As part of Women’s Week 2008, I have decided to feature and interview one of my favorite female photographers, `zemotion.

`zemotion info: 19 years old : Located in Singapore : Contact her at zemotion@zemotion.net

When I think of amazing women who inspire me my first thoughts go to `zemotion. She has been an inspiration to me for a very long time and I feel her work keeps getting better no matter the equipment, models, problems, anything. She’s a true talent and even more, she’s a pretty kickbutt friend. It’s been a true honor to get to know Jin and become friends with her.

My first impression of `zemotion’s work was that it was extremely professional and high quality. I could tell she put a lot of herself into each image. She doesn’t do photography for money or fame; she does it because she loves to create beauty.



`zemotion has a FAQ that you can read found here that you can read that is really useful if you have questions about her camera and equipment.


Last year you said you thought equality was a big issue women face in the workplace. Do you still feel that equality is a big issue for women and what other problems do you think we face or you have had to face as a woman?

Yes, I still think it is. Well I admit, really capable and leading figures aside, people generally pay less attention to women in our industry, and still regard them as weaker, and in our industry, very often, less creative and capable than the men. I cannot speak much for other industries, but the photographers will generally despise you and give you a "ah she must be an amateur because she's a woman" look if you say you're a photographer. As assistants you generally don't even want to use the girls because they're weaker and can't carry heavy equipments. As makeup artists/hair stylists many times stylists or editors will feel that women will just never be as good or just prefer men. So, yes, I think equality is still an issue.

Who is your biggest female inspiration in the world today? What about them inspires you?

Old and corny answer, my mum. I can't really think of anyone else at the moment. Haha.

Well, I'm not going to go on about how great she is, we don't meet often, we have disputes and disagreements. She's not happy I didn't follow through with schools, but she still supports me unconditionally. I'm amazed at how she fails at things but she keeps trying for her passion - never giving up no matter what people do to bring her down. Even though we'd been hurt and threatened and sabotaged, she never drew back. I'm proud of you mum.

Who are some of your favorite female artists from deviantART?

I shall try not to repeat a round of the ones I mentioned last year, here are some new loves: ~bonbon-A6dule, *kidchan, ~vic-mon, ~rei-i, `larafairie, `karincoma, *gunnmgally


How do you think you’ve progressed from when you first started deviantART?

It was a very small community back then, days when you could get onto the frontpage popular, back then Daily Top Favorites, with only 50 favs on an image? So it was really easy to get around and see almost everybody... It opened me up to a lot of wonderful artworks; there were very very few photographers back then, so under this influence I really wanted to create artworks. Well eventually it didn't really work out; I couldn't follow through and was always too embarrassed to show my work because everyone else was so good. I was overjoyed to be creating pictures when I had my camera, because at least I wasn't comparing myself to anyone, and I could freely do what I wanted to do without feeling like I'd be looked down upon. (Oh yeah, talk about low self esteem, haha)



What goals have you reached with your photography and what did you have to do to reach them?

Well getting published is a first step into the industry I guess, I've been shooting editorials, although my first editorial and cover was last Sept, I never really continued with pursuing the editorials and publishers because I got busy with rifle competition preparations and school (which I later stopped) until this year Feb.

About getting the work etc, I get people asking me that, honestly... I never really knocked on doors, people came to me. Perhaps there were times I was rejected but don't remember much of them, just don't think too much into it and work harder, and try again. Rejections are inevitable after all, or perhaps the works just don't suit the client. In that case, try someone else or work harder and research~!

What inspires your photography?

Dreams, books, music, magazines. Traveling is also extremely helpful. I like it best when I could walk alone in a foreign city. New York's window displays, Tokyo's streets, Beijing's grey skies, art galleries. A simple gesture could initiate ideas for a shoot sometimes. Occasionally I also do some self portraits and from there I'll pick up some ideas for other shoots.

Not forgetting the people I'm surrounded with, many are different from I am and I find each and every one really fascinating and inspirational. Some closer friend's works actually has an influence in my style and the way I work, their works also inspires my shoots, be it comics, illustrations, music, or photography.




Do you have pet peeves in life and when doing your photography?

I don't like having random extra people peeping around my working space (unless it's a public demo), it makes my team and model feel uncomfortable and my set impersonal.


How do you choose your models for your photoshoots? What do you look for and what is your advice to people who say they have no attractive friends?

Just feeling... I have a certain style and certain types of looks appeal to me and fit what my style and visions are. It's just like how certain types of guys appeal to a girl, and how certain types of girls appeal to a guy. I think they’re very similar things.

I usually never shoot a model more than once, not counting friends. I'd only do it more than once if it's a job requirement or if the model has really good attitude, and it's usually a good attitude that leaves me an impression.

As for advice, in the start, I didn't have contacts for models and only one or two willing friends. I'm not trying to boast, but I mean this, don't tell me your friends are "not as good looking" as mine (its mean, and seriously, not all models are good looking to begin with), it's my job as the photographer to make them beautiful (or whatever you desire them to look). When you get better, people will find you (both to work with you and give you work).


How hard was it for you to decide to leave your school to pursue fashion design? And why did you leave fashion design again?

Well, it's a risk I was willing to take. I feel I was wasting the prime of my life if I didn't use it to pursue my passions. I always wanted to create and knew I wanted to be in the arts field. I took a very heavy fancy on fashion at that point of time, although I wanted to create images, but at that point of time there weren't any schools offering pure good photography degrees, so I went into fashion design, knowing it will help in any case.

