When I go out to shoot I feel like a hunter. One has to be quiet and attentive, and stay sharp. I can sense a good shot even before I see it— it’s the setting, the light, something in the corner of the eye. The moment is everything— stars align, a glint here, a shadow there, time stands still, objects dance… a micro theatre in the viewfinder… leading to magic!

I’m more of an image collector than an image maker. I don’t like contrived shots, for me photography is about discovering and capturing. As my practice matures, taking photos of beautiful settings doesn’t excite me. Instead, I like to extract beauty from the mundane— hunt interesting compositions that are in plain view, yet hard to see. There is no narrative, I aim for visual delight. There is a fantastical world amidst the ordinary, hiding in glass reflections. Draped in veils of patterns and textures created by intersecting layers, this is what my eyes seek. Over the recent years, I’ve been mostly shooting reflections in urban settings, which is shaping to become my signature style. My work is about exploring a new kind of aesthetic. Architectural beauty is often juxtaposed with industrial elements in unconventional compositions. Glints, tints, haze and grime act like ornamentation, with layers of meshes/screens/grids adding an extra dimension. The results appear manipulated but are not. What excites me about reflection photography is the element of surprise, as well as the challenge of working within a constraint.

My subject matter is mostly prosaic. I’ll be found standing still in long convoluted poses in shabby alleys. Onlookers are bewildered, for they can’t figure out the subject, and even more surprised when they see the result. Shooting through glass often gets people suspicious; I’ve been shouted at, threatened, punched, and once my camera snatched away by cops. Image integrity and authenticity are important to me especially in today’s era of sophisticated image manipulation where photography is blurring into digital art. For me, the final picture should be as close as possible to what the photographer’s eye saw. I put great effort into avoiding traces of human activity in my photos. I like the somewhat post-apocalyptic or timeless feel it lends. My nemeses are signage, vehicles, plastic downpipes, security cameras and people. Birds and planes are recurrent as they fly to their destinations in the evening sun. Sometimes I will include a human foot or a cyclist for good luck. My work is rich in detail for the eye to wander and savour the beauty in the finer information.

I can say I am addicted to photography. When light pours like liquid gold, time is precious. When I’m shooting I often descend into a hyper vigilant state or ‘the zone’, sometimes forgetting to breathe. A good session leaves me shaken, but also serene, much like after meditation. I have been taking photos for last 30 years for the pleasure of shooting, never letting intention or ambition taint my work. An architect by profession, I haven’t had much time or opportunity to share my photography…until now!”