The truth is, in today’s world, there are many photographers on social media. One can pick up a camera for a few hundred dollars, buy some Lightroom presets, and just like that, you can claim yourself as a professional photographer.
“It’s so much more than that”, says Alvin Nguyen – social media star and photography wonder. I caught up with Alvin via Zoom while he was stopping over in the St. Lucia for his next project. Given that he travels 10-15 days out of the month to some remote, exotic locations for his magazine Nirvana, and spends the rest of his remaining time shooting for more clients in LA, the chances of catching him in the states was very slim.
(Image by Alvin Nguyen – St. Lucia, The West Indies with model Rachel Cook)
In the current climate of fast pace marketing, demand for young photographers with the keen eye for adventure and a certain romantic nostalgia is extremely high. Oh, did we also mention he’s a filmmaker? But let’s save that for our follow up article. I wanted to know, what does someone with this much experience at such a young age think of the world of social media and photography today?
(Image by Alvin Nguyen – Tulum, Mexico with model Rachel Cook)
He explains, “photography isn’t about snapping away 1000 clicks, praying one will be good enough, and throwing a Lightroom preset on it and send it off into the internet. It’s about provoking an emotional connection between you and your subject, creating a bond that for that moment in time, you are creating art together – every person involved in making that image happen is in perfect harmony.”
(Image by Alvin Nguyen – Beverly Hills, California with model Charly Jordan)
A very mature and impeccably beautiful response from a young artist. Alvin Nguyen started photography in his early twenties, and within a few short years, he has amassed an impressive resume full of clients in all over the world. Guess, Elle, Marie Claire, Vogue to name a few. He’s worked in Beijing, Paris, New York, LA, and places as far as Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
“I think people enjoy my work because I always strive to create a dream world. A place where you can escape and be as adventurous as you want to be, to fall in love, and live that moment over and over again. It’s not just about telling a story, but becoming a part of that story yourself.”
(Image by Alvin Nguyen – Hollywood, California with actress Ruby Rose)
That would explain why he’s got so many fans following his work on instagram. His work often takes him on adventures in remote places with other influencer mega-stars such as Rachel Cook, Carmella Rose, and Charly Jordan.
“My approach to photography is not that complicated” he says. “ Take a moment to frame your shot, focus, breath, and remember the moment you click that shutter. It’s not about how many shots you take, but it’s about making sure every shot count.” With today’s fast moving digital imaging technology, I wonder how many new aspiring photographers forget to remember just that.
You can see Alvin Nguyen’s latest updates on Instagram (www.instagram.com/alvin) and his massive collection of archival imagery on this website (www.alvinnguyen.com).