THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SENSE: YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

2014: Year In Review

I guess like, if 2014 was to be translated to a word, this year would be the year of maturity. The Craft I believe in has been challenged as I view things in a different perspectives. I see spectrums appearing from the least likely places. That’s why there’s so much—horror in my art, I guess. It’s due to the beauty I see.

Turning 17 last April had me literally nuts. Literally, I felt changes just occurring, as if I was stripped down emotionally from the cloth of childhood to a cloth laced up with just a rawness of being, older. I felt like I was in the midst of being an adult and a kid at 16, as if like, I possess parts of the two worlds, however not wholly. Right on the very day on my birthday on the 30^th of April I just felt a lot more instinctive and just responsible. Apart from that, three things I had to deal with this year are:

Jealousy

Insecurities

&

Being on The Bridge between Love & Art

One thing I might have learnt from being 17 was to have nothing left to lose when it comes to the craft. To go to an extra mile compared to every one else in the game. I honestly have a thing for being almost, disgusted by people who don’t keep strifing for more. Who is in love with mediocre, only a local recognition. Believe it or not sometimes I feel like I’m thirsty. I love the attention for my craft, that’s why I make sure it’s perfect in the most imperfect state.

It’s like an orchestra of colors, this year, wow.

So, here are my top 17 favorite pictures/moments from this year!

17. Reposted by @francasozzani1 on Instagram

Okay, so the queen herself, Franca Sozzani(a.k.a Italian Vogue’s editor) reposted my picture on her instagram account as part of her Black&White series and I was seriously head over heels. Her appreciation towards my art is just a stepping stone for me on the beginning on such an amazing year!

16. Shooting Sweet 17-s and being on them!

I shot two pre-sweet seventeens this year and am honestly so thrilled I get the experience to do so. Here above is a picture from my shoot with my best friend Claudia Sonia. The shoot from Shanice’s shoot can be seen on my instagram profile(Yas Shanice you rock!). I’m in love with my shoot with Sonia because we both had the same vision of applying a villainous princess in the shoot(we did it before Maleficent was a hit!) and it was inspired by “Ezmia” from Chris Colfer’s “The Land of Stories”(YAS! Such a great book). We both were in love with the book and just had to do a shoot inspired by it.

15. Internship

I worked with the best team inside the internship with VDS Photography. Their work are just so elegant! It might not suit my style but taking things from a more commercial perspective is just a great experience. My job this intership session has opened me to so much new knowledge of photography & an implementation of my artistic visions made to a commercial packaging the owner(Deasy, who’s awesome, btw) favors. Was a great 5 days of knowing such talented people!.

14. Birthday Bash

I TURNED SEVENTEEN THIS YEAR! The party was a great freakshow karaoke we all loved!. My party was a costume party, so everyone literally came in a halloween attire dancing to the mainstream hits and went to go on a runway to G.U.Y(YAS!). It reminds me that I am seen as a free spirit by my friends and how they all embodied the crazy-ness that night was just epic. La Dolce Vita.

13. THE ODD ADVENTURES OF CAITLIN DOYLE

Since I pledged allegiance to the craft, I’ve always prayed to God to let me shoot a ginger girl with such beautiful freckles. Then my wish came true when a friend of mine(Janice, who’s an award-winning swimmer, featured in my Man-Maid Mer-Maid shoot), told me on Bahasa Indonesia class that her sister’s friend is visiting from Aussie. Turns out she’s a gorgeous ginger(shoutout to Audrey for being such an amazing helper and Caitlin for being such a great model, also Livia my main hairstylist YAS!), and the shoot went to a direction of my vision. With all the quirk and the extra enhancement Caitlin’s pink dress was giving, the shoot was none less than an epic imagery translated in simplicity.

12. PRODIGY

Ok, so I went with my school to Banyuwangi earlier this year, and if you do know me, you know how THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SENSE never stops, right?. So we were at the beach, and I asked my friend Glenn to model for me right when the waves come hitting him, and this jewel right year appeared as if he came out of a crystallized cream bath right a second before his eyes are filled with salt water. So shoutout to Glenn for being such a great model. This is like a Halcyon 2.0, and I hope the photograph receives more exposure soon(ohhh and it’s on PhotoVogue!)

11. Magazine feature(s) (YOLO Magazine Australia & Estela Magazine)

An editorial for Estela Magazine inspired by the LORDE herself was shot inside my house with an amazing team. We embodied an elegant approach to Lorde’s quirky style and I think we succeeded as Estela Magazine themselves loved the shoot. It was a highlight on the beginning of this year.

