Cotton Carrier: Where do you call home?
Kah-Wai Lin: I born and grew up in Malaysia. I went to medical school in Ukraine, and graduate school in Sweden. Since 2012, I moved to US and call New Jersey as my home.
CC: How long have you taken photographs for unprofessionally and professionally?
KL: I have been taking photo since I was 15, that was 24 years ago. In 2016, I quit my job as a research scientist at Princeton University and become a full-time landscape photographer.
CC: How would you define your style as a photographer?
KL: I photograph vast variety of subjects, although landscape and nature photography have been my major focus. My favorite style is the combination of long exposure and wide-angle landscape with depth and compositional power.
CC: Have you ever gone to photography school?
KL: No, I am a self-taught photographer.
CC: Where is your favorite place or thing to shoot?
KL: Winter in Arctic circle is my favorite subject. Among the Arctic region, Northern Norway being my favorite. Everything looks prettier with snow!
CC: What Camera/Lens do you use?
KL: I am sponsored by Phase One, the high-resolution medium format camera system. For wide-angle works, I use Phase One XT camera. For telephoto works, I use Sony A7R4. For video, I use Sony FX-3.
CC: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get “The Shot”?
KL: I considered myself as a rather rational person, I don’t usually do “crazy” thing to get the shot. But I did get into the situation that I felt unsafe and “crazy”, like trapped in the snow storm in the middle of nowhere.
CC: Who has inspired you as a photographer?
KL: There are many great photographers who inspire me to become a full-time photographer. Hans Strand is probably the person who inspire me in early day. His amazing works of Arctic landscape and aerial photography make me want to follow his footsteps. Today, there are many talented photographers who keep inspiring me in my creative process, like Ian Plant, Arild Heitmann, Stian Klo, Daniel Kordan and Guy Tal.
CC: What advice would you tell an aspiring photographer?
KL: We all learn photography by studying other photographer’s works. But at some point, we need to start being ourselves, infusing our personality, style, vision and how we feel the world into our works. Don’t be afraid of trying and making mistake, that’s part of the creative process, and hopefully one day, that will lead us to stand out from the crowd.
CC: Can you share a photographic resource you personally use?
KL: There are many useful resources online where I learnt photography. The online galleries like 500PX and Behance have been my sources of inspiration.
CC: How has photography shaped your day to day?
KL: Travel and photography have been big part of my life. They change the way I see the world and having observant eye that perceive small detail in the surrounding.
CC: Where has photography taken you, and made you experience?
KL: Running photo tours are the main focus of my business, therefore I am on the road all the time. I am always exciting to travel to the old and new places. My next destination - Mongolia! I am really excited!
CC: Any exciting photographic events in comping up you’d like to share?
KL: I want to share an inspiring quote from Mark Twain,“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
CC: Any cross promotion you’d like me to add info and links to?
Links:
Website: www.kahwailin.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/kahwailin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kahwailin/
Camera & Telescope Store: www.stetindenphoto.com
