MOVE FIRST

If you don’t know what to do or which way to go.

Move anyway.

Because even if you’re unsure of yourself and you feel you are going the wrong direction, you’ll find what you’re looking for on the way.

When I was studying at the International Center of Photography in New York, I was called to the front of the class to speak about my long term project. We all had to choose one, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do yet. So I didn’t know what to say, or how to describe what I was going for. 

My classmate says to me, “Just start talking”.

And of course, I began and even though the first few words that came out of my mouth were a little random, eventually, I found level ground and discovered the direction for my long term project. 

I wanted to do a project on the role lion dancing plays on first generation Chinese-Americans. Which has since come into fruition as Inside The Lion. I’ve done two iterations of this project. One in New York City. The second in San Francisco. 

Regardless of whether or not your objective is related to photography, I think this concept still applies. Often, it’s very hard to think your way out of a situation. As wrong as it may feel, sometimes moving without an idea of where you’re going or what you’re doing is precisely what you need to do.

Have a little more faith in your resilience.

by Jason Lam

THANK YOUR FAILURES

Because without it you would not have learned anything

You cannot learn without failing

The two come hand in hand

Sure, it may be frustrating at times

Annoying

Disappointing

You may have let some people down

You might feel you’ve let yourself down

But you’ve also gathered new information

Which you can use to your advantage

So you can reiterate

And do a better job next time

Thank your failures

Because every time you fail, you learn something

by Jason Lam

1 SECOND EVERYDAY - 2019

Got really into indoor plants. Became an uncle. Bought a Miata. Got back into music. Officiated my friend’s wedding. Designed some shirts. Went to Thailand and Myanmar for the first time. Made a lot of new friends. Overall just happy to be alive and experiencing this thing we call life.

Wishing you all a wonderful new year~

by Jason Lam

MY BEST WORK

My best work is often not the ideas that I think up in my head.

More often, my best work is the discoveries I make along the way towards the ideas.

I think my creative process works this way because the things I discover along the way are things that my body naturally reacts to, versus an idea conjured up in my mind and further justified with cerebral reasons as to why it is good.

My body knows when something is good, without me even being able to explain why. 

And so one might think that maybe it’s not so good to come up with any ideas. Maybe it’s better to just run adrift and wait for the body to react. 

Not quite.

It’s important to still have ideas. You need something to work towards. It’s more so that you should also be aware of the ideas that present themselves to you along the way. Be in tune with your body and how it reacts to the new potentials that you were not able to think of with just your brain alone.

With practice, you will be able to merge both mind and body, and hopefully, if practiced long enough and consistent enough. Your work, your best work can be conjured up from your being. Not just your mind. Not just your body. But your whole being in unison.

My best work. 

by Jason Lam

THE INVISIBLE SIGNATURE

Create through the essence of who you are

Not through the fulfillment of what you think you should be 

Some spend entire lifetimes chasing this imaginary role only to find they are no happier than before

To find your essence you must let go 

Let go of ideas and goals you had for yourself 

Quit endeavors that do not speak to you 

Kill the you of yesterday

Abandon your “best” ideas

Let go in order to rediscover yourself

Watch yourself being 

Like that of a child

And when you rediscover yourself you must remember to create from that place of raw integrity 

That is how you find the signature in your work 

The invisible signature

by Jason Lam

IMAGES THAT THINK

I never want my photos to be just about technical perfection.

I once flipped through a book about Rembrandt’s paintings and the author wrote about how his portraits go beyond just the famed “Rembrandt lighting” that we all know so well.

Rembrandt’s portraits are beautiful, but it’s not just because of the lighting. They’re beautiful because you can feel the subjects thinking. His photos have a spirit of their own that transcends technique.

Despite the 2-dimensional construct, you can feel a human presence beating through the canvas.

Rembrandt didn’t just create beautiful images, he created beautiful images that think.

That's what I hope to capture as I dive deeper into my work.

by Jason Lam

PUT YOUR NAME ON IT

I used to write my name underneath all my toys. I thought it was fun. I learned it from watching Toy Story.

In elementary school, they always tell you to sign and date your drawings.

We also did the same in my after-school painting classes.

After I got older, it seemed a little odd to slap my name on things unless it was on a canvas.

For example, to put my name on a shirt seems a little self-involved.

Still, I think it’s important to find a way to take pride in your name.

And no, that doesn’t mean you must start putting it everywhere.

