Sam Lim is a 25-year-old photographer based in Manila, Philippines. He's known for his black and white photography and it's readily featured in popular magazines. He shoots just about everything that you can imagine: food, fashion, beauty, portraits, etc. WadidoLA got a chance to talk to Lim about his beginnings in photography and his plans for the future. Check it out below along with examples of his photography.
WLA: When and why did you first get into photography?
SL: It was really something I wanted back when I was in high school but didn't have any resources to back it up with. I enjoy looking at photographs and appreciating them in a sense no one would really care to understand. I started off playing around with a point-and-shoot consumer digital camera which gave me a few decent shots (nothing fancy) but then, when I graduated from college and got an office job and started earning, I bought my first digital SLR and took up a few workshops and read a few books to enhance my understanding of photography. I started shooting street and capturing candid photos then slowly ventured into doing fashion and commercial photography.
WLA: Do you have a day job?
SL: Yes, I actually do this professionally. I work as an in-house photographer for a magazine publication here in the Philippines. This basically is my bread and butter. I also have my own business which is a food catering service that I handle alongside my photography.
WLA: How would you describe your photographic style?
SL: Lately I've been shooting a lot of food from well-known hotels and restaurants from all over the Philippines and I'm really enjoying it. I'm actually having thoughts of going that path into photography and making a name out of myself as a food photographer. However, my love for black and white images is something I'm known for, whether it be fashion, beauty, portraits or street. I always consider converting my photos into black and white. I love colour but seeing an image in black and white really makes a difference. The drama, the well-defined texture brings along with its simplicity, for me, it really makes an image REAL enough to be appreciated.
WLA: Where do you most like to shoot?
SL: I like to shoot outdoors and to be creative with my composition. I like to go and shoot in places I've never been to before. However, here in the Philippines, almost all the places you go requires you to have a permit to shoot which is really annoying and obscure (even in public places). Not to mention, being a tropical country, the weather here is really unpredictable. So, as a result, I'm doing more studio and indoor shoots as of the moment to avoid all those inconveniences. But, someday, I plan on travelling the world and shoot all types of people in different places doing all sorts of stuff.
WLA: Have you ever worked with anyone that was really exciting?
SL: Yes! Being fortunate enough to work for a magazine publication, I'm able to collaborate with lots of creative and talented people. Models, makeup artists, fashion stylists / designers, graphic artists, writers, all of them are masters of their own craft, but what really excites me the most, is being able to work with some of the most well-known photographers in the industry. From them, I really learn a lot of things that you wouldn't normally learn from attending workshops and studying photography. They teach you things that happen in real life and being prepared for it. They also share some of their techniques and secrets and these are the simple reasons why I do what I do as of the moment. Learning from the people around me is something that will never grow old and something worth being excited about.
WLA: Have you shot for any magazines our readers might know?
SL: I shoot for a whole bunch of local magazines. Most of them are lifestyle magazines such as Southern Living and Northern Living Magazine. There's F&B World, a food and trade magazine. Some of my works were also featured in Digital Photographer Magazine.
WLA: Are you working on any current projects?
SL: Yes, I'm currently working on photographing General Managers, Directors, and Executive Chefs of five-star hotels and restaurants here in the Philippines. I’m also photographing their specialty dishes as well as their environment. As a side project, I'm also doing a series of fashion and glamour studio shoots every weekends.
WLA: Where do you plan to take your photography in the future?
SL: I want to do freelance work outside the country. I want to shoot for magazines not only locally but internationally. Being able to travel and work at the same time is something I'm really looking forward to. And when the time comes that I have to settle down, I want to conduct photography workshops and be able to share the things I've learned throughout my journey working as one.
Check out Lim's Tumblr and his professional site for more of his work. Also, follow him on Twitter for updates.
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