Many people thought I was foolish to stop studying in a top school before I graduated... I was even scolded by a head of design once in my first year in art school, calling me foolish and stupid for it, and insulting my parents for not being careful with my upbringing by not follow through with my studies before I jumped into the college, despite how good my grades and designs were.

It was more difficult convincing my mum, who is just sort of the type of person addicted to studying (and the idea of it, in a school). I'm stubborn and it happened at a rebellious age, when I decided I would stop, I just wouldn't return to school. I was excelling in the National Air Rifle team then too, that partially calmed her down a little that at least I was doing the nation some proud.

Later on about leaving fashion design to go into photography, well it was in the middle of my third year... last October, when I'd started getting really busy with photography, traveling for rifle, and school. The syllabus for the whole year was men's fashion which I had much lesser interest in, and my school's organization was in a total mess and proper teaching couldn't even be carried out properly... so once again I felt that it began becoming a burden, so for the same reasons as before I decided to leave and pursue photography full time. Once again my mum was really, really upset and it was quite a blow, but it started getting better when she started seeing my works published, winning awards, and her students telling her that I'm sort of... famous? o_O;;;;

How important is it to take risks for and in your art to you?

Like I'd explained about my not-finishing-schools episodes, I'm pretty much a risk taker. I really shouldn't sound so proud of it, and I'm not preaching for students to just drop out of school and pursue art or music, I did it because I knew exactly where I stood, and I had solid back up plans should I fail, which I didn't want to go into, so obviously I wouldn't allow myself to fail, the only choice is work hard. So I did photoshoots whenever I could with whatever and whoever I could. Haha

Just as I am with those choices I am with my photography and artworks... I see so many artists who're stuck in their comfort zones, doing the same things they do for years and years and never changing and exploring, except maybe once in 40-50 pieces of works, because they're afraid of losing their audience, their clients, too afraid. Surely, I get that, I also worry a little sometimes if posting something I know people wouldn't like will make who knows how many people unwatch me or stop visiting my site. I get complaints when I change too... but if I don't, I'd be bored and upset with myself. Afterall, there is so much out there to try, and so much to learn. If I don't change, I'll never chance upon new possibilities and inspirations that arise from the experimentation themselves.

What is your favorite piece in your gallery today?

Can I only pick one?

If I can't count and talk about ones I have yet to post on DA, then it will probably be Forgotten Fairytales...

It marked the beginning of a fairytale-inspired series. Not all images are as unreal as fairytales, but just almost... without having or needing the obvious traits of the original tales, with only enough elements to suggest the inspiration. The project seeks to touch on emotions and explorations of existence and dreams, with minute reality intact. I wrote the short poem/caption to this image, something I often do for pieces that are more important or personal to me.



What inspires you to do a series of images instead of singular pictures?

Well, coherence. Singular images sure work in a portfolio, but a series is something more presentational and meaningful. It's a lot harder but definitely worth the experience it gives me to help me grow.

Does the Asian culture influence your artwork? Your images with Asian models like *Kagetsuki seem to have a different air to them.

Yes, I am an Asian afterall. I like the cultures, histories and styles. It's something that inspires even western artists too.

But regarding my thoughts, there's a very important thing that is something very common... Asians feel inferior about themselves; they always feel the westerners are more beautiful and classy. I don't want to debate about anything, but I just want to draw attention to my own race that Asians can be beautiful too.



How did you deal with rejection when you were first starting out and what made you push onwards?

I felt slightly dejected, but it didn't really have a big impact on me. It just pushed me and made me work harder. I did get afraid to send my works out again, but before long people started approaching me~

How do you deal with art theft of your images and does it deter you from posting your pictures on the internet?

It's impossible to keep track and find out about every single one, it's easier on community sites because you can just contact the designated copyright violation department. Individuals I will email them if I come across it and most of them they will remove the images.

If we decide to share our works online, it's something bound to happen. Just have to learn to live with it... the copyright notice is there. If it's something that gets really major (like published etc) then legal actions can be taken.


Do you still draw, shoot the air rifle or are you focused completely on photography now? What are your plans for the future?

I'm focused purely on photography now. I plan to spend this year to work a little, not excessively though, enough to get by along with my own savings, travel a little since now I'm not tied down to any other commitments, and focus on my photobook and exhibition I plan to do this year.

Can you talk a little more about the book and exhibition? Will it only be in Singapore? I'm sure many fans are excited about it!

It will be a collection of purely personal works, no editorials, jobs etc. I'm investing a lot of time and money into it, and when I return from my Tokyo trip, I can hopefully find the time to start looking for sponsors.

Exhibition wise I only plan to have it in Singapore at the moment. If there are responses from overseas and eventually possibilities, I will definitely want to bring it out too.

As for the photobook, I plan to do a limited edition run which I will launch together with my exhibition, it will also be available to order via the internet. I have no plans to do a regular pressed published edition as I don't want the whole course of it to become too commercial.

The art scene in Singapore is extremely small, but it is slowly picking up, I hope the exhibition, aside from being a personal expression, can inspire a new generation of artists who will also not forsake their potential for a standard path-of-life that our society refuse to be lenient about.

Anything else you want to share with us? Any advice for women struggling with their art today?

Please do not be discouraged. Work hard and put in all your love. <3