But one shouldn’t be afraid of standing for something, nor should you be afraid to say, “Yeah, I made that!”

Perhaps, because I’m Asian, so I come with a sense of humbleness that I can’t really shake.

But I want to take pride in my name, so I will put my name on things.

And I don’t want to hide anymore, nor will I intentionally leave my name out of things that I clearly had a hand in.

by Jason Lam

TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR WORK

I once showed up at a party and all my friends were wearing my shirts except for me. 

My friend pulled me aside and asked why I’m not wearing my own shirt.

I said I didn’t want to make it seem like it was all about me.

He said, “Sure, but I think it’s important to take pride in your work.”

That stuck with me.

Growing up, I never really brought attention to the things I’ve done.

I never invited anyone to my graduations. I never invited anyone to my high school band concerts. I never invited anyone to my track meets. I didn’t tell anyone of me winning any academic awards. Nothing. I just sort of did what I did and moved on.

I think it’s because I never really figured out how to talk about my achievements without sounding arrogant, so I just don’t say anything at all. 

It’s all a fine balance, I know. 

But perhaps I would benefit from challenging my beliefs and start thinking it’s okay to talk about what I’ve done, to stand up for myself, and most importantly, to take pride in my own work.

Thanks Paul.

by Jason Lam

I THINK I'M JUST LONELY

End of a chapter.

4 years and 500 photos later, it’s time to end my photo series: @ithinkimjustlonely.

It’s not that I’m no longer lonely. Or that I no longer feel feelings of emptiness at times. But I feel it’s time to move on.

I created this series during a time of struggle. It was during a time when I felt all wasn’t going right. I couldn’t land a secure job. All my attempts at becoming a photographer seemed to fail. I didn’t feel supported by my family. I didn’t feel understood by my peers.

Still, I didn’t know that loneliness had become a real problem in my life until I took a real look at the photos that I was taking on my 35mm point and shoot camera. It was an Olympus Stylus Epic given to me by my colleague, which was given to him by his grandmother. I often used this camera for personal work. My non-professional stuff. So naturally, I didn’t think as much when taking these photos, I just captured what I captured.

As I began diving deeper into what was wrong with me, I also began compiling more of these photos. These pictures were telling me something. They were deeper looks into parts of myself that even I, myself, was too afraid to acknowledge. Until, one day, I thought to myself, I think I’m just lonely.

Which made sense, to be quite honest. I really was lonely. Unfortunately, I didn’t really know who to turn to. In many ways, I felt ashamed. And I guess, in a way, I was in denial.

Why? After all, should someone like me feel so damn sorry for himself? Suck it up! Deal with it! I’d think to myself. And I tried. But loneliness is not something you can just ignore. No matter how many different ways I tried to distract myself, the feeling of emptiness always remained. It eats you up from the inside out. Affecting any and all things in your life. So much to the point where you can’t even enjoy your food, and you don’t even want to hang out with your friends. You just feel like doing absolutely nothing.

I thought the only way to alleviate the pain would be to face it forthrightly.

So I named the series @ithinkimjustlonely.

At first thought, many people questioned me. What the hell? They’d say. Many people wondered why I’d choose a name like that. Others laughed as if it was a joke. But I stuck to it because I felt like at this point, there was no other way to move forth but to admit to the reality of the situation.

Even though I felt self-conscious about it for the first few years, I began to realize the benefits of having this series. To me, it almost felt like a container. A designated place where you could go to come to terms with your emotions. After all, we have wastebaskets for our garbage, we have gyms where we can go and work out, we even have night clubs for people to go and party. But where do we go when we feel sad? For me, this series became that place that I could run to.

As I continued, I started to recognize that perhaps beyond its benefits for me, it could stand for something more. On the rare occasions where I could have deeper talks with my friends, I noticed that they, too, suffered from loneliness, anxiety, even depression. So this series began to symbolize not just my inner struggles with loneliness, but as an entire project dedicated to exploring these oft never talked about feelings, but nevertheless real, and hopefully, to make others feel like they are a little less alone as well.

So I continued.

Now, I’ve gotten to the point where I feel I must move on. As artists, we create things often because there is something we have to say, or there are feelings that we must put somewhere. In many ways, art is therapy. In my case, photography became my therapy. It gave me an outlet. It forced me to look at the reality of my situation and to come to terms with it all. I needed this project to exist. It has helped me move forward in life regardless of the pain that I feel.

