A Genuine Formula

Published April 2008


Louis Pang has every reason to be ecstatic.

In the last six months since I spoke to him about his work he has witnessed the fruits of his labors by way of a Wedding & Portrait Photographers International award in Las Vegas; winning a second place Award of Excellence in the Non-Wedding Photojournalism category for his shot simply titled "Torchbearer". And this is on top of four Accolades of Excellence in the same competition. For a photographer who seriously began his delve into this industry a mere two years ago, these are some outstanding accomplishments indeed. Having the opportunity to photograph an elaborate Indian wedding in Rajasthan gave Louis the ability to really flex his artistic muscles and the results were pure art.


A LOT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU.
Yes a lot has happened in 6 months. We won the international award, thats the biggest news. We have just received the award and it's at home. It's a crystal trophy and it's heavy. And just holding it brings back so many memories of the first time I saw the award online a few months ago. I told myself I would love to be able to have the chance to win it and we took steps towards it. Each time I'd go for a shoot I'd think to myself that maybe I'd be lucky enough to shoot the winning photograph. But like many other things in life, if you don't give it a try you'll never know the outcome.

We just got the proper competition results a few days ago. I read through the whole list and we are the only photographers fromAsia to have won anything. It was an amazing feeling. And the other winning photographers are pretty much the who's who of this industry; people that I have read about in magazines who are like my idols. And to be able to see my name mentioned together with theirs means a great deal.

I would like to say that it was a fluke win but that would be unfair to the other winners. So I've learned to accept it with a cheerful heart, with celebration, with thanksgiving to my family and a few close friends who have helped us along the way. The journey wasn't easy but we were lucky to have people around us who cared about us.


WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR WIN?
Yes I'm the one that pressed the shutter release and took that picture. My hands, my eyes, my camera, my lens. But I could also think of a thousand other reasons why I could have ended up not taking that picture. Had I not learned about being responsible, about modesty, integrity and love, I wouldn't have ended up taking that shot. There were a thousand different variations leading up to that moment. Had I hung around the wrong friends growing up, learned the wrong lessons and ethics, things would have turned out differently. Thanks to a good family upbringing and the right advice from my wife, things have worked out.
I think that this win is good for Malaysia and a great thing for Sabahans. Sometimes Sabahans can suffer from a little inferiority complex thinking that we're not Kuala Lumpur or we're not Penang, because we come from a smaller place. And I am very proud to have won this as a Sabahan.


HAS IT ONLY BEEN TWO AND A HALF YEARS SINCE YOU STARTED PHOTOGRAPHY?
Yes. I'd been taking photographs for the past 8 years but I only got into the business in 2006. And this is why I am very grateful for all the success we've received.


HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHICH PHOTOGRAPHS TO SELECT FOR THE COMPETITION OUT OF THE THOUSANDS YOU'VE SHOT?
I looked for something that I felt was special. I had to look for a picture that jumped out at me. I also looked for cultural relevance. I knew that a lot of the pictures that the judges would be viewing would have more of a western setting to them so I picked a subject matter from a more ethnic wedding. When I took the Torchbearer shot, I was thinking of India five hundred years ago. The costume, the torch. We were waiting for the groom to arrive on a white horse and I saw this guy just standing there. I just waited for him to look at me. I was shooting from a long distance, about 15 to 20 feet away.
And he did. The technique is that the moment a person turns and notices the camera there is always a spark in the eye. That moment of innocence. If you look at the camera for too long it's lost and that's not the real quality I want to capture. I just wanted to capture him. And I got it.
If you look at the picture you'll see more to it than just a guy standing there holding a torch. It has got a timeless quality to it.


DO YOU DO ANY RESEARCH ON INDIA BEFORE SHOOTING THERE SEEING HAS HOW IT WAS YOUR FIRST VISIT?
Well I spent some time with the clients and they explained the significance of each ceremony to me. But listening to them and actually seeing the event are two different things. We researched the location and we arrived a couple of days early so that I got to know the place and the surroundings.
I don't always have that much time though. A lot of things are just instinctive. It's very hard to explain why I know when are good moments to shoot.


WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS?
We are expanding ourselves to be able to shoot more often, probably overseas. We would like to explore places like Europe and Australia. Europe is rich in history, culture, fashion and art and I would love to shoot there. The plan is to bring some couples from Malaysia over there to travel and shoot some engagement photography. Likewise in Australia. For the last couple of weeks we have been getting quite a number of inquiries from Australia for wedding shoots.

It's not a case of me only wanting to shoot in western countries but it is honestly about pushing ourselves and seeing how far we can go. I believe that a great way to push ourselves is by competing against the best. Compete against the Australians. Compete against the Americans, against the Europeans. This is the way to become the best yourself. I want to see how far I can go. I am young and full of energy so why not? I think that is basically the story of my life. I don't know what is going to happen but I just want to give it a shot. If you want to achieve breakthroughs in anything that you are doing you have to have the guts to fail. That's part of experimentation. If you want to play it safe all the time it's just not going to work. So I've never played safe. I always want to go all out.


