A Few Words with Carmen Chan

You probably know Carmen Chan from the photos of  the gents of The Armoury, Colonial Goods, Ascot Chang, Tassels, etc. that devoured the menswear tumblrs a few weeks ago.  But there’s a lot more to Carmen than just her great menswear shots, and she was kind enough to share some of her inspirations and goals with us here at Simply Refined.

First can you please tell me a little about how you came to photography and what made you want to focus on shooting fashion/portraits?

I discovered photography beyond point and shoot through my friend Ken Wu. About 3 years ago I saw the still life’s and portraits on his flickr and I thought they were amazing so I asked him if he could teach me how to shoot manually with an SLR. We went to a park, he taught me about ISO, shutter speed, and aperture…from that day on I was hooked. I was nearing the end of a freelance gig in television production and all I could think about was being outside of my office shooting. I was trying to learn as much as possible outside of work, mostly from the internet.

And how did you take that next step?

I gained a lot of professional industry knowledge from Fashion Photography Blog and admired Melissa’s work. She was offering an internship at that time (no experience necessary – perfect for me) so I decided to take a break from production and intern with her. I ended up really enjoying it. I was learning something new every day and it was a lot smaller scale than the TV/film productions I was working on, which meant it was more exciting and fun. I continued assisting various fashion photographers in L.A. once the internship was over and slowly transitioned to shooting. I can’t really explain how I decided on fashion/portraits. I’m definitely a people watcher (not creepy at all) and find personal style intriguing and inspiring. I suppose fashion/portraits is a branching out of that interest. My dream would be to shoot people for How I Met Your Style for the rest of my life! I also enjoy shooting fashion because I appreciate the story/work/creativity behind the garments and campaigns and on shoot day it’s exciting when all the talent (model, hair, makeup, styling) comes together to give life and personality to the pieces and brands.

My goal is to capture the person as intimately and naturally as possible, the way you would see them if you’re spending time with them.

How do you try to get the most from your subjects, and what’s your process for trying to get them to come across on film/on screen?

Generally for portraits I don’t give too much direction besides how the person should be positioned for the best light and where to look.  Then I move around to find the best angle/composition. My goal is to capture the person as intimately and naturally as possible, the way you would see them if you’re spending time with them. I notice the details and in-between moments. It’s a little different for commissioned work but for my personal work that’s what I strive for.

There is something really personal about your images.  They all look like they were taken at the subject’s home by their best friend rather than by a professional on location.  Is this something you do consciously, or did it just develop naturally?  What draws you to shoot these kinds of images?

Thank you for sharing that observation! I feel like I’m finally able to define my “style”. My approach towards subjects when I shoot is really subconscious. Actually, the look of my first couple shoots is not far from the look of my most recent shoot. I believe God created everything to be beautiful and I hope that’s conveyed in my images. When the light falls a certain way on someone or something, I see beauty in those moments so I try to capture/recreate that. If I do have to add light to a scene it would still have to feel organic.

I have always thought of photographing people as a very romantic process.  Do you agree?  What about it do you think is so intimate and engaging?  

I totally agree. I really love shooting portraits, meeting people, and the experience of the shoot, however brief it may be. The moment when your subject is looking at your lens and you’re peering through the viewfinder looking directly back at them, there’s a connection there. It’s quite strange now that I think about it. Even when you’re having a conversation with someone you may not necessarily be making eye contact the entire time. But when you’re shooting someone’s portrait, they are looking at you, free of distraction…for that brief moment, all of their attention is on you. Even when they are looking away or I’m just shooting details, I’m still capturing that person’s emotion at that moment or an aspect of the subject (what they decided to wear and how they’re wearing it) that I think is worth noticing, so all of my attention is on them. Either way there is a dedication of focus and time towards another person, I value that.

There isn’t a particular thing that I will photograph if someone is wearing it…what catches my eye is how things are worn.

Your recent photos of the extremely stylish gents of Hong Kong have been blogged and reblogged a hundred times over, and with good reason.  What drew you to get involved with these guys and what was it like shooting with them?

I’m am so grateful that Arnold at Colonial Goods gave me the opportunity to work with him on his first product and for opening up the #menswear door to me. I was initially drawn to The Armoury and Colonial Goods because they provided something I hadn’t seen in Hong Kong on previous visits; a space that places heavy emphasis on a timeless style rather than what’s in fashion. They take pride in the quality and value of their products as well as their own wardrobe, yet they are extremely humble and generous with their knowledge. Shooting with them has been a pleasure and a welcomed lesson for me in menswear.

Can you tell me a little about your own style and how it came to be?

My own style is a little la-garçonne, influenced by LA’s street style (I moved back to Hong Kong four months ago). I stick to basics since I don’t shop too often and want my wardrobe to last through the season’s trends. I adore Madewell (but they don’t have stores in HK!). I dress for comfort so even though I own a fair number of heels I save them for events. When I’m shooting, I’m in Chucks otherwise I wear ballet flats, sandals, oxfords, Tom’s or Sperry Topsiders. I think my personal style is still changing a little, but I’m inspired by all the women I’ve shot for my How I Met Your Style.

What sorts of things really catch your eye when looking at people you consider stylish?

I really notice the details; accessories. There isn’t a particular thing that I will photograph if someone is wearing it…what catches my eye is how things are worn.

For those of us (like myself) who love to geek out over photo equipment, what do you shoot?

Personal work is shot on a Mamiya RZ67 and 120 film. Most of my street shots and jobs are shot on a Nikon D700.

Any exciting projects coming up for you on the horizon?

Yes! A shoot for a new magazine under Winkreative (the same people who are responsible for Monocle) and something for Whitespace, a HK-based design consultancy whose work I admire.

Any parting thoughts?

I’m excited for the direction that Colonial Goods and The Armoury are moving in, and really grateful for the support of all the guys on tumblr that I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting.