The Creative Eye
“I was invited by Blancpain to do a series of advertising images for them. I wanted to convey a sense of ‘depth’ as the free diver rose from the darkness.”
That’s the hardest part,” he says. “Afterwards, it’s just sticking to it and seeing the project through.” The idea is often simple. “Be realistic about what you can achieve with your first try,” he says. “There’s little reason to shoot for a grand idea that neither your experience or budget can realistically achieve.” Wong encourages beginners to work with soft fabrics or outfits that are loose and flowy. “These draw attention to the weightless environment, which is a big reason for doing this in the first place.” With the idea clearly in mind
the next step is to get it on paper, and since this is a visual exercise the task is to sketch that image of your mind’s eye, Wong says. “Images break language barriers. Drawings are universal and easily understood, so I use them in preparation for every shoot.” He says imagination takes flight on the blank page as simple pencil lines, which he draws himself mainly because he’s found that it’s a real challenge to articulate in words the look of an image to an illustrator. He adds: “The final image rarely
deviates from the sketches. Each detail is purpose-built and followed
42 Magazine
to the ‘letter’ or more accurately, to the pencil stroke.” He says there are rarely any ‘let’s try something else’ moments, even if the idea might make a better picture. “This may seem counterintuitive and counterproductive, too, but in my commercial world, discipline is key and it ensures the product gets delivered.” He says that when he’s on the job in a studio or at a site, wherever it may be, each image is captured exactly as planned; nothing is left to chance…ever.
Business Model Model selection is big and it can be a problem. “You can struggle over the choice of a model for her looks or her abilities.” For underwater shoots it goes without saying the model must be comfortable in the water. Wong says he makes a point of training all his models before the shoot, typically in a pool session with an instructor or safety diver who’s part of the team. “This gets them acclimatized and comfortable opening their eyes underwater, which is crucial: even the slightest
“Drawing a sketch is the best way to communicate what I want to achieve to my model and the entire team.”
stress shows in the end shot,” he says from long experience. Wong points out that the rules
Right: “I’m a
big fan of David Lachapelle and I must say this
shot is very much influenced by his weird sense of fashion. I ended
up finding a model with the right skin
tone and eye color for the job.”
he lives by should apply if a diver is shooting a model or a dive buddy. “If you’re working with people underwater, it’s important to have a plan designed to get the job done safely. The biggest factor is communication, before and during the shoot.” He reiterates that first you must be clear about your goals and then clearly communicate them to the model(s). “I like to sketch out my ideas so that my model sees what I want.” He says the images don’t have to be works of art; simple stick men can communicate an idea where words can fail. The pre-dive briefing is essential for the entire dive team, he notes, emphasizing that everyone must know precisely
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