A Conversation with Esther Woo ~ Photography queen of Queens (NY).
1. Introduce yourself, where you’re from/located and what type of photography you primarily shoot.
My name is Esther Woo. I'm a photographer based in Queens, NY, and I primarily shoot street photography.
2. How did you get into your chosen medium? Do you remember the catalyst that influenced your decision to begin your journey?
I spent a lot of my childhood drawing and prepping my portfolio to try and go to art school for college; however, I ended up deciding to drop everything with art to pick a more "traditional" route by going to school for business. My passion for drawing eventually disappeared, and I went on with my life without any sort of creative outlet. The desire to create was always on the back of my mind, but I didn't do anything with it for years. One day, I was chatting on the phone with my mom, and I expressed to her how I've been searching for a creative outlet for a while now, and I knew it wasn't drawing that would satisfy that itch. She suggested I give photography a try to see if it sparks anything for me. I'm not entirely sure why she suggested photography, but I'm really glad she did. I picked up a camera a few weeks after that conversation, and that was the beginning to this incredible photography journey I've been navigating through the last few years.
3. Do you have any photographers or artists who have influenced your creative style when composing or editing your photos?
This is a really difficult question for me to answer because I think I've been influenced by so many photographers and artists throughout my journey. Especially in the age of social media, I think we are influenced daily from all of the scrolling we do, so I can probably list hundreds, if not thousands, of artists that I've been influenced by. My style continues to change constantly and what I like to shoot seems to change depending on my mood, so the artists who influence me most likely change on the regular as well.
4. With a mix of documentary and street photography focused on light and shadows, is there a particular moment/scene that draws you to a composition?
The main thing that usually catches my attention to any moment or scene is good lighting. Harsh contrast lighting is something I always look out for, and once I find it, I'll try my best to work that scene to see if there's a good composition I can build from it. There's just something about the way light makes its own art by creating shadows - it is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I mean, who doesn't like some good light?? Outside of that, I tend to pick out scenes that portray calmness or isolation to me, whether it be someone sitting on a bench looking out into the world or a clean composition with one subject walking by. I didn't notice at first, but it seems to be a theme throughout my street photography.
5. Which camera is in your hand these days, and what led you to make the decision to purchase that particular body?
The camera in my hands these days is a Leica Q2. I started my photography journey shooting with a Sony A7III with a range of different lenses, and eventually I got rid of all that gear and got a Fujifilm X100V because I wanted something way more compact/discrete, and I didn't want to give myself the option of having to pick from different lenses. I looked at it as a new challenge to try and shoot with one focal length for everything, and I really enjoyed that process. After using the X100V as my only digital camera for a while, I wanted to shoot with a wider focal length, so I started to research cameras again. I ran across the Leica Q2 and went down a rabbit hole with my research and spent way too many hours watching videos of it on YouTube. It was a very pricey decision to go with the Leica Q2, but I'm really glad I went with it.
6. You’re also fond of 35mm photography from time to time. What’s your chosen camera and film stock? Can you share what drew you to this setup?
I love the process of shooting film and the aesthetic/feel of the photos, so I shoot it once in a while. I use a Minolta X-700 with a 45mm lens, and my favorite film stock is Kodak Portra 400. I picked up the Minolta X-700 because I wanted to start shooting film, but didn't want to spend too much on the initial setup. I am more than happy with the setup and the results I get from it, so I don't plan on switching it up any time soon. As far as film stocks go, I think all film stocks are really nice and it really just depends on what type of look and feel you're going for, but overall, I like the way images look when shot on Kodak Portra 400.
7. For many, social media plays a large role in their creative journey, whether positive or negative. How would you describe its impact on your creativity?
I can probably sit here and write an entire essay on this topic, but I'll try to keep it short and simple. There are plenty of days where I want to delete social media, but I remind myself of how it's impacted my creativity and photography journey in a more positive way. The ability to have access to viewing work by other hundreds of thousands of photographers around the world has given me a lot of inspiration overall. When I see an image I really like while I'm scrolling, it sparks something within me and makes me want to go out and create. I definitely use it as a bit of motivation sometimes. I've also met a lot of incredible photographers through social media, and it's probably the biggest impact that it's had on my creativity and journey.
8. Do you have any other creative hobbies you’re interested in that people don’t see shared on social media?
I don't have any other creative hobbies for now, but I do really hope to get back into drawing again some day!
9. Do you have anything creative you’re working on or excited about for the future?
I don't have any specific projects I'm working on at the moment, but I'm shooting on the regular and am continuing to push my creative boundaries within photography. I just want to continue to learn and see how far I can go in my journey.
