Congratulations Cxpturing Souls and glad to be a part of your Lockdown Facetime series
Amanda is a local conceptual and portrait photographer, who goes by the name Cxpturing Souls. She is a self-taught photographer, and her main focus is conceptual photography and doing empowerment projects. Inspired by her projects and passion, we reached out to her to talk a little more about herself.
1) What are the challenges that you faced when you started out as a female photographer?
“As a female photographer, it was a challenge to build a name for myself. I have been looked down upon and treated unfairly by other photographers and my peers. I believe that women in any industry would understand and have had some experience where they are not being treated equally to their male colleagues. Another challenge is comparing myself with other creatives. I have always struggled with self doubt and self confidence when it comes to my work. I would find myself comparing my work with other creatives and that would tear me down and cause burn outs. I've come to realise that all of us work at our own pace and it's not fair to compare my journey to someone elseʼs.”
2) What was the inspiration behind 'Through the Screen (MCO Series)', and were there any challenges as compared to regular photography?
“When MCO was implemented back in March, I found myself having creative blocks. I was so used to having the freedom of going out for shoots and seeing people in person that it killed my motivation to do anything. A few weeks into MCO, there were other photographers who were experimenting with doing photoshoot via video calls and it intrigued me to experiment as well. The idea gave me an opportunity to kickstart a new series “Through The Screen” which is about staying connected with people around the world but through a screen. With the technology we have now, I was able to conduct these shoots through different video call apps with people from different countries; from Malaysia to Australia to UK.”
“Of course there will be challenges. It was my first time doing a photoshoot where I am physically far away from the subject. It was challenging to direct the model poses and also give direction of how the device they were using should be placed. Some of the models didnʼt have a tripod for their devices and we had to come up with a makeshift tripod using books or tables or chairs. The most challenging part of doing the photoshoots was the internet connection. There were times the connection was good with no interference but there were times where we had trouble connecting and it would result in pixelated photos.”
“Overall, this new experience was one I will remember. During a difficult time like this, it gave me the opportunity to connect with old friends and talk to people who are far away. Even though itʼs not something I would normally do, but I learned a lot from this experience.”
3) If you could go back in time and tell your younger self something, what would it be?
“I would tell myself not let other peopleʼs opinions of me affect me and change who I am to fit who they want me to be. There will be times where peopleʼs opinions do cloud my judgement but I will try to take a step back and analyse the situation and remind myself of who I truly am. Itʼs important to stay true to yourself and remember who you are especially when most of your life is on social media.”
4) How would you encourage other young women to follow their passions?
“I would constantly encourage the people around me whether men or women to pursue their passions. The times have changed and it's time to break the stereotype that the male dominated industry is meant only for males. It’s time to face the facts that girls can do it too."
Follow Amanda on Cxpturing Souls, and her Instagram @cxpturingsouls
Model #1: Emma @fyi.khoo on Instagram
Model #2: Adelle @adellexadr on Instagram
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