Presenting... ^estudio

Evan is "currently busy with an exhibition project that involves 520 personalities in Malaysia for next year's Malaysian 52nd Independence Day. The exhibition will be the first of its kind in the world using non-print based technology on holograph and flatscreens where each person's portrait will be morphing from one expression to the other. The theme is about unity, is in black and white square format, and titled "Love, Life, Living - Here In My Home". Fun times. Wheee!"

^Helewidis - Hello and thank you for agreeing to this interview. I believe the community would like to know a bit about you, your background, inspirations and tastes, so let's start with some questions towards that.

^estudio - Thank you for having me. Nice makeup, btw.

^Helewidis - Thank you, Evan!

So, who are you? (not just your name, but WHO you are *wink* )

My real name is Evangeliss Hwong, and when I was born, my parents wanted me to evangelize, or rather speak the words of God. That never happened so I decided to take things into my own hands. When I was born I had a serious liver malfunction and nearly died but was saved by the good doctors thankfully. That day onwards I lived my life deviously. When mom and dad say "don't play with fire" I burned myself. When they say "don't play with the knife" I cut myself. I want to know why people aren't allowed to do things and I ventured away from a lot of commonalities and at the age of 13, moved away and travelled the world.

Life hasn't been fair with all the challenges that came upon me, but each of those happenstances, I learn from it and made me a better person each day. Everyday indeed is a learning process and is never-ending! I worked alot, and was an undercover photojournalist covering corruptions, lifestyle, and also did documentaries as well as some other controversial works that nearly got me banned from certain countries. Fun times. I'm retired now, thankfully... and devote my time mostly at my other businesses I helped set up, and also moderating here on deviantART. I've been shooting professionally since 1997.

When was the first time you had a camera in your hands – and why? How did it feel?

While studying for college (I took up Business Psychology majoring in Marketing) I found myself amongst the elite of the industry keyplayers and the pressure was so much, I had to resort to professional help. My shrink told me to find something I could focus on, like a hobby. So I tried origami. Modeled a few stuffs but most times ended it up in the trash. I tried drawing and only managed to doodle stick figures. Also ended up in the trash. I even tried webdesigning and graphics... ended up clicking away at porn. (cough)... My shrink was that close to even give up on me until she handed me her camera and asked me to try it up for a week or so. It was love at first sight seeing things through the lens, as I've found my means to put my focus on, and translate it to art. That camera has been by my side since, and is my personal witness to the outside world. Fun times... Fun times....

So... let me see if I understood it right: you kept your shrink's camera forever? xD

Yups. As a token to my appreciation to photography and a reminder of who I was. We still keep in touch tho. Good times. I still use it as my main camera body to this day too.

Did you have an artistic oriented childhood?

I took up soft pastel and watercolor for 7 years in junior school. My mom was an art teacher so I tagged along in her classes. Perks of being the son of an assistant headmistress as well. In fact, I've loved art ever since I held my first crayon when I was merely a year old or so and changed the livingroom wall into my canvas, even after much scoldings. Sorry dad. :3

What is Photojournalism to you?

Break that word into two. Either way, it's about storytelling. You witness an event , you write about it. That's journalism. You translate it to photography with as little commentaries or captions as possible and let your photograph itself tells the story, that's photojournalism. I can quote you various famous words and show you works by renowned photojournalists like Steve McCurry, James Nachtwey, Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa, etc, but that's their style. My personal style is to make sure my photographs tell its own personality, is an honestly themed work, include some sublime messages if possible, and make you feel as though you're there in the scene. It's not an easy task, but through practice (and aaaaaaaaaaalot of patience), you'll get somewhere.

When did you begin to pursue photojournalism and what/who inspired you to?

It took me about 3 years to realize what I was good at. When I first started photography, I came up with a personal theme called "shoot now compose later" and went trigger happy. Mind you back then there's no dSLR or EXIF data, so I had to resort to film. I learned alot from my mistakes by taking notes of each shutter speed and aperture priority used on which ISO... and realized after awhile that I have a penchant for people-photography, be it street or candid. So I made my way into the journalism industry by freelancing with independent medias, pressphoto agencies, and most times for stock photo agencies. I was inspired by how much there is to witness in this world, and took the opportunity to bring the realism forward through my photographs for all to be a part of. My inspiration came from wanting to be a part of the CNN family at the age of 20, but it was 9/11 that made me want to pursue truth, justice, and most of all, life. It was also my personal choice not to follow the footsteps of anybody so I can make my own... and haven't looked back since.

