Process 089 ☼ A Conversation with Sissi Lu

GIVEAWAY: Photography inspired products by Photogenic Supply

Dear friends,

For this week’s letter I had a wonderfully inspiring conversation with one of my favorite street portraiture photographers: Sissi Lu in New York City.

This week’s PROCESS GIVEAWAY is photography-inspired products created by Photogenic Supply, an independent design studio in Philadelphia.

Housekeeping

New Project Alert! You may remember that way back in Process 043 I wrote about being one of the first testers for Kodak’s then-new Tri-X disposable camera. The results blew me away and we even made a video about it.

I since decided I was going to use this camera to document a full year of my life and create a photo diary by taking one picture a day. This ties in neatly with my goal, as described in Process 081, to be better at documenting my personal life in pictures.

I was recently talking to my pal Sibylle and when I told her about this project she said:

“After my mum passed I realized how many pictures I had deleted of myself because I thought I looked awful but looking at pictures of my mum growing up I never once saw a flaw. And I figured maybe one day someone will wants to have pictures of me like that.” - Sibylle

This was such a moving thought, and very relatable to me, so with the help of my friends at Kodak I have embarked on this daily photo journey. I will share images soon.

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In Conversation with Sissi Lu

I am excited to share with you a conversation I recently had with Sissi Lu. Sissi is known for her stunning street photography, capturing candid moments and intimate portraits of strangers she meets on the street.

In this conversation, we dive into Sissi's journey as a photographer, exploring how she got started and what led her to develop her unique approach to capturing moments in public spaces. Along the way, we'll hear about some of the challenges she's faced and the lessons she's learned from talking to strangers and finding beauty in unexpected places. Join us as we explore the art and craft of street photography with Sissi Lu.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What Inspired Sissi To Take Street Portraits

Wesley: What inspired you to start taking portraits of strangers on the streets of New York City?

Sissi: The real reason was my parents. My parents and I went on a trip to Europe and visited Andalusia and France. It was the first time I was able to afford a trip for my parents, and as the only kid in the family, it was fulfilling for me. During the trip, I came to realize I wanted to make a project documenting older people. When I would take pictures of my parents they would be giggly in front of the camera, since they weren't used to being photographed in this way with a real camera instead of a phone. If you asked your parents or grandparents they might not remember the last time they were being properly photographed. And that saddens me sometimes. They may not see themselves as beautiful, but I saw a lot of beauty in them.

When I returned from the trip, I knew I wanted to pursue this project, and my Hasselblad camera came into my life at the right time. I used it as a conversation starter to introduce myself to people on the street and get them interested in my project. I asked them to walk with me and be part of my learning process. People were usually interested. Contrary to what people think, New Yorkers are some of the kindest and most generous people. When you approach them warmly and reasonably, they open up and share their stories. So that’s how it all started.

The Hasselblad camera brought me many opportunities. People will see it and ask questions, and I learn a lot by asking people about the camera's history. Some people, especially those from the older generation, knew a lot about the camera and shared their knowledge with me.

The Best Advice Sissi Ever Received

W: Do you recall any particular moment where you connected with someone on the street in a very special way that has stayed with you?

S: Yes! This happened early on when I first started taking street portraits and asking people for advice. The person I photographed happened to own a gallery, and I was curious about what he looked for in young artists. His response stuck with me and changed my perspective on how I approach my work.

He said:

"To be a great artist is to make good art and make your good art be seen. Without either part, it's not complete."

It was a revelation to me because I always thought that creating great work was enough and that the world would naturally come to appreciate it.

At the time, I hated social media and I was not comfortable with the idea of putting myself out there. I would share my work with my friends and I would genuinely get excited about it. They would encourage me to do more but that is where it stopped. It wasn't until I heard this piece of advice from someone who worked in the business of art that I realized the importance of sharing my work with a wider audience.

Although I still struggle with imposter syndrome, and I still get nervous whenever I post anything, I know my art is worth being seen. It has been a journey to develop my skills as both an artist and a businessperson. I have learned that promoting my work is not about vanity, but about sharing my creative vision and inspiring others.

As artists, we have a responsibility to not only create great work but also to share it with the world. The world is full of incredible talent, but without a platform to showcase it, much of that talent goes unnoticed.

How Sissi Approaches Her Social Media Presence

W: How do you approach your social media presence? And how much energy do you put into it?

S: So, it's just a matter of transforming or transferring my passion for photography from talking to my friends to typing and posting about it. I'm already known as a photography nerd by everyone around me because of how passionate I am about it. To be honest, I just write down whatever comes to mind during a conversation.

It all started very innocently - I used to be afraid of writing because English isn't my first language, and I didn't feel comfortable expressing myself through writing. I always felt like my words weren't good enough and that I couldn't make them sound beautiful. But then I realized that I could just type whatever was in my mind and it would still be helpful to others and somehow connect with them in a more real way. This took the stress out of trying to make my online presence crafted or perfect.