HOW DID YOU HANDLE THE INITIAL NEGATIVITY? PEOPLE TELLING YOU THAT YOU COULDN'T OR SHOULDN'T DO IT?
It used to affect me. But it's just a matter of processing it correctly. It's not that they don't believe in you but that they're discouraging you because of their own fears or what they deem is possible. Sometimes it's not out of spite but in their own logical mind, certain things are just impossible and henceforth not worth a try. 
Having a good wife certainly helps because Jasmine has been my biggest fan and strongest supporter. And always believed in what we could do. Also some of my friends who saw potential in us before we realized it ourselves. So when it comes to negativity and criticism, just chew on it and decide whether you want to swallow it or not. 
Coming from a small town, not many people took us seriously. But we got our foot in the door, took the first shot and proved what we were capable of. And guess what? They were happy and told other people. So you just have to do your job well. And you have to carry this energy with you. You are only as good as the last picture you take after all. So you have to continue to push yourself. There is no slowing down. People who have seen our work in 2006 till now have noticed the progression in pictures. I don't walk into any place thinking that I deserve this or that. We may be one of the hottest brands in wedding photographyin the country right now but we don't have an air of superiority. You have to treat people with humility, with lots of respect, love and care. And do your jobs as best as you can. Who wouldn't want to work with people like that? I think a lot of people are put off by the big shots, the primadonnas. And there is no need for that sort of behavior. It is better to get people to praise you than to blow your own horn all the time. Yes I feel proud of myself and I know how to promote myself very well. But there is a difference between boasting and marketing.


TELL US ABOUT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS:
We have planned out 4 workshops for this year. I just returned from one in Penang and it was very well received. Everybody had so much fun. I lost my voice the day after the workshop. Because I gave so much of myself, my energy, the talking nonstop for 2 and a half days. And the participants told me that they're noticing things they'd never seen before. They can walk into a room and notice lighting and composition and that they have newfound confidence. Sometimes all you need is to believe in yourself for a few more seconds and you can achieve a breakthrough shot. Some photographers are afraid of trying new things, of being criticized. But if they never try they'll never know what they are capable of.
In the seminar I was talking about passion and attitude, which is something I think is very important for young photographers. People tend to think that this is a glamorous job where you're surrounded by beautiful people in exotic locations and that's not usually the case. You have to put your heart and soul into it. And I'm sharing that with them. How to care for their clients. How to be respectful and considerate. When you take care of people, they'll open up to you. That's how you get beautiful natural looking shots. It's not a trick. It's a genuine formula.


 www.louispang.com/blog

Louis Pang - Blazing a Trail

LOUIS PANG BLAZING A TRAIL - Published in August 2007

Name drop wedding photographer Louis Pang to those in the know in Sabah. Their immediate response will be to beam and wax lyrical on the brilliance of his work as well as to state how personable and pleasant he is.
Mention his name out of Sabah, say in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong for example and chances are you will probably receive a very similar reaction.

Louis Pang has a photography portfolio that could easily rival those of professional wedding photographers worldwide. An unobtrusive man with a fantastic eye for amazing photography, Louis was dubbed "The Passionate Newcomer" by a leading publication in Malaysia.
Louis is as relaxed as he is artistic. A Tawau-born local, he has recently relocated to Kota Kinabalu with his wife and are looking forward to a new life here in between wedding photograph jaunts around Asia.

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Where are you originally from and how old were you when you developed a passion for photography?

I was born in Kota Kinabalu but grew up in Tawau. I picked up photography out of a job requirement. In 2001, I was working as a journalist for a local newspaper and I had to take some pictures too. So I bought a very old fully manual camera, Nikon FM2, and a banged up 35-70mm f/3.5-5.6. The idea of capturing light and shadow on film fascinated me. There was no LCD screen on this RM800 camera, just a huge viewfinder that told me my exposure and focusing plane. Aperture and shutter speed were operated manually.

In my first year at work, I won first and second place in a district level photojournalism contest. I knew then that I had a special gift. Photojournalism has always appealed to me. I would scour the internet for works of photojournalists around the world.

Did you take any photography courses to hone your skill? What made you lean more towards wedding photography?

I didn’t take any formal training on photography. I just learned on the job and by spending time viewing works of other photographers on the Internet. I read a lot on photography and I practiced what I learned on the job. More and more, I was approached to shoot weddings and commercial projects. In 2004, I left the editorial desk to start my own business with a ton of optimism but zero business experience. Very quickly I had learned that being a good photographer is not enough, I need to be a good businessman as well because I am in the photography business.

There was a time when I thought of giving up photography. I was shooting too many things, editorials for magazines and newspapers, commercial work and weddings. I don’t want to spend 20 years in photography being a jack-of-all-trades. I want to leave my mark and blaze a trail. When I reviewed my work, I saw that I was drawn towards photographing people and it was in weddings that I found my best work. So I decided to focus on wedding solely.

I signed up for business classes with the Malaysian Institute of Management (MIM) and read a load of books on sales, marketing, branding. The biggest help was to be taken under the wings of a mentor, a successful and respected businessman who is not a photographer. I've learned that love is the winning formula. Instead of focusing on getting the signature on the dotted line, I focus on solving problems for my clients and meeting their needs. People know it when you are just trying to get your hands into their wallet. Love people genuinely and success will follow.

