Photographer Spotlight: Interview with Hengki Lee

Rating: 3.75 based on 4 Ratings
  By Julian Rad
Photographer Spotlight: Interview with Hengki Lee www.sleeklens.com

Welcome to another episode of Photographer Spotlight, this time I’d like to welcome Hengki Lee who is a very gifted photographer from Indonesia, who shows astonishing & amazing silhouette pictures. Step inside the world of Hengki and find out what it is that makes him so good in his field.

1) Tell us about yourself, where are you from? How, when and why did you get into photography?

I’m a self-taught visual artist and photographer enthusiast from Jakarta, Indonesia. I started to make artwork with my camera since August 2009. In 2004, when I browsed some pre-wedding photos I realized that I have interest in photography. I found photography so beautiful when I looked at the photos of one great candid wedding photographer in Jakarta Indonesia.

Couples of years later, I decided to join one of local Indonesian photography community website, then I bought my first DSLR in August 2009. At that time, I don’t have any idea what to make with my camera. So I just tried to do some conceptual still life shots with very simple lighting method. Then I observed some artistic moody shots from several good photographers on several websites, got interested to try that genre, and doing that stuff until now.

2) Which gear do you mainly use or what is typically in your camera bag? (Camera body, Filters, Lenses, Tripod, Accessories, etc.)

I use SONY A7R2 for Camera Body. For Lenses, I use Lensbaby Composer pro 2 with Sweet 50 optic and Pinhole/zone plate optic, Sony 24-70mm f2.8 Zeiss, Sony 50mm f/1.4. I never use tripod and flash in my work.

3) How do you prepare for an image? Is there any preparation at all?

I start that from the Idea or Vision, then I choose the location, model, some properties, and the time to take photos.

4) Do you have guiding principles that you follow when you’re taking pictures (image composition)?

I just believe in a “well-balanced” composition. I don’t limit my work to any particular composition theories.

5) How important is post-processing for you? Can you tell us what kind of postprocessing you typically do?

Post processing is quite important since it will make our photos look stronger or better. I always begin my editing process in Camera Raw, for adjusting the exposure, white balance, black and white, shadow, clarity, etc. Then I open it in Photo Shop, and use some plugin filters for the final touch.

6) Do you have general advice and tips for other photographers who want to take similar photos as you?

You can be inspired by other’s work, but just be yourself. Do your dreams, your imaginations, your obsessions and fantasy you have inside. So that your work will have a strong character which is so essential for an artist.

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7) Who or what inspires you to do what you do and why? Are there any photographers you look up to?

Hengki Koentjoro, Andreas Kauppi and Angela Bacon Kidwell. They are all my inspirations. Their works are very poetic with strong character.

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8) What was your biggest accomplishment? (Awards, Publications, Exhibitions, Cooperations, etc.)

  • FIAP BLUE BADGE as the Best Author in 9th Salon Daguerre International Projected Image Photography competition, Paris France 2015
  • FIAP Blue Badge as ‘The Best Author’, in 17th International Photo Salon Ars Fotografica -Romania 2017
  • FIAP BLUE BADGE as “The Best Photographer” in 17th International Digital Imaging Competition 2017, Germany.
  • A feature in ‘Digital Photographer’ Magazine Issue 201, May 2018.
  • Featured in National Geographic “Daily Dozens” and “Weekly Wrapper” May 2012.

9) What are your future photography goals?

To win more Photography Competitions, Solo Exhibitions in Indonesia, Japan, Europe, USA and any other countries abroad.

Doing some Workshop abroad ( Europe, USA, Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, etc), Launching my Fine Art Book and sell them worldwide.

10) Is there anything else you want to say?

Just be yourself, believe in what you do, be persistent and respect others

11) Where can we find your images? (Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, 500px, etc.)

Homepage: hengkilee.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HengkiLeePhotography/
Instagram: @hengki_lee
Twitter: @hengkilee
500px: https://500px.com/hengkilee
1x.com: https://1x.com/member/hengkilee

Rating: 3.75 based on 4 Ratings
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Julian Rad is a self-taught award-winning wildlife photographer, who was born in Vienna, Austria in 1991. When he bought his first camera at the age of 20, he found an expression for the fascination he had about nature & wildlife. He already had many publications in national and internation magazines and newspapers (New York Post, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, The Times, GEO, Digital Photographer Magazine...). He has won several photo competitions such as the comedy wildlife photography awards in 2015.

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