Is it just a hobby to you or do you live out of it (i.e. make money)? If you sell your photos, is it online/offline? And would you spare some advice here to whoever would like to start selling?

I do it for the money of course. Who wouldn't? Haha! But in all seriousness, it's for the passion and I don't even mind doing it for free sometimes just so I can continue to expand my portfolio and try things out. The more challenging ones of course you gotta fund me plus some insurance. Hehe.

Selling photojournalism works isn't like selling a portraiture or a mug. You're more likely to sell your services than just your photographs. When you're assigned to a project, you're paid for either a quota of photographs that relates as much to the assignment as possible, and if you're to write, it'll most likely be based on how much you're paid per word. Different countries have different ways of charging you... but if you're a start-up, you'll need to get a portfolio ready if you want to try something professional. Otherwise, a small stint here and there, stringing with a fellow journo (short code for journalists) to learn the skills of dodging bullets or taking the shot up close and personal to the thing you need to photograph, and always keep in mind that your works will one day be published, you'll get somewhere. My advice is to check with your local pressphoto agencies to see how they pay you before you decide on anything.

Have you ever had your work published in a news journal/magazine, etc? Where, with which image? How did it made you feel? Happy? Proud?... And would you spare some advice here to whoever would like to start being published?

I have had alot of them published but due to my undercover stint, not many had my name but replaced with the agency's. Of course I am proud of them, and the only way to prove the existence of said works are on my negatives. Some photographs you've seen on deviantART, I've had a couple of them published in certain magazines and websites, and also won a few awards with them. I was told once that even the government keeps an eye on my works, and when a photograph called "Buffet Lines" in my gallery came up depicting pirated DVD selling in Chinatown, the local municipal council put up a sign restricting such activities there a couple of weeks later. It does give me the goosebumps sometime, but if it was to make a difference for the betterment of the community, then of course I feel glad it happened.

What is your favourite photojournalism photo of yours?

Oh wow... this is a tough one, but I'm sure everyone agrees that everybody's all-time favorite would be this:



My other personal favorites:


(an experiment using titles to make one think)


...I think I got carried away a li'l there. :3

Have you ever felt afraid when making a photo within a photojournalism direction - of what?

There's only one thing on my mind everytime I try to do that: Keeping it real. Stay focused on the subject matter and do not stray away from the assignment. I get edgy when I don't have the materials I need. But of course, being in the front line of the works I've been, I've seen it once, I've seen it all. Fearing the things you see in front of you isn't healthy (which resulted in my retirement) but the fear of making sure you follow the ethics of telling the truth through your works is what you should worry more of.

Have you ever had any issues while (or due to) making photojournalism? E.g.: troubles with the law or with someone not wanting to be photographed, etc… If not, what was your biggest challenge towards photojournalism?

I was banned from a country (I shall not name of) because of a photograph that depicted a monk begging outside a mosque. I was chased by thugs after taking "Buffet Lines". I had my cameras smashed for being too closed to the action. I had numerous accidents that saw my gears damaged. It sounds like working hazards, but I survived to tell. I cannot shy away from using super telephoto lenses when the action is happening right in front of me. If I have to, I'll do anything to get that shot, and run if I need to. Did I say fun times? Yeah. Fun times...

What do you most like about photojournalism? Would you trade it for any other photographic genre or even for any other medium?

Who needs gym when you're into extreme journalism? If you want to play with this genre, you gotta have thick skin, and imagine yourself not wearing any kevlar in a warzone. If you can do that, you're good to go.

No, seriously. Safety first at all times. You can have fun with your work, you get to have more freedom as long as you practice caution with your surroundings. And why trade it if there's always something fresh happening that's unposed, unstaged, and unfiltered in front of you?

Is there any photojournalist you admire - in dA and/or in Real Life? And any photo in particular?

Not one in particular. To every photojournalist, it's like a brotherhood. We respect and care for each other no matter where we're from, what background we have, where are we assigned to etc. For instance, when fellow journalists were in the proximity of Mumbai during the last attacks recently, all our eyes and ears were 1/4 at the story that's unfolding, but the rest were us praying for these journo's safety. I have made alot of friends here on dA and in real life who are journalists, and I cannot be biased because even I myself I know where I stand with my works and as I mentioned earlier, everyday in journalism is a learning process so there's always something for everybody.

If you could, you would?

Hell yes.

How did you find dA? Why dA? What is your favourite part of dA? If you could tell the world about dA what would you say? Do you tell offline friends about dA?

