Callie Eh features in our first edition of Plaza - a twice yearly publication that features black and white street and documentary photography from South-East Asia. We caught up with her about taking pictures and what it means to her being in the moment.
My life wasn't always easy, I managed many ups and downs and worked very hard to get through life. Photography has been an enormous support for me and it has been a refuge during difficult times and a safe space to explore a multitude of emotions concerning love, conflict, and hope.
"Train of thought", Myanmar
A turning point in my life was in 2015 when I moved to Poland. My work was discovered by cafe owner - Gaston Sitbon, and Galeria AMI Poland founder - Piotr Kaczmarek. What impacted me was a documentary workshop in Krakow in 2016, which was extremely intense and deeply changed my view on photography. I bought a 28mm fixed lens camera (Leica Q), and with no zoom lens, it forced me to get out of my comfort zone, get closer to the subject, their emotions, and their stories, and take better pictures with more direction, purpose, and meaning.
"Friendship Barbershop" - Malaysia
I would describe my photography as pretty much mixed; travel, street, and documentary. I focus on life, “In the moment” and capture people to reveal the honesty and authenticity of their individuality, heritage, and life. I always respect the rules of the culture, place, and people, when taking photos in other countries. I like to show the country I've visited on the bright side and not try to paint it in a bad light. Some people lead a difficult life, still for me, it is important to express their happiness in pictures.
It’s always helped to be a little adventurous. Sometimes the best discoveries and surprises are the places that you didn't know, if a side street looks enticing to you, explore it!
Play around with composition, don't get too hung up on the rules of photography though, play along with different angles, and try shooting from different distances. Finding unique ways to fill your photo, get creative with the angles, light, mirror, and water reflection, or an unexpected and unique perspective that can make the pictures stand out and be remarkable.
"Team Work" - Indonesia
(And shooting in South-East Asia) aside from the incredible diversity and cultural richness, there are many amazing sights to see, as well as delicious local cuisine. From the chaotic cities to beautiful nature and the people are welcoming and friendly, it is easy to find a great street photography shot, that holds many unique surprises that you won’t experience anywhere else in the world.
Check out Callie’s site HERE
Check out her Instagram HERE
and you can find more information on PLAZA HERE.