đ Photographer's stillness
Todayâs free High Tide is a takeover by this weekâs special guest, photographer Leo Yuen.
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Hi!
I am Leo, a film and portrait photographer based in Hong Kong. Iâm a big fan of Japanese aesthetic concepts. I am pleased to take over the High Tides to share some little somethings from a photographerâs perspective.
To me, what distinguishes the Japanese style from others is its highly sophisticated sense of aesthetics where construction and nature complement each other. For example, Seijaku (éćŻ), meaning stillness, is related to the feeling you have when you are in a Japanese garden. Today we live in an overwhelmingly materialistic culture. Japanese aesthetics present some broader ideals that remind us to work with and enhance the nature of who we truly are.
â Leo Yuen
Photography Godfathers
Photography is all about how we perceive the world and I always look for daily inspirations from others to see whatâs in their mind when they âpull the triggerâ. Today I would like to introduce you to two great masters in contemporary street photography: Fan Ho and Daido Moriyama.
Fan Ho, who passed away in 2016, left us the faded fascination for our colonial cityscape alongside the Victoria Harbour while Daido Moriyama, who has walked the streets of his native Japan for more than 50 years, treats the world as an extraordinary stage for comedy and tragedy.
Check out these videos of Fan Ho and Daido Moriyamaâs works to get inspired!
Reminisce
Recently, I was privileged to be invited to the 68-year-old State Theatre in North Point to get a glimpse of its historically significant architecture and the glamour of its golden days. The building is now closed for heritage revamp until 2026. Inspirations can be found in every era so I encourage you to expose yourself to as much of history as possible. When you find an era with characters and events which really speak to you, go dig deeper!
Read
Have you read a photo book before?
Shashasha, a Japanese online book store aims to deliver Asian photography to a worldwide audience. Be ready to open your eyes to the beauty of Asian aesthetics!
Whatâs Leoâs secret?
Contrary to popular belief, as a photographer, I spend most of my time not clicking the shutter but communicating back-and-forth with clients. I stumbled upon this platform Gump that is tailored for photographers like myself. It is surprisingly 100% Hong Kong-made! My favourite part is the speed and collaborative features that help my clients select and annotate the photos. I can even copy the file names that my clients picked and locate them on my editing app within a few clicks! If you are like me, who wants to save time and deliver great experiences, take my word and try it!