You sure you wanna go on? I'm afraid I bore your viewers?

I found dA though a good friend who saw my works and thought it would be nice to share it to the world using an internationally renowned platform for a bigger audience. My favorite part is to see how one matures in his or her works only by learning through being around dA. When you see a friend or a friend of a friend joining with artworks that's not so breathtaking, and after helping and guiding them out, you see them mature in their works and receive the recognitions they deserve, you just gotta sit back, sigh, smile, and give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done.

I have the deviantART lanyard, some buttons, and some stickers. I wear them religiously everyday as I hung my iPod Touch on the lanyard and use the buttons to secure the earphones... and I have this pure win sticker I put on my laptop's front cover... Everytime I walk around town, people asks me what my user ID is, and when I told them who I was, they'd go "WHOA!" Ok, enough bragging... The Asian community here are very knowledgable with the art scenes, so it's of no surprise to find alot of the fantastic graphic artists and photographers on deviantART are mostly from Asia, particularly my neighboring country Indonesia.

I'm on the move at all times, so I depend on Facebook to keep in touch with my friends, even sending some a cup of coffee digitally if I can't meet them personally... Most of them may not have heard of deviantART so I sometimes use my Facebook status to put in a teaser about deviantART there. For instance during the HIV+ (Health IS Valuable - Positive) viral campaign I started there, I linked the information to deviantART and saw quite a few other friends joining as well... The power of networking on both DeviantART and Facebook amazes me to this day.

Who would you like to see interviewed next?

Either `achfoo or *RaMiBru

^Helewidis - Great choices! I'll make my best to make it happen!

Could you share your 10 best tips with the community?

I don't think I have 10 unless you count the Q-tips. So let's see...

1. Be ORIGINAL; don't copycat. Photojournalism isn't a staged up work that you can mimic from someone else.

2. Look though each corner of your viewfinder; the scene isn't always happening in the center, but sometimes it comes without notice from the other sides, so watch out. When I photographed "Two Worlds" I wanted to do it vertically until I saw something else coming into my view on the left and changed it to horizontal, all within seconds.

3. Speaking of seconds, practice this 5 seconds rule:
o Aim
o Compose
o Focus
o Focus
o Shoot

4. Once you're used to that, change it to 3 seconds rule:
o Aim
o Focus
o Shoot. It helps you practice on your sense of surroundings.

5. Avoid post-editing as much as possible. I now use the theme "Make the strange familiar, and the familiar strange" in all the works I do, be it Photojournalism, Portraits, Abstract, Surreal, or even Artistic Nudes. Try it! You'll be amazed at your own results!

6. Control your camera; don't let the camera control you - understand the inside-outs of your camera as much as possible

7. Don't worry about the technicalities of how one shoots, worry about how to fit in your storyline WITHIN the image itself.

8. Candid snapshots can sometimes be great photojournalism shots. You never know.

9. Conform to the ethics of photojournalism; even if you have to grab that elusive shot that keeps getting away, bear in mind your surroundings so you won't offend anybody.

10. Remember that Photojournalism is never a contest. Keep cool, calm, and collected and you're on your way to frontpage headlines.

Oh wow, I DID manage ten!

Finally, you talk about photojournalism ethics, what are yours?

Mine's pretty straightforward, although you have to realize it's a dog-eat-dog world out there when we cover a certain assignment amongst other journos. Keep yourself within your own perimeter of work and don't intrude others unless you really really have to. Shoving and pushing and elbowing isn't only rude, it's downright stupid and unnecessary.

Other than that, keep your works as real as possible. Photoshopping or heavy post-editing is frowned upon. Simple dodge and burn or a little crop here and a little conversion there is fine as well, but if one worries more of the technicalities than the composition, it'll be very difficult for you to ever capture an image worthy of the frontpage of a newspaper or magazine. Some of the best photographs I've seen wasn't made from the biggest of dSLRs or the most expensive of rangefinders. Some are even blurry yet the intensity in it captures the mood and excitement of its surroundings.

Copy/pasted from the ABCs of Photojournalism I wrote:
"You are the forefront of the society by bringing to general readers/viewers what you've seen or heard of the story you're covering. Having your point of view of what happened is one thing. Having a biased report is another. You are not allowed to take sides, as it may turn out as propaganda to opposing sides. Being biased may not only degrade the authenticity of your reportage, it may also cost you your job... and future jobs you wish to partake if your story gets overblown by whistle-blowers."


Thank you very much, Evan!

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. Good luck with the interviews!