture something great, then you may well produce a photo that could be considered to be a work of art. If what you try to capture isn’t worthwhile, then no amount of Photoshopping or expensive ‘fine art’ printing paper is going to turn it into an ‘artistic’ photo (or a good photo of any kind for that matter).
Of course, you could modify a photo so much in Photoshop that it becomes something else, which may well be considered to be a work of art. But to my mind this is no longer a photo – it is computer ‘art’. And don’t get me started on the current ‘fine art’ photography craze. Simply coverting a photo into monochrome does not make it art. And so-called ‘fine art photo prints’ do not make a photo art either – they just make it a badly-printed photo. Photos are photos, not paintings. It seems to be that many photographers these days want to be ‘respected’ as a ‘real artist’, but to my mind this simply isn’t what photography is about. If you want to be a painter, then for God’s sake use brushes and paint (or a paint program) – don’t use a camera!
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good model?
Dr. Lee: As I’ve only shot with Sachiko so far my answer to this question probably doesn’t have much meaning! Still, she does represent what I think makes a good model: she’s versatile, knows how to pose, is comfortable with her clothes off and isn’t too much of a prima donna. Plus of course she looks great! π
A special thing about Sachiko is that I don’t normally need to tell her how to pose – I just give her general instructions as to what I want from a shoot and let her go. On the other hand, as she is so spontaneous I have to work very quickly, so I don’t normally have time to adjust my camera settings between shots. So I’m not always able to get as good an exposure as I would like, but in terms of what Sachiko does, almost every shot’s a winner!
Asian-Sirens: Is there an Asian model you really would like to work with?
Dr. Lee: Actually, I’d really like to shoot some of my Asian lady friends, but unfortunately it’s probably never going to happen. Sadly, the most beautiful Asian girls are for the most part still quite traditional and conservative. The more ‘modern’ girls are often willing, but they usually have bleached hair and such which doesn’t interest me. If I went to Asia they’d be willing to model for simple financial reasons, but here in Australia they’re far too comfortable for that – they simply prefer to marry themsleves off. A real shame, as there’s a lot of gorgeous Asian girls here, and I know several of them. But I’m working on it. π
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever screw up an assignment? (please do elaborate if so! ;-))
Dr. Lee: Just the usual equipment malfunctions – I had an autofocus problem with my camera once which resulted in an entire lost shoot, and ended up taking up three months to get fixed (what a drama that was!).
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever get intimate with a model you worked with? (feel free to elaborate! ;-))
Dr. Lee: Once again, as I’ve only worked with Sachiko so far, my answer to this question probably doesn’t mean much! If and when I do work with other models in the future I will try to keep things strictly professional, but I think it would be unrealistic to categorically state that this could never happen. The fact that I am intending to shoot my friends will probably complicate matters even further. π
Asian-Sirens: What kind of camera and lighting equipment do you use?
Dr. Lee: As I said, I don’t use any external lighting equipment, apart from a flash (in my case a Canon 420EX). And my camera is a humble Canon PowerShot G2! At the time we started shooting for Sachiko’s site, digital SLRs were still unaffordable for the non-professional (and digital is obviously the only practical option when you’re shooting for the web). And the G2 was definitely the best compact digicam available at the time (I still think it’s one of the best compacts ever made). The higher resolution sensors on more recent compacts have introduced too much noise IMHO, requiring excessive noise reduction. The G2 was sharp right down to each individual pixel – like an SLR.
There are some ways in which a compact is actually better than an SLR. For one thing, the 4:3 ratio is much better for displaying on typical computer screens than the 3:2 ratio of SLRs. Also, I like their greater depth of field for a given aperture – unlike other glamour photographers, I don’t like to blur the background to draw attention to the model. I believe in shooting her as part of the entire scene I am capturing – for me this is more erotic, as it is more real. And it fits in with my philosophy of capturing what I see with my own eyes.
The G2’s live, flip and twist LCD has allowed me to compose shots that would simply have been impossible with an SLR too. On the other hand, I’m sure an SLR would allow me to take many other shots I couldn’t take with the G2. And the ability to adjust the exposure in the RAW files after the fact would be very handy indeed (as shooting with Sachiko is so spontaneous, I often don’t have time to adjust my camera for a perfect exposure). Plus of course the image quality of an SLR is simply better. So now that they’re so affordable, I will probably get one eventually.
Asian-Sirens: What are your future ambitions as a photographer?