The reason I feel it’s time to move on is because even though I still struggle with feelings of loneliness, I’ve also grown so much throughout the years. I’ve become a different person. I’ve also learned different ways of coping with my darker emotions. And so, if I am to continue working on this series, in a way, I’d be holding myself back. Because to continue this series, would be to continue identifying with these feelings. As much as the series has helped me when I first began, it almost feels like a weight holding me back at this point. I’m thankful for its existence. I’m grateful for all it has done for me. Though, I must move on if I am to continue growing into the man that I was meant to be. And that means having the courage to let go.

So this is the end. I hope that by being a part of this series, you were able to gain something from it as well. I hope it made you feel less alone. I hope you feel less ashamed of your darker emotions. And I hope it helped you get out of bed and move through another day.

It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to feel lonely at times. It’s also okay to open up. It’s okay to let yourself feel those emotions. It’s also okay to let others in on the pain you are feeling. You are never truly alone.

I don’t know what the future brings. But I know that it’s just time to let go.

So, I guess this is goodbye, for now.

by Jason Lam

COMMIT

If you’re going to be in it. Be in it for life. Don’t underestimate the power of time. And don’t underestimate the power of doing as little as one project per year. I didn’t realize how much of a rush I was in when I first started. So desperate to make a name for myself in my twenties, I rushed passed all my projects as if it was a matter of life or death - but I was on the short end of the stick. Never doing as good of a job as I could. Jumping from one thing to another. Now I’m 30 and I’m just learning the power of patience. Of getting only a handful of great photos in a year. But knowing that they are exactly the handful that I need.

Commit.

by Jason Lam

LONG STAIRCASES

I’m happy to say that I’ve come to be the type of person that isn’t too afraid of failure. That is to say, I still feel fear, but it doesn’t paralyze me. Because as I’ve experienced in trying anything new, the worst that can happen is somebody says no and maybe you’re a little bit embarrassed. But to be honest, people really don’t care that much. 

I think the major fear of failure and rejection comes from the idea that if you were to say, pursue your passion for singing, business, or cooking, and if you sucked at it (as all beginners do), you’d fall into the depths of hell (of your own creation) and you would never be able to crawl back out. 

I’m sure it can often feel that way, but it’s not true. 

I find it helpful to think of progress and setbacks as a long staircase.

If you’ve reached a certain point in your life where you feel comfortable. Then where you are is on a really long step in a much larger staircase. You can more or less walk comfortably on this one step because you’ve come up with the skill and confidence necessary to do so. 

However, if you were to try to take on an additional skill or pursue a larger passion, that would be an additional step up your staircase, which would require additional effort, and you might fail the first few times.

Now, what happens if you fail? 

Here’s the thing, you don’t fall all the way down to the very bottom of the staircase. You just fall back down to the last step you were on. In most cases, you fall back down to where you always were. Where you started. 

If we zoom out and look at things this way, it takes the drama and theatrics of failing out of the picture. It makes failure not so half bad. You don’t lose anything. You just fail to gain that extra step. At least, momentarily. 

So, long staircases.

Is there something you’ve been wanting to do? Go ahead and do it. If you fail. You end up back where you are right now anyway. So what’s the point in not trying?

by Jason Lam

STAY INSIDE YOUR AUTHENTICITY

If you didn’t know, I take voice lessons sometimes. My teacher’s name is Lea Centauri and she’s amazing. Originally from Long Island, she sang in Paris for nine years and Istanbul for one. She plays the piano, writes her own music and even studied with the great Judy Davis. Now she’s here, in San Francisco, and I’m glad I found her. 

I don’t take classes often. In fact, I only recently started again after being away from her for 2 years. This past week, I was out of town so I missed her class, and of course, this odd rattling has developed in my voice, affecting the quality of my sound. 

She was stern with me about missing class. Not mean. Not angry. But stern. She told me that if I have a gift, I need to do what I can to keep it. Because if you don’t use it. You will lose it. And you don’t want to do that. You want to take it with you. Because we as human beings, we walk towards things. Walk towards your gifts. Work on them. Allow them to stay in your life.

We sing because we need an outlet. We have to have somewhere to go. So let yourself go there.

Feel the vibration reverberate from your lungs as you tell your story.

Keep it with you. Don’t lose it. 

Allow yourself to stay inside your authenticity.

by Jason Lam

CREATIVE LEFTOVERS

There’s a really weird thing that happens within the creative process.

There’s what you make.

And then there’s everything you leave out.

