All posts filed under: RAW Talent

Hands peeling a tangerine against a blue background. Photo by Manyi Chan, edited in Capture One Pro

RAW Talent with Manyi Chan

Having a tendency for introversion and quiet observing, Hong Kong-born photography student Manyi Chan leans into these personality traits with her work. This has resulted in a unique, quiet personal expression in her images, in which she explores topics like her own relationship with food, sexual fantasy, and violence within her specific cultural context as an East Asian woman. We had a talk with Manyi about how she is finding her voice as a photographer, who she looks up to, and what advice she has for others just entering the world of photography. Tell us, how did you first get interested in photography as a form of artistic expression? Since middle school, I’ve been an extremely introverted person, spending much of my time alone and in silence, observing the surroundings and researching material, texture, functionality, and composition of things around me. My interest in photography appeared to come naturally. When I first got a smartphone in high school, I began to take pictures everywhere and intend to record all the intricacies of life that I …

Images by Recently graduated photographer Ville Makarainen

RAW Talent with Ville Mäkäräinen

Once on the verge of giving up on his dream of becoming a photographer after a particularly disheartening experience at a photoshoot, recent photography graduate Ville Mäkäräinen is now more determined than ever to carve out a space for himself in the world of photography. We spoke to Ville about how his love for skateboarding and run on Finland’s Next Top Model led him to where he is today and the anxiety and excitement of taking the leap into a new profession. I’d like to start by asking you about your origin story. How did you get into photography? It all started when I was a kid and skateboarding a lot. Me and my friends wanted to get new tricks on tape and as the creative child, I was often the one picking up the camera. It was my dad’s camera, which was probably one of the first digital cameras that could record video. Fisheye lens is a big deal in skateboarding, and I remember taping up a peephole right on the lens, probably leaving …

RAW Talent with Raymond Alva

Portrait and documentary photographer Raymond Alva, or Rap – short for Rapberry – as he’s been known since the 4th grade, wants to challenge people to look at each other in new ways; to create understanding between different groups. In this month’s RAW Talent, the recent graduate gives us a look at how he is taking the plunge into the world of professional photography after his studies and using his education and personal interests to explore hidden stories within street culture, fashion, and music. How did you get into photography? I first got introduced to stills back in 2014 at a summer camp I went to. Some older campers I knew had cameras and I was immediately interested in what they were doing. About a year later, I got my first camera from my parents for my birthday, and I’ve been shooting ever since. You studied photography at California Baptist University. How was that? And how did it help you find your voice? My time at CBU was incredible, to say the least. My professors …

RAW Talent with Alicia Berardelli

  Alicia Berardelli’s own athletic background and passion for sports are impossible to miss in her work. With a graphic and dynamic style of composition playing with light and shadows for added dramatic effect, Alicia uses her camera and her own experience to create a bond with her subjects to showcase their skills and dedication to the sports they do. In this edition of RAW Talent, the recently graduated, California-based photographer tells us about her path to sports photography and what she thinks it takes to get the perfect action shot. Tell us a bit about yourself. Essentially, I have an obsession with light. The way it falls, the shadows it makes, its ability to paint and sculpt, to show emotion, to empower, to change meaning, and illuminate. I channel my love of movement into creating narrative imagery that captures my subjects in dynamic and clean ways that emphasize their talents, stories, and the beauty of individuality. When I’m not climbing up something during a shoot, you can find me running somewhere near the ocean, …