Dr. Lee: I actually would like to get back to my first love, nature photography (epecially landscapes). For me it’s a lot easier than model photography, and I believe mother nature produces the greatest works of art. Mind you though, there’s certainly nothing wrong with shooting a sexy, naked Asian babe – and a body like Sachiko’s is something of a work of art too. π
Ed Morawski: Although I enjoy glamour, I tend to favor artistic visions. Photography that is unique and unusual utilizing new concepts attracts me most. I like clean and uncluttered images – where the photographer’s vision stands out. That aside, I must admit though, in the realm of glamour photography I really admire the work in Maxim. They consistently produce some of the sexist photos out there. Look what they did for Grace Park! Here’s a cute, fresh Asian woman and Maxim made her look like a sex goddess! Of course, if you look closely at her eyes, I think she’s a bit out of her comfort zone, but still I would put those on my wall.
I love to experiment. You will rarely if ever, see any traditional glamour shots from me. I prefer to push the envelope to different lighting sources and techniques. One thing that I really enjoy is manipulating the images after I capture them. Photoshop is such a wonderful tool. I can save borderline photos that would otherwise be lost but even more importantly I can take the same photo and create dozens of different visions. Often I will go back to photos I shot years before and see it in a whole new way and find new inspiration.
Asian-Sirens: When did you decide to become a photographer?
Ed Morawski: I was in the Air Force in Vietnam and had never picked up a camera in my life. I bought one at the base PX, a Yashica 35mm (big name at the time) because we had a terrific photo lab we could use. A sergeant saw my work one day and assigned me to take photos for the base newspaper. You can see some of these in my gallery.
Over the ensuing years, I dabbled in photography but never really made a business of it until the last few years when I began doing product photos for web sites. I generally shoot models for fun but I do use them occasionally in ads.
Asian-Sirens: Which photographers do you admire and why?
Ed Morawski: I admire many photographers but two that really stand out in my mind are Israel Colon (you can get a better idea of his nude work here) and Dennis Galante.
Although both are based in New York, they are almost polar opposites. Israel Colon is gritty and urban and makes his models sexy in a dark way while Dennis Galante always has an extremely bright, clean look that is no less sexy.
Israel is known as a bit of a “bad boy” but his photos are instantly recognizable and he always does his model justice. A very good model friend of mine shot with him and I swear I didn’t even recognize her in the photos. One was shot in her hotel bathroom and it is a classic.
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good photo?
Ed Morawski: The photo must make a connection with the viewer. This is done either through the model who has the ability to connect with her eyes or body posture or through the photographer who leaves some of his passion and emotion in the image. If you’re lucky enough to get both then you really have a winner. If you get neither than you just end up with a flat image of a female.
I sometimes take hundreds of photos in one shoot and find only one or two, if I’m lucky, that satisfy me. The model is just so important. Everything you’re heard is true – the two of you must have some chemistry. I have shot some very beautiful women who I couldn’t connect with and the results were disappointing. On the flip side I have shot with friendly, open models and we got hundreds of good images. When I say chemistry – I simply mean good open communication and mutual respect.
Often, I am amused at the fact that the photo I planned the shoot around is not my favorite but instead the best ones are accidents or afterthoughts. I suppose that makes me a poor planner but that’s the way it happens. Perhaps it is my vision coming through subconsciously.
Asian-Sirens: What makes a good model?
Ed Morawski: I could distill it down to two words: personality and responsibility. The great models are on time, open and friendly. There are lot’s and lot’s of amateurs out there working for extra money who don’t belong in modeling. I don’t really mind as long as they are on time and willing to learn. The on time part is a big problem for a photographer. If a model is late it costs you money. I’ve had models cancel at the last minute after I rented a location and driven many miles to get there. I would also enjoy a little more collaboration from the model. I welcome suggestions and ideas but rarely get them. Models don’t seem to have much imagination for some reason. They are probably too busy thinking about themselves!
There are also the models do it part time and are very good but you can’t get them back because they’re working a regular job. I know of two in particular who could easily be professional models and make a career but they won’t take the plunge and leave their regular jobs. Some girls have a natural talent and some don’t, but if you’re one of the lucky ones – use it.
One facet of shooting models that has always amused me is their attitude towards nudity and sex. I’ll get many girls who don’t want to reveal anything – and it shows! I sometimes ask – “Why did you agree to pose nude if you’re not comfortable?” Sometimes you can coax them through it and make them comfortable and trusting but usually you don’t have that much time. More often than not – you’ll find Asian women this way. They do not feel comfortable posing nude and simply refuse.