Lately, I’ve come to realize the things that I leave out can actually be quite good.

But how?

After all, I leave them out because they’re bad, otherwise I would’ve left them in.

So how could leftovers be good?

One answer:

They’re honest

The scraps are thrown out with brute force. They're not gently placed into the trash bin. They're carelessly flung over our shoulders. Out of sight, out of mind.

But when it comes to the things that we keep — the so called "good stuff". We treat it gently, careful not to dabble too much at the risk of messing everything up. I guess, most times, that approach could render work that is quite good, but not great.

Because when we’re too afraid of making mistakes, we don’t take any risks, but taking risks and flirting with the edge of disaster is where great art resides.

So, leftovers.

The scraps.

The stuff you thought you didn’t want.

I’m starting to realize, despite the ingredients being far from perfect, I like the spirit.

The rawness.

The no fucks given.

I’ve been looking into my trash bin, taking things out and seeing what I could do with the bits and pieces. Hence, all the short 1-minute videos. I like what I’ve been coming up with. It doesn’t enable me to lie. It forces me to be honest. And I like being honest.

Maybe next time you finish your work, you can also take a look back into your trash bin and see what could be revived in a manner that is more true to the most authentic parts of yourself.

Dig deeper.

by Jason Lam

MAYBE DON'T ATTRIBUTE IT TO LUCK

Your success. The fact that you do good work. The fact that people actually like you. Maybe don’t attribute it to luck. Attribute it to the fact that you’ve dedicated your life to your craft. To yourself. To being a good person, a person of standard, a person that people can count on, a person that others look up to because your fucking good at what you do.

I try to stay humble. I give luck a lot of credit. Almost too much. For my failings. Particularly my successes. After all, the random chaos of the world plays a large part in how our lives turn out whether we’d like to acknowledge it or not. 

Luck is a real thing. You don't get rewarded for doing the right things at the wrong time. You could do everything right and still fail. You could do everything wrong and still succeed.

Still, I think there comes a point in your life where you must be able to stand up tall and be proud of not only what you've achieved, but also of what you know you will continue doing. I need to be proud of what I've achieved. I need to be proud of what I know is within my realm of capabilities. I need to be proud not just of my work as an artist, but also as a human being, as a friend, as a son, as a lover. 

Maybe don't attribute your positive qualities so much to luck. Give yourself a little more credit for the work that you put in day in and day out to be the strong, wise, calm, patient, being that you’ve forged yourself into being despite the uncontrollable chaos in the world. Attribute it to your hard work. Your vision. Your purpose. Your discipline. And your confidence to keep going despite being surrounded by those who insist on taking you down.

Don't attribute it to luck. Give credit where credit is due. Attribute it to hard fucking work.

by Jason Lam

COMING INTO FORMATION

Just the other day, rapper Bas, just dropped his new single “Fried Rice” using my photo. Granted, they put their own artistic spin on it to have his name on the take out box. No matter. I was hyped and today I wake up realizing how all the random things in my life are coming into formation. From being a confused kid studying screenwriting in film school. To traveling abroad to studying Chinese in Taiwan and deciding to pursue photography in NYC. To getting burnt out and moving back home with my parents and pursuing my personal projects, my style, to Barely Evolved Apes, to feeling lost again and having to find faith in myself again. In me, my signature, and being able to finally look at it all and realize, hey, I’m actually coming into myself. All these random things in my life. The detours. The conversations. The rejections. The ignored messages. They all worked to get me where I am today. And I’m excited. I can only see the vague silhouette of where I’m going to be, but I see it in the distance now, and it’s greater than anything I could’ve ever imagined. 

Here’s the original photo, from my series, “Welcome Home”:

by Jason Lam

LIFE LESSON FROM MOVIE CRITICS

Back when I was in film school we often had to put our little films up on the big screen for all to see, and for all to critique.

The problem with most criticism is it’s often given based on the movie others want to see, not necessarily based on the message you want to convey.

Good criticism takes into consideration where you are in your life and what you’re trying to achieve.

We’re all writing our own life stories and taking feedback along the way.

Make sure you’re selective about who you take criticism from.

Most people are just out to craft your story so that it fits neatly into theirs.

Listen to those who take your unique situation into consideration and ignore the rest.

Make your own movie.

by Jason Lam

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS WITH MY 1994 MIATA

Lately, I’ve been leaning more towards working on things that have answers.

