Franco
Cheung |
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Q How long have you been interested in Photography?
Since summer of 1993
Q Why did you start taking pictures?
I was born and breed in Hong Kong. When I was in the University,
I planned a trip to Europe and thought that it might be
a good idea to keep some good record photos of my trip.
I borrowed a basic SLR camera from my father with a standard
zoom lens and learnt some basic photographic ideas from
photographic magazines.
Q What was the first picture you took, that you can remember?
Before my trip, I had a trial run with the camera. I managed
to expose my first roll of film when I openned the film
box without the film rewinded (the kind of hassle vanished
in the digital world). So, I've never seen my first picture.
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Q Have you any other interests?
I like cooking
Q What was the first camera you owned?
Nikon FM2
Q Which piece of equipment could you not live without?
A wide angle lens in standard wide range (28-35mm); fixed focal
length or zoom. I found perspectives from standard wide angle
range very neutral and the angle of view gives a good sense
of an environment for my street photography.
Q What equipment do you use now?
I switched to digital completely in the summer of 2007 and from
Nikon to Canon as well. Now, I have a Canon 5D and a couple
of zoom lenses and a fixed wideangle lens
Q How long have you been a member of OPS?
Since autmun 07
Q What are the rewards of being a member of OPS?
Well arranged evening meetings every Tuesday, interesting photo
trips, constructive critics on photos, lucky draw every week
and many more. To me, the best reward is to make a number keen
photographer friends, plenty of fun and I like the healthy competitive
environment.
Q Have you been a member of other camera clubs?
No
Q What is your favourite film?
I like Kodachrome 64 although I haven't been able to show its
strength in my works. I used to use Fuji Velvia a lot. I like
its punchy and vivid colour although I have to admit that it
doesn't work well on certain circumstances in which I wish I
have Kodachrome with me. For Black and White, I fancy Tri-X
400.
Q What are your favourite subjects?
Have to be Street Photography because our Chairman Philip Joyce
said other types of photography are not geniune photography.
Q Who are your favourite photographers?
Alex Webb, James Natchwey, Robert Frank, Sebastiao Salgado and
Steve Mccurry, and many more photographers of Magnum and National
Geographic.
Q What makes a good picture to you?
There must be some sort of visual interest, maybe colour, scale,
or pattern. I like pictures that give a few layers of interest
in it, give a sense of a decisive moment and tell a story, preferably
about people.
Q How do you approach to your photographic subject matters?
I like taking candid shots although I do ask people in certain
occasions. I usually observe and try to anticipate a decisive
moment. Of course, I failed most of the time. I don't usually
explore the potential of a subject by taking a lot of different
shots from different angles and with different lenses. If I
find an interesting picture potential, I try to take a few shots
from slightly different angles or slightly different compositions.When
I find something interesting, I almost always have to tell myself
to stay calm and observe. Try to put more than one element in
the photo. Otherwise, you are likely to end up with a close-up
shot or a casual shot and miss a composition opportunity. I
rather have one or two great shots in a day than tens of average
good shots.
Q What is your facourite photographic quote?
"If
your photographs aren't good enough, you're not close enough"
by Robert Capa
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