On the other hand, YOLO MAGAZINE from Australia featured a profile of me on their magazine and I absolutely love the contemporary art approach they made on displaying my artwork. I am a huge fan of their super YOUNG & YOLO approach on their approach on the profiles they future.

10. HARDER WE FALL

Okay, so most of you might not know this but I directed my very first(and maybe last?) music video. There was this Video Competition at my school and one of the categories I could compete was a Music Video category. I was already an actor in a short Indie film(which was Theresa’s amazing Pygmalion adaptation) as Mr.Doolittle. However, I just felt like I really had to join, so I did. Since 90% of my music might not be appropriate for school or just waaayyy too mainstream, I was on a last minute “I should just pass on this”. However, one day on a ridiculously boring Kumon class, I felt like I just had to join, and prayed to God to put the song I should work with on shuffle. 3 of them were a Jessie J song from “Alive”, however none of them are the actual ones I worked with. Instead, “Harder We Fall” was my choice due to it’s remarkably motivational message. It was the perfect choice of being a non-single track and a mainstream-sounding pop track with a great message. So I did join with a Black & White, simple motivational approach to the track(no gimmicks at all!) and won straight as a first winner. The best part, however, was having my video being replayed like 24/7 on the school television and making everyone love the non-single track ; and definitely the acceptance speech I had to make in front of everyone. So, of course I went all grammy-material and outshined everyone because that’s how I roll (#TPSLAY)

9. WE CAN(CER) CURE! , BALLETELLAB, GOVERNMENT HOOKUP

Okay, so these three series are in the same number because I love them all equally. All three series had different messages, however, such powerful ones. We Can(Cer) Cure is an approach to cancer survivors that you are still so beautiful and definitely strong even if you’re suffering from the disease. It is a motif of love and support to all the survivors out there. BALLETELLAB was originally a dark approach to the art of Ballet, however, the model’s(who’s also my hairstylist) ballet teacher just passed away, so it was a tribute to him with an elegant stride in a ghostly tone, an imagery of how one’s craft will never fade, even after one’s passing. The last one, Government Hookup, is my version of the JFK and Marilyn conspiracy of love affair. It’s a twist of how women should not be objectified, but instead, being seen as someone equal.

8. Singapore Skyline

So I won this competition from Garuda Indonesia with a free ticket to Singapore as well as a 2 night stay on Resorts World Sentosa. So I went, duh. It was a great experience(also, of shooting in the middle of Orchard Road). It was a fun experience of spending a day with friends only, and the rest with the females in my family. It was a great achievement I definitely am proud of.

7. #CLIQUE

I honestly have never ever ever experienced a friendship this warm. My friends are literally the best thing my youth has got to experience. From our Valentine Party, to our Thanksgiving and Christmas party. You guys are seriously a bundle of joy I will cherish forever. I realized one thing and that’s to trust these people just as much as they trust me. It’s a rollercoaster high school friendship kinda year, you know.

Anyways, as a great highlight to the clique-filled year, this is a travel diary of our trip to Bali, Lombok, and Gili Trawangan. And yes. It was freaking insane.

6. Festival Foto Surabaya

The photograph was shot on the previous year, however it haven’t, you know, gain enough recognition. So I used the opportunity of Festival Foto Surabaya to have my photograph “A Political Pest Intimacy: Tikus-Tikus Korupsi”  exhibited in Grand City Mall and just make a statement about it. This year, I had a voice for a vote, so I did use it. I chose for, you-know-who, the leader who made it to the cover of Times and has the heart of the people. I am so glad I voted for him and the fact that now he is our President. I really hope this is a beginning to an Indonesia with a great reputation towards the world.

5. JAPAN

Sayonara! My trip to Japan was one to never forget. Going home from the bombastic country, I told myself one thing, and that was to travel back one day. My dad has this thing of a favor to spoil the family with the best facility. So, I guess many of you might have seen on my instagram, it was a luxurious trip. I had such a great time being shot by people on the street as I strut out a limo as if I was some star, or just simply eating the best food(the Japanese food in Japan>your country’s Japanese food) you can ever eat. You can go follow my instagram to witness my Japanese trip (which I just posted because I’m such a perfectionist/IB has been killing me to not go on instagram).