In art, you never really know if what you’re doing is good or bad. You don’t know if something is right or wrong. Everything’s based on intuition alone and depending on who you ask, some people will love what you do, and some will hate it. 

Sometimes, art just gets way too subjective and you don’t know if you’re making forward progress or back and it can send you spiraling down this rabbit hole of self-doubt, anxiety, and hopelessness.

That’s why I’ve been finding myself doing things like woodworking, carpentry, and most recently, cars like my 1994 Miata.

The 1994 Mazda Miata is not perfect. It’s got its usual bumps and bruises for being a 25-year-old car. There are tons of things to fix and maintain. However, none of it really gives me a headache because there are definite answers. My brake pads are getting a little thin so I just need to replace them with a new pair of brake pads. I know exactly where to buy them, and when they come in the mail, I know I need to use a 14 mm socket wrench to loosen the bolts on the brake caliper and swap out the old ones with the new. 

Additionally, the license plate was a little bent, so I just took it off, flattened it against a ton of heavy books, and there, a straight license plate. Problem fixed.

The windshield wipers were a little wonky. So I bought a new pair at the auto shop down the street from my house and yet again, fixed.

I know I shouldn’t expect art to be as easy as buying new parts and being able to swap things in and out so seamlessly. Part of the allure of art is the lack of answers and definite processes in the first place.

But I’ve spent 10 years making art and I’m starting to find it’s quite nice to have limitations every once in a while. It resolves the “paradox of choice,” it takes away analysis paralysis, and overall, it just helps me be a happier, healthier person.

I know I’ve always advocated for staying true to your voice and going out and living the life you want regardless of limitations. But I’m surprised myself, how a few limitations can go a long way.

If you’ve been caught in limbo, can’t tell which way is left from right, feel stagnant, and almost feel like you’ve lost your way in life, maybe look into doing things with definite answers. It doesn’t have to be a car. It could be signing up for a martial arts class, or deciding to get into plants. Whatever it is, I think it’s important to nurture ourselves as artists. And if that means taking a complete left turn and finding the joy in changing out the engine oil, (Miata’s take synthetic oil 5W-30 btw) then so be it.

Longevity plays such a large role in one's success. I think we all deserve a little pitstop every once in a while to preserve our sanity, take care of ourselves, and allow ourselves a little break from having to create the “next big thing” all the time.

by Jason Lam

10 CREATIVE ART + PHOTOGRAPHY PROMPTS

Sometimes it’s hard to come up with your next photography project idea, so here are some prompts I’ve come up with that could help you:

1. What makes you angry? Anger isn’t the most pleasant feeling, but sometimes, that anger can be used as fuel for your creativity. What upsets you? What do you feel very strongly about? Address that issue. Dissect it. Offer solutions and your perspective on the matter through your work.

2. What do you feel is underrepresented? As a photographer, you are also the highlighter. You put a spotlight on things that others might overlook. So what are some things that you think deserve a voice but have gone unnoticed for far too long?

3. Look back into your childhood. I know, this might sound cliche, but stories from our past are always rich and textured in ways that looking outward lacks. Dig deep. Look through old photos. Have conversations and revisit old stories from your childhood. I’m sure you’d be able to come up with something fun from there.

4. Choose a lens, any lens. Sometimes I like to shoot a project with only a prime lens. Some might think it’s boring, but I like the consistency and I like how the lack of options can also provide direction and give you a place to go. Sometimes, when you’re stuck and you have no idea what to do, just choosing to go with, say a 35mm lens could be enough.

5. Choose a color, or no color. Do a series in all color, or not. Like the tip above, purposely limiting yourself can be a great way to stimulate your imagination.

6. Remix old work. Sometimes you don’t necessarily need to create new content. Sometimes you can just revisit existing content you’ve made throughout your career as an artist and just repurpose it. Who knows, maybe you can combine your photos and video, or even mix in some sound. New work doesn’t always have to be “new”.

7. Collaborate with a friend. This is always fun. No, it doesn’t have to be epic, what’s wrong with a casual weekend art gathering? I sometimes don’t let myself collaborate with others because I want everything to be too amazing. But hey, sometimes a simple get together and throwing some ink on paper is all you need to get your creative juices flowing again. Plus, it’s a good excuse to see your friends =)

8. Do something totally different. That’s right, don’t try to make “art” at all. Learn a new skill. Take an acting class. Decide to spend an afternoon learning about cars or making beats! Sometimes being creative is hard to do when all you're trying to do is be creative. Give yourself a break and do something totally out of the ordinary. I’ve come to find that the lateral shifts often help inform my work by providing a different lens to look at the world. It can be quite nice.

