Depression - Reason Man Started Photography

By Tan Yann Fang

SUNGAI LONG: Trident Xuan Tew, 23, a student from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) started the journey of photography as a way of releasing depression since 2015 and having a life together with passion in photography now.

Story behind Trident’s photograph

            Trident started to find depression because of family and love issues.

In year 2015, he started to find a way out when he started to take photograph with his first digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera his father gave him in the year 2010.

            During back then in 2010, he started photography with a brief period of enthusiasm then only he started and found the passion in photography in 2015.

“Sometimes it is fine to be lost, but always remember to find your way out”, said Trident.

            Initially, he started photography and his ego lead him to the thought that he was a professional by using auto setting on the DSLR but in reality he was just an amateur when he look back.

About Trident

Winning the first time in international contest on ViewBug international photo contest with two awards in a row.

As he started back his journey in photography, he won his first two awards in his life on 10 June this year.

“It might seems nothing bombastic but it is TOTALLY a big leap for me. It felt extremely good that professionals recognize and appreciate your piece of artwork”, posted Trident on his Facebook account.

Nicole Tan, has always be his model for portrait photography and there is a reason behind.

Trident tend to find someone he knew to be his model as he know what kind of feeling is suitable for the model once you get to know them.

For this case, Nicole has a cool and strong personality and hence Trident aim to shoot a photo carrying out the queen feeling.

They have known each other so well until a point where Nicole knows what's in trident mind when he point at a random place or building said Nicole.  

Trident will not choose someone who is famous on internet as his model because they are famous and pretty or handsome already.

What Trident’s aim is to find one ordinary person and capture their most beautiful side.

Favorite photo of Trident taken in Taiwan with the combination of warm and cold color tones.

           

             In order to achieve the feeling of this photo, Trident had tuned and rendered it a total 14 times during the post-production.

            The reason why he tuned it 14 times is because there will be defective pixel (a.k.a dead pixel) and color cast in the photo which can’t be seen with our naked eyes especially taken at night.

            Hence, he need to use software to trace those dead pixel and color cast by rendering it.

            Besides this photo, he has a scene carved in his mind which he couldn’t capture it clear with his phone in 2012.

            He saw a deer in Mount Fuji which covered with snow once after the tour guide said it’s a blessing to see a deer in Mount Fuji as it’s a rare case.

            Without his DSLR, he could only capture the afterimage with his Samsung S3 which make him regret until now.

           

People that he look up to

            Peter Mckinnon, a Canadian photographer who educates viewers about photography and cinematography on his eponymous YouTube channel, who Trident will always learns something news and inspires new ideas from his channel.

            Conor McCann, a self-taught photographer and filmmaker from Niagara, Canada which his photography is driven by an adventure seeking lifestyle and an intense love of outdoors.

Photo taken by Conor McCann in Shinjuku, an effect Trident wanted to try.

Future plans

            Trident has a plan on his mind which is to find a pedestrian and execute portraits photography immediately for them.

            As he is the type of photographer who wants to get know about the model and find out which feeling is most suitable for the model, hence he wanted to challenge himself to enhance immediate photography for a stranger.

            In addition, his Instagram account, named trident4896 has a total number of 427 followers and wanted to extend and achieve more in future.

Style achieved currently

Elegant

Shot on Fujifilm X-H1at Empire Damansara.

Combination of dreamy pinky tone from Japanese and Korean along with the Western's sharp dark tone.

The Alley

Street photography shot at Taipei, Taiwan.

"If you need me, find me among the stars."

Milky Way Photograph

Architecture photograph shot at Bangkok, Thailand.

If missing someone is a disease, then I would be incurable. – Nicole Tan

Shot at Lightbox, Sungai Buloh.