In March 2007, I spent 11 days attending the Wedding & Portrait Photographer International (WPPI) 2007 in Las Vegas, which was the largest tradeshow and education program for wedding and portrait photographers. It was an eye-opener to learn from the best of the world. I took a two-day class with Joe Buissink, Hollywood’s most sought after wedding photographer, whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguerila, Hilary Swank, Kelsey Grammer, Christina Applegate, Steven Spielberg and Annie Leibovitz.

I can only describe the next two days with Joe as a life-changing experience. Yes, I learned a lot of how-tos, but it is the why-tos that changed me. “Think outside the box”, “take some risks” and “break some rules” is difficult for a Malaysian who is raised to conform and obey. Yet venturing into the unfamiliar and breaking away from the conventional can yield so much creative dividends.

Tell us more about your awards and accolades, and of course how it felt to receive them.

In July, I won 1st place in the WPPI 2007 8x10 print competition. It is the world’s largest and most prestigious wedding photography competition that attracts thousands of submissions from around the world. When I was informed via email that I won the Photojournalism, Wedding Details category, I could not believe it. I read, reread and reread the email before screaming at my wife, “Honey, we’ve won!” We were in tears and utterly speechless. We mumbled a short prayer of thanksgiving. It took us a while to take it in that we had won an international award for our work.

The win was sweetened when we discovered that we were the first Malaysians to have won anything at all with WPPI, let alone a first place finish. Looking back all the hard work, toil, pain, bruises, sweat and tears…it is worth it. As Steve Jobs said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”


Trickiest or most difficult session you've had? Any funny anecdotes to share?

I don’t think there had ever been an easy wedding to shoot because every wedding is different and every other weekend I am shooting somewhere, often away from Sabah. Asian weddings are tough because it can start at 6am and end at 11pm. Working 12 to 15 hours for a wedding is quite common…that’s carrying over 10kg of camera, lenses and peripherals in 95% humidity and 35 degrees Celsius. I have a water bottle strap to my camera belt system, and I drink constantly to keep myself hydrated. Despite such trying working condition, I must maintain high level of concentration.

In November I will be shooting three weddings in three countries in one week: Hong Kong, India and Malaysia. I will be photographing in venues and with couples I had never worked with before. I need to think on my feet. There is huge pressure for me to deliver and fortunately, I thrive under pressure.

The worst experience I had was to be down with food poisoning the night before a wedding. I was soaked in cold sweat, down with fever and my stomach was in knots. Luckily I had my wife with me for that out-of-town shoot. She got me some activated charcoal and anti-diarrhea pills. I battled on to complete the shoot and presented a slideshow during the wedding banquet. The clients were really please with the pictures. Phew!

What are your plans for the immediate and not so immediate future? A book of photography perhaps?

I would like to position myself as an international wedding photographer, specifically in Asia Pacific. We live in very exciting times with China and India awakening as new economic giants. Then we are surrounded by affluent neighbouring countries like Hong Kong and Singapore. These are lucrative markets to tap into.

Sabah has great potentials to be a major city for destination weddings. We have beautiful beaches, scenery, fantastic five-star facilities and services at very affordable prices. While Bali, Phuket and Samui are still the better known places for destination weddings, I believe Sabah can compete with these places if we can market ourselves well and provide superior services. Sabah has her unique charm. Sabahans must cherish that and believe in ourselves.

Also, I would like to spend more time shooting portraits. Some of us think of portraits as sitting in a room with outdated furniture, tacky backdrops and lots of lighting strobes firing at us when the photographer says, “Smile.” I see portraits as documenting the unique bond between people. The challenge is to bring out that intangible bond and capture it on a picture. This does not have to happen inside a studio. It can be done on a beach, in a park and even in the comfort of their own home—wherever they are most at ease. A photography session should be fun and enjoyable, not a chore to be endured. I want my work to give people a good and healthy sense of who they are. I also want my pictures to give them great memories. Without a good picture, we are only left with memories. Unfortunately, we cannot print memories.

What brand/make of camera do you use?

I use Nikon D2X, D200 and a variety of Nikon lenses & strobes.

Any advice for up-and-comers or budding amateur photographers?

Camera manufacturers want to convince young photographers that the secret to better photography rests in the next new camera model with higher pixel count and frame rate. It is a lie that most photographers want to believe in as well.

I would suggest that we spend time in good photography websites, books and magazines. Also dedicate energy into honing our arts and skills. The rules of the capturing light and shadow is the same whether you are using an old manual film camera or the latest state-of-the-art RM30,000 digital camera.

Who took the photographs for your own wedding?

My buddy Peter. My wife Jasmine and I could not afford the service of a professional photographer. Peter was kind enough to do it as a gift for us.
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Clearly someone who lets his work speak for itself, I have yet to find a photograph that I've not found visually stunning. Fans can visit Louis's online portfolio at www.louispang.com or for more a more personalised feel head over to his blog at www.louispang.com/blog