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With subjects ranging from Jackie Chan to Michael
Jackson, Cindy Crawford to Zhang Ziyi, photographer Russel Wong's
portfolio abounds with famous faces in fashion and entertainment.
A Singapore native educated in the United States -- at Art Center
College of Design and New York University -- Wong has channeled
his knowledge of Western and Asian cultures into a truly international
career. Dubbed the "Richard Avedon of Asia," he is perhaps
best known as the eye behind a dozen celebrity-portrait covers for
Time magazine, but he is also an accomplished commercial
photographer, who works with high-profile clients such as Singapore
Airlines, Cartier, Nike, and American Express.
And if those accomplishments don't provide sufficient
evidence of his versatility, Wong has now entered the world of film.
Since attending NYU's film school, he has directed several commercials,
including Promax Award-winning Discovery Channel spots and a CLIO-winning
public-service spot for breast-cancer awareness. He has worked closely
with renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou, shooting the promotional posters
for the internationally acclaimed films Hero and House
of Flying Daggers. Now he's making plans to direct his own
feature film.
As Asian pop culture takes on a more global presence,
Wong's celebrity seems poised to rise with it. CMYK caught
up with him recently to find out what it's like to be, as Asiaweek
recently called him, an Asian to look out for in the new millennium.
CMYK: What are the major differences
between working in the U.S. and working in Asia?
Russel Wong: The red tape in the USA does get to
you -- the agents, publicists, unions.
It's like working on a family business when we work on an Asian
film. There's easy access to everyone; the directors eat with everyone
and talk to everyone. The actors too. There's not much of a hierarchy.
CMYK: Is that a cultural difference?
Or a difference between the Asian and American film industries?
RW: It's definitely a cultural difference. We [Asians]
hate contracts and love to deal in a more personal way. A lot of
my work is [based on] a handshake and we run with it. Trust is everything
when we do business in Asia. The industry is not as structured here
as it is the U.S. I don't think it will change a lot in terms of
how movies are made, which makes it very unique. [I hope] it will
still have that independent feel and way of working to it.
CMYK: Does your education and experience
in the States set you apart from other Asian photographers?
RW: Yes it does, technically and also marketing
wise. I went to Art Center in Pasadena where the photo department
was set up by Ansel Adams. I lived in LA and learned the ropes in
terms of contracts and dealing with the entertainment industry.
The promotional material that photographers used was so important
[in L.A.] and no one in Singapore even had promo cards.
CMYK: Why did you decide to set
up your studio in Singapore?
RW: There was a lot of good work here but not many
photographers, so the market was wide open. It guaranteed me a lot
of great work [for clients] like Singapore Airlines and other global
accounts.
CMYK: Do you ever feel stereotyped
as an Asian photographer or that your work is limited to Asian subjects?
RW: Never. I started in the States shooting Americans
first. I don't limit my subjects to nationalities. I've always shot
around the world but just happened to be based in Singapore. Of
course my relationships are strong in Asia and thus I work a lot
more closely with the actors and actresses here, not because they're
Asian, but because they do great work and are great friends.
CMYK: Do you approach your subjects
differently depending on where you are working?
RW: Yes I do. The cultural differences dictate
this. I can't deal with an American in the same way as an Asian.
Asians tend to be more personal and we sometimes don't even deal
with their managers. They are more non-confrontational.
CMYK: Americans are more confrontational?
How is working with them different from working with Asians?
RW: I can be very direct with them and they get
it and don't feel insecure about it, whereas I tread a bit more
carefully dealing with my Asian subjects.
CMYK: How do you feel about being
called the "Richard Avedon of Asia"?
RW: Those are huge shoes to fill!
CMYK: Are you influenced by Avedon's
work?
RW: Very much so. It was his Versace ad that turned
me on to fashion photography. I was shooting sports first.
CMYK: What photographers or artists
have influenced you?
RW: Avedon, [Irving] Penn, [Horst P.] Horst, Picasso,
Dali…
CMYK: What is it about each of these
artists that is important to you?
RW: Each has his voice. Their work is timeless
and not a fad!
CMYK: What is it like to work with
so many high-profile celebrities? Do you have a special attitude
or approach to working with celebrities that is different from other
types of photo shoots?
RW: I never give them too much respect! They'll
take over the shoot. In terms of lighting, I do approach every subject
the same way and don't distinguish them. I use clean design and
directional light.
CMYK: Are those the hallmarks of
your style? Are there any other qualities that define your work
and make it uniquely yours?
RW: Yes they are. There's also usually a sense
of joie de vivre. I'm a happy person.
CMYK: Do you have a favorite model
or photo shoot?
RW: Zhang Ziyi of [the films] Hero and
Crouching Tiger is always good to work with as she's a
great performer. Being a trained dancer, she moves great. Jackie
Chan is also great as he's a director and knows exactly what I want
in the image.
CMYK: How do you balance your interests
and goals as a photographer with the demands and limitations of
working with celebrities?
RW: I usually choose great films to work on and
work with the great directors. There's too much film garbage out
there that is here for three months and gone tomorrow! I work with
Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) a
lot and he's usually a sure bet. [I choose] projects that go global
and are recognized as art. This leaves me ample time to shoot my
personal work. I've been shooting a lot of landscapes with my 8x10
view camera. I've been also doing a lot of flowers and leaves!
CMYK: That seems so different from
your commercial work -– what draws you
to landscapes and nature?
RW: I don't have to deal with divas and tardiness!
I can take my time about it and wait for the light. It's back to
basics, me and my camera and maybe a cup of coffee!
CMYK: What are the main differences
between photography for advertising, editorial, and "high art"?
Do you prefer one type over the others?
RW: Advertising is restrictive. I don't care for
it. Editorial is like jazz; you improvise within a theme. Fine art
is just pure inspiration-driven and you start from a blank page,
which is what every artist loves!
CMYK: What advice do you have for
aspiring and up-and-coming photographers?
RW: Travel, read, and love and absorb everything
around you.
CMYK: Asian cinema is becoming more
popular all over the world. What was it like to work with Zhang
Yimou and the casts of Hero and House of Flying Daggers?
RW: Very easy as I know them all well. Yimou never
once impeded my creativity. I had free rein to interpret the movie.
When you have a great director, a great set designer, and great
costumes it makes my job so easy. It doesn't hurt when the actors
and actresses give you the performance you need for the posters
as they are so committed. We all feel that what we do now will be
seen by the rest of the world. Asian movies are more global now
and so the art must be great.
CMYK: Now that you're transitioning
into filmmaking, what kind of films would you like to make?
RW: Films that tell a good story and show Asia
in a true light, and are visually exciting of course!
CMYK: Do you see yourself as part
of a larger Asian artistic movement? As a representative of Asian
culture?
RW: Yes to both. I do represent Asian culture but
in a very contemporary way -- since I was educated in the States,
grew up here in Asia, and am now back working on Asian films --
I'm the modern Asian, maybe with a twist.
This interview originally appeared
in the Summer, 2005 issue of CMYK.
Reprinted with permission.
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