Lens Speak Asia

Tom White on photographic practice, and visual literacy training for all

Born (and very much still rooted in) Yorkshire, this episode’s guest Tom White has spent the last 15 years in Southeast Asia, where he works as a photographer, and in off camera hours, teaches photography. Tom has designed and delivered the Photojournalism & Documentary curriculum for Yale-NUS College in Singapore, and taught at the International Center of Photography and Columbia University in New York, in addition to instructing workshops and community-based social programs wherever he’s lived in the world. We chat about the process of documenting a story, why visual literacy training is more important than ever (for everyone, not just photographers), Parallax Photo Journal, and of course, cameras. Tom Website: tomwhitephotography.com [https://www.tomwhitephotography.com] Instagram: @tomwhitephoto [https://www.instagram.com/tomwhitephoto/] Parallax Photo Journal Website: https://parallax.asia [https://parallax.asia] Instagram: @parallax.asia [https://www.instagram.com/parallax.asia/]  Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic [https://www.instagram.com/fujifilmnordic/] for supporting this episode.

Geela Garcia on the documentary process

Geela Garcia is a distinguished Manila-based documentary photographer focused on socio-political issues on women, food sovereignty and climate issues. She takes us through the shifts in her professional path, her vision in visual storytelling and democratized media platforms and her personal pursuit in promoting alternative voices in photojournalism. We chat about the changes in the industry, and gear… of course! Geela also shares her favourite women photographers, how their ways of working are as important as the images that they’ve made, and the process of her own award winning work on the artisanal salt makers of the Philippines: Tubig Alat [https://geelagarcia.com/Tubig-Alat-1]. Geela Website: geelagarcia.com [https://geelagarcia.com] On Instagram: @geelagarcia [https://www.instagram.com/geelagarcia/] Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic [https://www.instagram.com/fujifilmnordic/] for supporting this episode.

Natthaya Thaidecha on overcoming loss, photography and community

A film production graduate who is based in Thailand, Natthaya (Mai) Thaidecha weaves the method of cinema and the practice of photography in her personal work. Fueled by tragedy and personal loss, she shares in this episode how the greed and corruption that affected her life became the impetus to process the emotional turmoil with photography, resulting in the shadowed, evocative imagery that is so prominent across her work. But it’s not all darkness. Mai chats with us about the brighter spots - and inevitable challenges! - of building the Bad Eyes community - and the rewards of championing local voices. Mai Website: natthayathaidecha.com [https://natthayathaidecha.com] Instagram: @maiheartandsoul [https://www.instagram.com/maiheartandsoul/] Bad Eyes Collective Website: badeyes.org  [https://badeyes.org/] Instagram for the collective @badeyes.collective [https://www.instagram.com/badeyes.collective] and publishing arm @publishedbybadeyes [https://www.instagram.com/publishedbybadeyes] Thank you to Fujifilm Nordic [https://www.instagram.com/fujifilmnordic/] for supporting this episode.