Then you have the models who undress the second they’re in the studio or in public!! I once got thrown out of a location because my model was walking around nude. These models are totally free and open about their bodies and they can produce some fantastic photos – Ange Maya certainly falls into this category. They are proud of their bodies and enjoy showing off.
Asian-Sirens: Is there an Asian model you really would like to work with?
Ed Morawski: I have to say two Asian women I find extremely beautiful are Grace Park and Shu Qi from Taiwan. I’m not sure they count as models per se but I would love to photograph them. I “discovered” Shu Qi (as I’m sure many of your readers did) in the film “The Transporter” and have since watched almost every film she ever did. I find her fresh, exciting and full of youth and energy. If you want an “eyeful” of her, check out “Sex and Zen” her very first film. It’s rather cheesy but her beauty more than shines through.
I’m a big fan of “Battlestar Galactica” so discovering Grace Park was part of that experience. I fell in love with her immediately. She too, has that fresh, innocent look. I almost always prefer “innocent” over “hardcore”. Asian women can sometimes appear very “hard” and I think that detracts from their photos. On the flip side they can be more innocent looking than any other race. I want to take their innocence make them look erotic which I think adds a lot more impact. To me, erotic and innocent are the biggest turn-ons.
One other Asian woman that fascinates me (I’m sure your readers will find this one odd) is of all people – Sandra Oh. She is currently on TV in “Grey’s Anatomy” but I first saw her on an old HBO cable show entitled “Arli$$”. I find her oddly erotic and I would love to see if I could bring that out in still photos. She has appeared β very nude – in a movie title “Dancing at the Blue Iguana” playing a stripper and wearing various wigs. Very hot!
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever screw up an assignment? (please do elaborate if so! ;-))
Ed Morawski: No, but I’ve come very, very close. Once I was hired to photograph a Baptism of all things. Not something you can repeat or do over! (I have great respect for wedding photographers, by the way). Somehow I accidentally put my camera in self-timer mode and couldn’t figure out how to put it back in regular shooting mode since I had never used the self timer. I was in a total panic. The priest was walking towards the Baptismal and my camera waited ten seconds to take a picture! At the very last second I figured it out and canceled the timer but I was only able to snap one shot because of all the wasted time.
Then there was the time I was shooting a model on location and unknowingly had my lens in manual focus mode. I took about 100 shots and the camera never refocused. I didn’t discover it until I processed the photos much later. To my amazement about half of them were okay because we were shooting at such a small F-stop. I can tell you it would really pay to have an assistant to help out in times like these!
Asian-Sirens: Did you ever get intimate with a model you worked with? (feel free to elaborate! ;-))
Ed Morawski: Like every professional, I have a hard and fast rule about not mixing business with pleasure. I don’t even like to touch models if I can help it. That’s not to say I haven’t been tempted! But I do have to admit to one indiscretion. I met a beautiful Japanese model here in Los Angeles a few years ago. She was 5′ 9″ and slender with long legs. If there’s one body type I love – it’s tall and slender – and well, with the fact that she was Asian thrown in, I had a weak moment. That “moment” lasted nearly a year and was such a catastrophic disaster I know it will never be repeated. I learned my lesson. At first it was wonderful. Some of the best sex I ever had, I must say. But then slowly over time it downgraded into creative differences and we ended up absolutely hating each other. We traveled to Europe together on an assignment and that was end of the road. It was so bad we split in France and flew back separately – without finishing the shoot. I have two photos of her on my web site. I won’t reveal which ones.
Asian-Sirens: What kind of camera and lighting equipment do you use?
Ed Morawski: I recently upgraded to the Canon 5D, which is phenomenal. I may stick with this one for a long, long time. As for lighting, I use all types – tungsten and mono strobes with softboxes, all kinds of flashes and even bare bulbs. I love experimenting with light and I am currently trying some fluorescent ring lights. These look very, very promising. They have a really smooth and even illumination. You’ll be seeing some results on my web site soon. Lighting is probably the most difficult aspect of photography. The camera itself is a minor tool compared to the lighting skill and the eye of the photographer.
Asian-Sirens: What are your future ambitions as a photographer?
Ed Morawski: I am still honing my skills both as a photographer and using Photoshop. Learning is never over, there is always something new. I would like to concentrate more on studio work for a while. I enjoy doing portraits and headshots but that is very specialized type of photography so it requires a lot of practice. Then too, I want to travel much more. I plan on going to Taiwan and Indonesia this fall and then hopefully Australia next year. My ideal future would find me living in Asia somewhere and be able to photograph beautiful women there full time!
Asian-Sirens: Thanks for your time Ed, and best of luck to you in your future photographic and audiophilic adventures!
