Based in California, Gigi Chung produces architectural photography with a unique style that emphasizes the juxtaposition of lines, light, and contrasts.

She has received important awards: Black & White Magazine Portfolio Merit Winner; Kyotographie KG Plus Outstanding Artist; winner of the Abstract, Architecture & Interiors category at the Pollux Awards. Hasselblad Heroine 2022 and has exhibited in galleries around the world. Athens, Chania, Cormons, Glasgow, Greenville, Portland, Minneapolis, Taipei, Trieste, Tokyo, San Francisco, Switzerland, and Vermont.

-Good morning Gigi, the first question is always inevitable. How did you get into photography, and how did it all start?

A film photography class in college sparked my interest.  I started getting more involved in photography after I joined a local camera club in the San Francisco Bay Area.

-You have lived in different cultures, do you think this has affected your style, your work? How do you unite dance, music, and photography?

I have been blessed to have lived in and traveled to many places. “You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” - Ansel Adams said. This idea resonates with how I develop my work with the different kinds of aesthetics I have been exposed to.  I explore rhythms in architecture just the way I would when I am playing my flute.  This enables me to feel the flow in a photograph and achieve a balanced composition.

-Which artists have influenced your work?

Piet Mondrian and Mark Roktho for their experimentation in abstraction and minimalism.  I have been drawn to Dimensionism and have been studying the works of Isamu Noguchi and Alexander Calder.  The movement emphasizes how artists respond to scientific breakthroughs.  As an artist, I want to transcend barriers and express new concepts.

-How would you define your style in photography?

I’d describe my work as strong, clean, and bold with a minimalistic approach.  By distilling a complex scene into bold sculptural forms, I hope my work will stand the test of time.

-Who is your favorite photographer?

I found the works of Fan Ho, a legendary street photographer from Hong Kong, inspirational.  His black and white documentation of Hong Kong in the 1950s has inspired my “Tokyo Hustle” series, a paraphrasing of lives in the metropolitan.  I love the works of Vivian Maier and Diane Arbus for their simple but compelling imagery of daily lives.  I admit I have a big appetite for good photography.  Hence, I have a long list of wonderful photographers whose works I admire.

-Why did you choose the medium format?

Medium format cameras offer a wide dynamic range and capture amazing details from shadows to highlights. The larger pixel sizes translate to registering more information for every type of rendering intent. 

-Do you have favourite architects to photograph their buildings?

This is a hard question to answer.  In short, I like photographing good designs.  Great architecture should have great form and function that suits the needs of the client.  I have followed the works of Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Ricardo Legorreta, and Rem Hoolhaas closely.  Each has his or her own style which contributes to iconic building designs. I am also interested in the works of Japanese architects, namely Kazuyo Seijima, Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma, and Shigeru Ban. I like their minimalistic approach to the built environment and their architecture exudes understated elegance.

 -You are a Hasselblad Heroine 2022. What has this recognition meant to you?

I am honored to receive this recognition. As a Hasselblad Heroine, I believe my role is to advance public awareness of female photographers and celebrate women’s visions. My goal is to create more platforms and opportunities to help female photographers to share their work. 

-What are your next photographic projects?

I am working on my “Seoul: Place Identity” project.  In my opinion, South Korean architecture is as energetic as the K-pop phenomenon, flashy and rebellious with a strong sense of rhythm. An exhibition in Seoul is also in the works for the fall of 2022. 

-What would you recommend to photographers starting out in photography?

Be brave and open. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas.  Be persistent. Always be ready to show your work.

-How do you think photography will change in the coming years?

 Augmented Reality (AI) will play a big part in imagery, not just photography. I have seen immersive experiences sprouting all over. Designers are always on the lookout for cross-discipline collaborations and I feel photography and fashion crossover will happen.