9. Change up the scenery. Sometimes it’s our surroundings that get us into a ditch. Sure, I like consistency, and I like sticking to a schedule, but sometimes all it takes is to just go to a different cafe for once or maybe sit at a different part of the house. Maybe go a different route to work to spark things up once again. The change might not be monumental, but it might just be the little nudge you need to spark a new flame.

10. Do nothing. I know, it seems like my advice is getting more and more lazy, but there’s a method to my madness. I’ve gotten tired and jaded before. Sometimes, all you need is to take a break. Relax. Do nothing. You might come to find that your greatest ideas will sometimes end up finding you. It’s weird. The creative flame is almost like a cat. Try too hard getting its attention and it ignores you, but leave it alone and then it comes to find you.

Anyways, hope those tips are of use to you. Until next time.

by Jason Lam

EXPOSE YOURSELF

Art can reveal parts of yourself that you yourself don't even know exists. Sure, it can express joy, but most often, we find that it expresses pain. Mainly because it’s often quite difficult to find a safe space to express our struggles without being ridiculed for being weak. So, art, because if you can’t tell so immediately that I am crying, I might have a fighting chance at getting you to actually listen. Dig deep enough into any famous song, movie, or dance, and you will find that there is always a constant element of sadness or longing, or of a void that needs to be filled.

If we do not express ourselves, we are not free. We become trapped by our own silence. If we try to hide or run away, we are only cheating ourselves. Often, we may not even know what is bothering us until we allow ourselves the freedom to just run wild and free and create without inhibition.

I've sort of been surprising myself with the types of photos I've been taking the past couple of years. You probably guessed that I'm talking about @ithinkimjustlonely. I can't help but notice the benefits of allowing myself to express that side of me. It’s like having a container to put all my darkness. I don't run away. I don't hide. Instead, I acknowledge the darkness and give it the respect it deserves. And by doing so I am not trapped by it. I am not paralyzed. Instead, I can harness the darkness to be used for good. Like right now, to spark conversations about the benefits of art, or the ever-increasing problems of loneliness, depression, and anxiety in our world today.

Please don't think I'm bragging. And no this is not an attempt to get likes and followers. It’s my attempt at sharing an idea that’s been very beneficial to me, and I hope it can help you too. Keep creating and allow yourself to be free.

by Jason Lam

PORTRAITURE

There was always a big part of me that absolutely adored portraiture. In my eyes, the tallest order of what defines you as a great photographer is your ability to take a great portrait. After all, if you take a great portrait, you can look at it for the rest of your life. A great portrait is not just a symbol of who you are, but a nod to who you were, and an acknowledgment of who you intend to be. It’s the past, present, and future all compacted into one two-dimensional frame. 

And then, there’s me.

In the beginning, I often tried to take photos without putting too much of me in it. I was a big fan of documentary photography and I always found it quite peculiar how one can capture great photos while being a “fly on the wall”. However, after creating my own documentary projects, I found out that being a fly on the wall is a myth. There’s no way you can be a fly on the wall because you are physically there in the same space as your subjects and your mere presence changes the way they behave.

So then, what’s the role of the photographer?

Much more than just taking the photo, that’s for sure.

The photographer is equal parts magician, chef, therapist, a loving parent, coach, and so much more. But I think the most important role of the photographer is of acceptance and encouragement. As a photographer, you must welcome your subject into your frame with open arms, as they are. Furthermore, you must encourage them to be not just who they are, but who they intend to be. The photographer, in a way, is a sort of archaeologist, digging into the essence of who you are and what you represent in order to capture the raw essence of you. 

And then there’s me, again, the inescapable me that just has to be in the photo.

But the question is, how exactly am I inserting myself in there?

And the answer: I insert myself in the photos with my values and what I believe to be not just a good portrait, but a good life. 

I aim to take photos of people that are raw, honest, but most importantly, empowering. For you to feel confident for who you are at that very moment. For you to feel safe. For you to feel that wherever you are in your life, that’s exactly where you need to be. Wherever you want to go, you have it in you to get you there. I aim to take photos that speak to the most authentic parts of you, as I believe we live our happiest most fulfilling lives when we are able to not just truly express ourselves, but to be witnessed and accepted for everything that we are, and everything we will become.

by Jason Lam