High Resolution, High detail photograpahy
My photography is a means for me to provide visualization to my thoughts and feelings.
I chose to focus my photography on subjects which I am passionate about: watches, architecture and interiors, cityscapes and magnificent landscapes. For each, I strive to provide the viewer more than just a glimpse of the beauty I see, but also to evoke the feelings I experience when I look, touch, feel, experience these wonderful subjects.
For watch photography, I believe I offer a unique perspective and view. As a long term watch collector and horology enthusiast, I think more like a collector than a photographer. And am able to select angles, aspects of the watch, be it the dial, case, movement that is able to show off the piece. I feel I am able to communicate my passion to the viewer, engaging him, challenging him, provoking him to take a closer look, and enjoy the timepiece.
For cityscapes and landscpaes, I try to recreate and re-live the feelings as I was on site and looking at the beauty and magnificence of the view. I attempt to provide cues to the viewer of the scale.
Artistic Approach
Because I cut my teeth in IT, Aviation and senior managment, I bring to each project a disclipline and methodology which provides consistent and good results. I do a lot of planning and research before each shoot. I study the subject in great detail. Read and understand all aspects of the subject from available literature. And I spend time with the client understanding his needs and what he wants to show in my photographs.
Watches and Horology - Watchscapes
I approach each watch to show its uniqueness. I spend time talking to the client to understand what makes each timepiece special. As a collector, I am already armed with much of this instinct on what makes the watch special or interesting. I then select the angles to show this off. Many of the times, the beauty of timepeices are very subtle due to fine finishing techniques, and watches are by nature very small objects. I utilize various approaches to show this. Often by capturing the detail with good color range, and tone. And with great resolution.
Many of my work revolves around very high magnification photography, typically up to 1.9 times magnification of the subject to sensor. This is technically demanding. But allows the watches to be shown off like a watchscape – a detailed 3 dimensional landscape of the elements which make the watch interesting.
Fine Art
I appproach cityscapes and landscapes as fine art. I visualize the scene before me. I am heavily influenced by Ansel Adams and his visualization techniques. I routinely utilize his Zone System to achieve the visualization in my photographs. I am also influenced by the works of Quang-Tuan Luong, a large format photographer who is most famous for his works on the US National Parks.
Technical Approach
To reach my artistic goal, I utilize state of the art equipment. Trained as a physicist, I have an eye for the technical and am well versed with the technical aspects of photography. I am entirely self taught, never having attended any courses on photography or being an assistant.
I selected my equipment very carefully, to provide maximum technical capability at a cost which is managable to me and ultimately to the client.
My current equipment is detailed in the page "Camera Equiptment"
Hasselblad H3D-39. This is a 39 Mp digital camera. The technology has been superseeded by Hasselblad with the H3D-II and later with the H4D, but the H3D holds its own. The image quality afforded is identical to the later generation H3D-II. The files produced by this camera is amazing in detail, resolution and tonality. I am very sensitive to both macro and micro aspects of detail, resolution and tonality, and am satisfied that the H3D delivers this very well.
I utilize advanced techniques like focus stacking to obtain deep depth of field in a macro image. I also use panorama stitching extensively to create wide panorama images of cityscapes, landscapes and architecture.
Offerings
The eye for detail, excellence in the technique in practice, and the equiptment I have allows me to make very large prints. The native files I capture will print to A2 (420mm x 594mm) with no up-scaling of the images. By utilizing a fractal methodology for upsizing, I am able to easily produce A0 (841mm x 1189mm) prints on Archival Paper with no loss of resolution, tonality or the essence of the photograph. Larger prints may be possible via stitching or other techniques.
Printing is done with a large format inkjet printer using archival pigment inks on archival paper.
Even for web images, a keen eye can detect the subtle details in resolution and micro-tonality of the images captured. And allows my photograph to show the texture, convey the touch, feel and mood of the subject.
Please contact me at chongp at gmail.com to discuss your requiremnts for a photoshoot or to purchase a print of my photographs.
