Interview Matthew Burgos / itsmatthewburgos

What runs behind the lens remains unspoken and concealed unless each narrative unfolds in a series of heartfelt stories, humble beginnings, fiery passion, and divine yearning to capture the impermanence of time. At French Fries Magazine, we desire to kindle, if not to reignite, the depth of the iceberg and the substance of the women photographers who aspire not only to let the impermanence of time be captured to linger, but to leave footprints and be remembered in our digital-connected reality. It is no longer enough that we marvel at the photoshoots they have done, productions they have designed, and commissions they have worked on to unravel the beauty and glam of the art, culture, and fashion themes that they had in mind. This time, we fuse our voice with the women’s backstories to concoct revelations that resonate to our diverse readers across the world.

We wonder about what goes through the conception of their concept, the founding of their mindset, the grounding of their ethics, and the valor of their character as a photographer and creative. We strive to ask questions that dig beyond the surface, open up their emotions, and strip their narratives bare. While we touch on the common questions a publication asks to a photographer in an interview, French Fries Magazine barrels through every nuance that affects the women photographers’ artistry and craft, from their personal experiences with what goes behind the industry that the public fails to know about to the euphoria they emit throughout their creative journey. We envision interviews where they lay down their camera on a coffee table as we position two chairs that sit adjacent to one another and host candid conversations over a platter of french fries. 

We want to cross boundaries and break limits through intimate stories sourced from raw, pure, and translucent storytelling. We yearn to echo the plots of our women photographers and amplify them to inspire and influence women of all ages, ethnicities, and identities. We anchor to bring forth a communion of hardship, history, fruition, and faults behind the art, culture, design, and fashion visuals women photographers deliver for mass consumption. We invite you to embark on this voyage with us.

Welcome to French Fries with Photographers: Women’s Backstories.

Matthew Burgos: Hi Lean! What have you been up to lately? How has the pandemic affected your creative pursuits and day-to-day life?

I was rifling through your portfolio, entranced by the dreamy shots of your anthology, and I wanted to know more about who Lean is, so I clicked on your About page. As a twenty-one-year-old photographer and artist based in Hong Kong, what does it entail to have been featured and commissioned by giant publications at a young age? Does it allow you to play with your creative expressions or do you feel the need to conform to the editorial tones of the magazines?

Lean Lui: I’m studying in CSM UAL, based in London now. I don’t need to narrow my tone down to magazines cause they choose me because of my aesthetic.

MB: You describe your work as sensitive, metaphoric, emotional and dreamy. Going back to your anthology on your portfolio, I have to agree to every description. For instance, in Vivien Lyu, 2019, the misty effect adds up to the innocence your subject evokes. There is an inner sultriness being exuded, tempting the viewers to awaken their youthful desire to live and love. What is innocence for you? Does it affect the way you perceive and tackle your photography? Do we ever lose our innocence in life?

LL: That’s a very good question. To me, innocence is like a girl who looking for first love. It’s an insistent, a noble personal moral pursuit, a uniqueness, an unknown. It’s not about any religion and social norm, you have to know this is your chose but not anyone told you to insist on something. And yes, innocence is one of my most treasure element in my work. But I can’t answer for general in what situation innocence will disappear, but to me, if you don’t take something serious, it will disappear. 

MB: Let us turn to your Pinky Babe, Babe, 2020 anthology. Your subject dons pink hair, bites her fingernail as you capture the shot, her eyes hazy and brimming with vulnerability, lies in bed in her most comfortable position, and displays her bare back adorning flowers and grains. What emotions are you trying to provoke in this series? How does vulnerability work? Is it an essential element in life? How about in photography?

LL: Yes, we need abundance of courage to admit our vulnerability, to accept ourselves can’t be perfect. I was deeply affected on Japanese aesthetics “Wabi-Sabi”. However, I noticed even nowadays seems to have more saying on accept the imperfection, but mostly still a capitalism slogan for hit rate. But it’s better than not, at least it arouse people attention.

MB: I am enthralled by your Angel N Devil, Zoe, 2020 series. The way divine femininity and the playfulness of our inner child, which is perceived devious and tricky, intertwine in your dreamy shots using films leaves an imprint, questioning one’s individuality through beliefs. What is your belief about divine femininity and masculinity in each of us? How do we balance the light and dark in our personality? And about the shoot, why did you pick the theme of angel and devil in play? What was running through your mind during this photoshoot? 

LL: Thank you, I like this series very much also and your description. I found what’s make my photos special is the people surround me are special, I become surer about that because when I came to London alone, I feel there’s a big hole in my creation, my family and friends, they already know my personality and emotions very well and they can present me in front of my lens like a mirror, Zoe is my very good friend, we know each other stories, we shared a very similar comment point is, our appetences is very sweet, but the personality is can’t to be tamed, we hate people to put their own expectation on us, told us what to do which people always do in our younger time. People is a polyhedron, using any dualization logic toward a human is stupid. 

MB: Girlhood Metamorphosis exudes confidence in self and sexuality while basking oneself in the summer haze. I adore how the flowers signify the embrace towards the freeness of spirit, letting go of hesitations and restrictions and just being and staying true to who we are. Is exploring one’s identity a theme in your photography? How does photography help you explore your individuality? In what way do your photographs explore sexuality?

LL: This is the first series I took in London, after a dark and depressed winter, I become very yearn for the sunlight, sunlight used to be everywhere in Hong Kong, I almost lost all my creation element when I first moved to here, it was a very hard time. Maybe that’s also why this series have more freedom atmosphere.

Yes, I enjoy exploring identity in photography, people always tell me my lens is a magnifier / reading glass, it shows the details / situation they didn’t noticed. I think it’s because I like observing, major and minor, different aspect, and it reflect on my lens. For the sexuality exploration, I think the lens is an extension of desire.

MB: In French Fries Magazine, we have started the series French Fries with Photographers: Women's Backstories to narrate the daring stories of female photographers across the globe who are breaking boundaries and cultural norms in photography. Is gender relevant in the industry of photography? What are the politics behind the industry that are hidden from the public? Could you share a moment when you had to compromise?

LL: I didn’t, people respect my gender and identity very much, I’m very thankful to that. For example, everyone know MG’s DIOR is a huge supporter on feminist, they lead me a lot.

MB: As an empowered and empowering young photographer of this generation, what tips and advice would you hand down to those who would like to dabble in photography? What have been the highlights of your profession as a photographer?

LL: There is no formula, you need to make your own receipt. The highlights might be the philosophic thinking way.

MB: Before you go and plan your next shoot, I would love to know: how do you like your French Fries?

LL: With ketchup ☺