Cycle of Love

05/01/2017

Cycle of Love 2017 Just released! Cycle of Love!!! It’s been six years since I’ve done any work involving origami. This is in large part due to the fact that it took me a whole year to complete the last one, because it involved folding a thousand paper cranes in pursuit of making a wish (Senbazuru). But the thing is, although I always tell people the story of how I made my wish, I hardly ever discuss what I actually wished for. Traditionally a Senbazuru folder is suppose to make some sort of selfless wish, such as: wishing a couple …

LGBTQ+ Make Out At Trump Tower

02/13/2017

I went to the LGBTQ+ Make Out At Trump Tower this past Sunday to document the LGBTQ+ struggle. Having had numerous gay friends since college, I felt like it was my duty to go document this protest in particular. Even though it was much less popular than some of the previous protests I covered in the last few weeks. Plus, the image of a huge crowd of people making out at the same time while protesting Trump seemed like a sure win in my mind. It was a cold, slippery, and rainy afternoon which probably contributed to the low turnout …

Snow Days

02/13/2017

When I was a kid, blizzards usually meant snow days i.e. day off from school to go sledding with my friends. So I have many fond memories associated with snow, and blizzards from when I was little. That’s probably why I try to get at least one snow shoot in every year. But shooting in a blizzard can be unpredictable because the weather might suddenly change on you. Basically I need to drop everything and pull together a shoot at the last minute to make it happen. This year, I went out during the blizzard last Thursday to photograph New …

Street Photography Lately

02/01/2017

#WMNYC With all the recent protests that have happened in the last week, I felt the need to do my part in documenting this moment in history. The last time I felt this way, and probably the last time I really shot straight photography, was when President Obama was first inaugurated in 2009. I was still a university student then, and I haven’t really thought about shooting street photography much since. Mary Ellen Mark used to describe street photography to me as like “Playing an instrument, if you don’t practice it, you’ll lose it.” So I was a little nervous …

An Asian man in a dark suit looking back into the camera while walking down a street. A group of the Asian man in white, walking the other way in the reflection.

Why I Make the Art I Do, and the Origins of the W.O.1

01/27/2017

Reflection 2012 I’m part of a trend of young photographers such as: Brook Shaden, Erik Johansson and Casane, using photoshop to create surreal images. If I had to give myself a label, I’d call myself a “Neo-Photo Surrealist.” Because while I’m creating images in the tradition of the Surrealists photographers such as: Man Ray, Salvador Dali, Lee Miller and more recently Sandy Skoglund. I differ in my choice of tools, namely in my use of Photoshop. I strive to make work that strikes a delicate balance between beauty and heady. But I wasn’t always this way. To explain why, let …

A group of Asians in uniforms, standing on their head next to a graffiti wall at the Five Points in Queens, NY.

How Dance Influences My Art Part II

01/06/2017

I’ve been a dancer much longer than I’ve been a photographer, so it’s probably no surprise that dance has had a profound influence on my creative process. This is part II of an essay dealing with the subject of how dance has influenced my art. My experiences with dance has specifically had a deep impact over what I think GOOD art is. Some dancers have a very technical, but consistently clean style. But this requires an audience that knows the dance, in order to appreciate what these kinds of dancers are doing. Then there are some dancers who have …

Battle - Two groups of asian guys in black and white suits break dancing on the street Boston's in Bay Village.

How Dance Influences My Art Part I

01/05/2017

Battle 2011 Over the holidays I got to catch up with some old friends, and reminisce about how we got to where we are now. One topic that was brought up is the influence of my dance experience on my artwork. I’ve been a dancer much longer than I’ve been a photographer, so it’s probably no surprise that dance has had a profound influence on my creative process. My earlier drafts of this post was too long for comfortable reading. So I’ve broken it up into two parts, starting with this post. One of the primary ways in which …

Screen shot of World of One featured on Peta Pixel

I Got Published On Peta Pixel!!!

12/21/2016

I’m very excited to announce, I was published on Peta Pixel today!!! I was originally preparing a very different post on dance and creativity, but I think this news takes precedence! Peta Pixel is an online photo magazine that’s mostly geared towards photographers. But that’s also what makes this so rewarding. I’m a longtime fan of their work, having read articles about the latest gear/photo techniques on their site for years. It’s an amazing feeling to finally be able to contribute to this publication!! Come check it out! Just click on the image below to view the feature. Sign up …

White suited Asian guy sitting on some steps in the shade, surrounded by angry looking dark suited asian guys with red shoes.

World of One: Angry Calm – the Art of Cool

12/13/2016

Angry Calm 2016 Giclée Image size (HxW): 24″ x 47 9/16” inches | Paper Size (HxW): 30″ x 53 9/16” | Edition of 5 What is the essence of cool? I’ve spent years of my life (some would say wasted), trying find the answer to this question. The art of cool of me however, has always eluded me. Growing up in the 90s, I thought parachute pants were cool (something my high school friends will never let me forget). I also spent the entirety of my 20s trying to “keep it real” maintaining a lifestyle befitting for a bohemian …

Shinobi No Kame - A group of dark suited Asian men standing on a roof, staring at an Asian man emerging in a white suit.

World of One: Shinobi No Kame

11/22/2016

Shinobi No Kame 2016 Giclée Image size (HxW): 24″ x 40 7/16” inches | Paper Size (HxW): 30″ x 46 7/16” | Edition of 5 Shinobi No Kame is inspired by Ninja Turtles (my favorite tv show growing up), and by the legendary Life Magazine photographer Gordon Parks. Although the atmosphere of Shinobi No Kame is reminiscent of a generic comic book ambush scene. The composition is inspired by Gordon Parks’ iconic The Invisible Man collaboration with writer Ralph Ellison. Production Notes This shot was taken almost as an afterthought. This summer, I was obsessed with shooting a water balloon scene for …