Today we introduce you to William Tang, an experienced food, product and real estate photographer based in Singapore.
William started his journey as a food photographer in Singapore almost a decade ago. He first picked up the camera at 31 years of age when looking for a way to express his creativity. As he is based in Singapore, William is not short of beautiful scenery to snap. From the calm tranquillity of Marina Bay at night to the many bustling and fragrant food markets, William has captured it all!
As he grew rapidly in skill, William decided that his love for photography went far beyond a personal hobby. Soon, he became ready to make his passion his profession and work as a professional food photographer in Singapore! In 2018 he took his first paying job as a photographer when asked by a local food delivery business to shoot for its online delivery system.
His love and talent for food photography have grown over the years. He now also specialises in product and real estate work.
We interviewed William to get to know him better.
So how did you become a professional food photographer?
Like most creators, my education started as a food photographer in Singapore by using free online tutorials such as those found on YouTube. However, I became familiar with the basic and intermediate skills and wanted to learn more. For this reason, I later went on to attend the Canon Imaging Academy. I have also taken part in specialisation shoots at Lasalle College of the Arts.
Which tools do you work with?
My weapon of choice is the Canon #CanonEosR, a well-known and versatile tool that boats both 4K and silent shooting capabilities. When on a shoot, I am always sure to bring a set of lenses and a Speedlight. I believe that good lighting is crucial to showcase dimension in photographs.
What inspires you?
I take inspiration from the works of well-known photographers such as Andrew Scrivani, Karl Taylor, Francesco Tonelli and Joanie Simon. It is important to incorporate some of their techniques into my own work.
As I am particularly interested in food photography, I jumped at the opportunity to take classes with the Award-Winning Food Photographer Bene Tan. This taught me the complexities and tricks associated with working on a food shoot. In the future, I would love to work with Ben as I continue to be inspired by his work.
Was it hard for you to grow your business?
As COVID-19 continues to rip through the events and hospitality industry, creative talent is finding it harder to maintain a constant revenue stream. I understand that the key to running a successful business is customer loyalty. Over the last few years, I have grown a loyal client base which has allowed me to continue to operate within Singapore during a period where international travel remains very difficult.
I also believe that as long as I continue to offer my clients the best possible product; they will continue to choose me over any competitor. That’s why I am always sure not just to meet but exceed the expectations of the client. It is important to understand that word-of-mouth marketing is key to any small creative business. I am proud that many of my projects come through the good word of current clients.
For you, what makes for a great photo?
For me, there is no great magic or mystery to a great photo. A ‘great photo’ is one that leaves the client satisfied. I always listen to the needs of the client before applying my own professional skills.
When working with food items it is important to think about the end consumer of the product. In order to snap a successful food shoot, I need to imagine what will make the food look the most appetising. This is done not just by considering my technical knowledge of composition, lighting, props, styling, etc, but also by applying natural instincts.
“Creating a great image with purpose can only be achieved by correctly combining various factors into the photo to make it believable in its context”.
Is there a particular project that you are most proud of?
I am proud of the work that I did recently for Lee Hwa Jewellery, a leading jewellery retailer here in Singapore. I achieved this lead through the Klaud9 platform.
It excited me to have the opportunity to shoot for a big reputable brand. Working with high profile brands is always challenging and it pushed me past my comfort zone. It allowed me to discover that I could accomplish things that I previously had thought impossible.
How have online platforms such as Klaud9 helped William to find more clients?
In an increasingly competitive and saturated photographers’ market, I can optimise platforms such as Klaud9. This helps me to establish client relationships not just in Singapore but also overseas. These relationships are unlikely to arise organically without the use of these websites.
Once the client-photographer relationship is established, platforms such as Klaud9 allow me to communicate easily with the client. This helps both parties to clarify shoot details and avoid any confusion.
The ease of communication makes life easy and allows me to create a great initial impression for new clients, an important part of helping retain new business.
You can check out more of William’s work and enquire about booking him here.
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