Robin Wong
What makes black and white photography so important to you?
Black and white photography works predominantly well for street photography, which I do frequently on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Taking out the colour instantaneously removes unnecessary distraction, creating a simpler outcome with more emphasis on the content of the photograph; the main idea, message and the story in it. I strive to accomplish simplicity in my photography, thus black and white greatly enhances that approach. Further to that, I shoot street portraits, both environmental and close up people shots, hence the black and white amplifies the human emotion and any expression that are conveyed in my images.
What inspires you to create photographs?
In contrary to most photographers who often seek inspiration from something big and extra-ordinary, I find inspiration to shoot in the smallest and most ordinary of things in our daily lives. I think there is beauty is the subjects that are surrounding us, if we allow ourselves to see them and we do not have to go far to find strong, compelling photography content. It may be something as simple as the friendly greeting smile of a stranger I have met on the street, or a young girl helping a blind man to cross the street. I find satisfaction and urge to capture just that one slice of reality into my images, and document the beauty in ordinary things that I see.
Why is black and white photography so important to our future in the art world?
Black and white itself is a powerful and lasting culture within the world of photography since the very beginning. Therefore, black and white should not be categorized as just one genre in photography, it is a definitive photography identity that transcends all genres of photography. Consequently, black and white presence is significantly timeless and should be preserved as such in the world of art.
