Bored Panda reached out to Edas Wong, a renowned street photographer known for his unique style and keen observation. In our recent interview with him, Wong delved into his experiences, inspirations, and challenges in the field of street photography. Here's what he had to share:
When asked about how Hong Kong's environment might have influenced his style, Wong shared, "I think the environment and surroundings only affect the contents/elements of artwork and how often a creative idea can be triggered, but not perspective." He further elaborated that while surroundings might change the content of an artwork, "perspective depends on the individual and is also influenced by culture, education, morality, etc."
Wong recalled his early days in photography and how joining "several street photography groups on Flickr" exposed him to various talented photographers. He mentioned, "There were many good photographers there, and I learned a lot of concepts from them." However, he highlighted that he "didn't admire any specific photographers."
Discussing the role of equipment in his work, Wong emphasized the importance of observation, noting, "Yes, observation is key." But he also acknowledged the importance of having a reliable camera, saying, "the camera is our partner, and it needs to be reliable and able to reproduce the effect you expect." Currently, he finds solace in using the "Leica Q3, which captures all the details I want."
Touching on the ethics of capturing strangers candidly, the photographer revealed that sometimes "bravery is needed." Recalling a particularly challenging experience, he said, "I remember once, after I took a photo in the subway, two guys approached me, pushed me to the wall, and asked me to delete the photo because they were in the frame. In the end, I deleted the photograph..."
Lastly, on the topic of post-processing, Edas mentioned he spends a minimal amount of his time on it, estimating "less than 10% of my time." He elaborated, "That time is mainly spent on 'cropping' to emphasize the targeted objects."