4. “A HYBRID CAN WITHSTAND THESE THINGS”

One thing I have tried on changing this year was a transition from a hater to a lover. I’m still on my way to becoming a full-time lover, which was definitely hard with everyone at school literally shoving their shit on my face. Apart from that, however, I hope I’ve changed my perspective on things. Another thing I learnt was to not give a damn and instead come back a lot stronger.

If you’ve noticed on my instagram, I received hate on the series I am posting here, from ‘Aesthetic Hybrid’. Honestly, it was hard to not give a damn, you know. A part of me was just heartbroken, given the perspective and knowledge and love I possess for my art. How I do certain things to convey such a valuable message from inspirations I obtain. However, one thing I learnt was to be a hybrid of my own, to fight for what I love and believe, and evolving and just going back like twice stronger. I am the guardian to my craft. Oh and btw, shaded you back on a magazine, since I can’t direct @ you on instagram because you basic as HELL. Oops.

3. BOW DOWN TO A GODDESS

Meeting the Romanian bombshell Diana Filip was a true blessing. I mean like, I literally randomly saw her with her Indonesian students on someone’s instagram and just had to shoot with her. Now she’s like really good friends with me and my family. It was such a blessing how things turned out. Our shoot, inspired by Greek Goddesses was an epic imagery of how I believe a fashion editorial has to have a depth of a story to show the true message behind it. Definitely a highlight of my fashion photography with such an amazing team. A commercial, yet editorial material approach to fashion and art. One of my happiest and proudest moments. Having Di around, even though we knew her on the last 5 days of her stay in Surabaya was filled with so much stuff. From the best nights of drinking and celebrating her false birthday(s) and having so many misunderstandings due to phone connections. It was such a great experience and I believe that someday later, on another part of the world, I might get the chance to shoot with the GODDESS again.

2. #arttakesmiami thanks to Scope&See.me

So I’ve always wanted to join one of the See.Me exhibits but never really have the guts to as my parents to register me. Simply because I never felt like I’m good enough. Then I did this year, unsurprisingly they were so supportive of it. It was just me myself never being secure enough to join one of these things. Yes, I didn’t come out as a winner on this #arttakesmiami year in Art Basel 2014. However, I did gain so much exposure from See.Me from other emerging artists and just being on the exhibit-the exact exhibit being on a festival being previewed on Snapchat, also having visitors like David Guetta, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Usher, and FKA Twigs; it definitely was a great experience of sobbing at home for not being able to come and witness the exhibit. However, am still so grateful nevertheless. Ma’ I’ve made it!

1. METAMORPHOSIS

This has to be my definite favorite photograph of the year. I shot this in an “I’m over you” phase and I just felt like I need to get my head back into the photographic game to you know, get rid of this feeling, and so I did. I shot a photograph inspired by pure emotion. An alter ego-filled imagery inspired by Inez&Vinoodh, Gaga, and Millie Brown. This year I’ve got so many photographs slaying thanks to a perfect timing on the shoots, as well as extensive manipulations. This photograph just reflects everything I have to say at times. I’m proud of this photograph as a whole piece. It hasn’t really got the exposure it deserves apart from a See.Me feature and a overly hype-d photograph on Little Monsters. I am however just so blessed to have translated art onto a new level this year.

I’ve got like tons of more favorites I’m not posting here, but I will do that on instagram.

Here is my top 17 music album recommendations from 2014(Slay!) as a playlist entitled Travel-Passion-Slay(TPS)

1. In The Lonely Hour-Sam Smith

2. Cheek to Cheek-Tony Bennet&Lady Gaga

3. A Town Called Paradise-Tiesto

4. The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack-Various Artists

5. Ultraviolence-Lana Del Rey

6. Ghost Stories-Coldplay

7. 1989-Taylor Swift

8. Broke with Expensive Taste-Azealia Banks

9. Reclassified-Iggy Azalea

10. The Pinkprint-Nicki Minaj

11. SUCKER-Charli XCX

12. TRXYE-Troye Sivan

13. X-Ed Sheeran

14. Lily Allen-Sheezus

15. My Everything-Ariana Grande

16. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt.1-Various Artists

17. Foxes-Glorious

So I guess that's it for this year then. This year has been a massive experience and I hope all of you have a great New Year's Eve. Don't forget that age is more than just a number, yet is still a number. No matter how big or small, make sure you leave a mark on this world. Be a champion of your own sake. Three unreleased portfolios from this year, the Japan trip, a Clueless inspired shoot, and a Lichtenstein inspired portfolio will be posted next year. Stay tuned, UNIONS. Mi amor. La Dolce Vita.