I always refer to Instagram as my mind-dumping place, where I can freely share my creative ideas and thoughts. Of course, I still curate my content, but it's a place where I can just freestyle and share anything that comes to my mind.

W: Would you say that the amount of time that you spend on it is roughly equal to the amount of time that you do actual work?

S: You might be the first person to ask me about the social media side of my photography. I have a little toolbox that I find helpful in not constantly getting stuck in the planning stage. Every few months, I plan out my grid before posting anything on my main feed right away.

This helps me distance myself from my work and avoid feeling too insecure or too excited about something right away. If I still feel good about what I created after three months, then I consider it a testament to good work.

Planning the grid also helps me see how everything flows together and how each photo complements the other. Sometimes there's a weaker photo and a stronger one, and planning them all together gives me a little break to figure out which ones to post to get to the next strong one.

It's not just about individual photos, but about how they all work together. As a curator, I'm sure you understand the importance of finding the right balance between each photograph. This is how I deal with Instagram and plan my portfolio.

And also, I might just add one point. You don't need to pay for any software to do what I just described. A lot of people end up paying for a service that helps with this but you can do it for free right on your phone inside of the photos app. You can create an album and you can move everything in there around to create a future grid.

Capturing Audio and Video During Street Shoots

W: I want to get back into the audio recording element of what you do in your street photography. What is your process in terms of recording them, and do the people know they’re being recorded right away?

S: I started by recording audio because I couldn't remember the entire conversation after I spoke with them. Some moments were so profound at the time, but later on, I couldn't remember them. I would just punch myself and wonder why I had a fish brain and couldn't remember better.

Later I started to record videos. Sometimes it was through my waist-level viewfinder, and sometimes it was from my bag. This way, later on, I could see their faces matched their photograph. I did this all for myself, but later on, I realized that the visual helped with understanding the photograph. It's a moment in time, and how you see someone at that moment might not be exactly who they are.

I remember one person in particular. When I looked back at the footage, I saw a different way to photograph them. Their personality wasn't the same as how I initially clicked the shutter, and I thought it was such an interesting contrast. So, I posted the video alongside my photograph, and people enjoyed the format.

Now, this has become a part of my storytelling process. People who know my work know that I always ask for permission to take someone's photograph. And when the video part comes into the process, I also ask for their permission. Sometimes not at the get-go, but usually once I've started recording.

As a woman, especially in an urban setting, I think this is also for safety reasons. So, no matter if they say yes or no, the video is always recording. I usually approach them with my phone, usually with a wide lens, so I don't have to worry about where I'm aiming. If they say no, I delete the video and move on.

If they say yes, I usually get to know them first and take a photograph. Then, in the end, I’ll tell them I was recording a video and ask them if I can use it. If they say yes to a photograph, they usually say yes to being recorded as well.

This is the easiest way for me to remember what they say, some keywords, get really good audio of their advice, and remember their personalities through our interaction. It allows me to see exactly who they are and see the transformation from how I meet them to how I photograph them. This is part of my process to see everything.

For More: To listen to our full and unedited 1-hour conversation below. We dive into a few other topics not covered in the text above, including cultural differences in street photography, where Sissi gets inspiration outside of photography, Sissi’s background in music, and more.

Shout out to Vangelis for recording the intro. Find Sissi on Instagram and Tik Tok.

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That’s it for this week! I had a blast talking to Sissi and I am excited to share more conversations with inspiring photographers with you in the future.

Next week: I recently spent a day with the Amsterdam fire department and documented it all for you in the form of a photo essay. It was an amazing day.

Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others.

Wesley

PS You already know this but all my film work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. Use code “PROCESS” at check out to get a free size upgrade.

PPS Shout Out to our friends at MPB.com, the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video kit. They have served over 625,000 visual storytellers while recirculating more than 400,000 products annually –– all of which come with a six-month warranty after being carefully inspected by product specialists. This week I will buy a 28mm lens for my Canon on MPB and I will share test images soon!

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Process Giveaway!

This week’s giveaway is a PRIZE courtesy of my friends at Photogenic Supply Co based in Philadelphia. One winner will receive a decoration Pennant and a Rope Strap to get a good hold of your camera while shooting.

To enter this week’s Process Giveaway answer the question below in the comment section for this issue:

QUESTION: What inspires you the most to pick up your camera and shoot?

My answer is: Honestly, after a long European winter my answer is any time the sun comes out at the moment as spring announces itself. I cannot wait to go back out and take street portraits again for the first time in many months!

I’m excited to read everyone’s answers.

The winner will be randomly drawn. This giveaway is for Process subscribers only.

Major shout out to my friends at Photogenic Supply Co for sponsoring this giveaway.

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