Welcome to the Slices of Time Street Photography podcast. Today, Hugo Lee, a street photographer based in the UK, joins me. I encountered his work on the Worldwide Street exhibition in Amsterdam and was immediately drawn to his cinematic and colorful work.
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- Website: https://www.hugostills.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hugostagefive/
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- My website: www.fredericpaulussen.be
Timestamps of this episode with Hugo Lee
00:00 Introduction to Hugo Lee and His Journey
02:54 Cinematic Street Photography: Style and Influences
05:57 Cultural Differences in Street Photography
08:51 Evolving Photography Techniques and Styles
11:42 The Importance of Documentary Photography
14:59 Capturing Everyday Life: A New Perspective
17:43 Traveling for Inspiration: Experiences in Amsterdam
20:42 Shooting analog or digital for street photography
23:47 Balancing Commercial Work and Personal Projects
26:44 Future Aspirations and Travel Plans
29:36 Going out to shoot and visiting Amsterdam
35:51 Why Hugo Lee got into street photography
40:10 The importance of documenting the streets
47:16 Travel wishlist and outro
Photographers, resources, and gear mentioned in this episode:
Thank you for listening to this conversation with Hugo. Don’t forget to subscribe to be updated about upcoming episodes. Feel free to reach out via social media if you have any questions or ideas you’d like to share.
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Podcast Transcript
Frederic Paulussen (00:01)
So, welcome to the Slice of Time Street Photography Podcast, ⁓ episode 18 already. Today, Hugo Lee, a street photographer based in the UK, joins me I encountered, well, I’m stumbling over my words, we only just started, I encountered his work on the Worldwide Streets exhibition in Amsterdam. ⁓
about two months ago and was immediately drawn to his cinematic and colorful work. So hey Hugo, can you introduce yourself for a second?
Hugo (00:34)
⁓ Yeah, thanks for having me in this podcast. ⁓ Yeah, my name is Hugo Lee. ⁓ I’m based in a town called Bracknell, which is near London. ⁓ I’m originally from Hong Kong. Yeah, I have been ⁓ working as a professional photographer in Hong Kong for over 10 years now. think I’ve done ⁓ all kinds of commercial photography before, but… ⁓
my main focus has always been on the wedding photography or videography ⁓ but when it comes to street photography I say that I really start seriously in 2021 around 2021 but back when I first started shooting street I mostly went out at night because mainly because there’s this time I
Frederic Paulussen (01:17)
Okay.
Hugo (01:30)
I had the only time I had after work. And yeah, then by that time, because I already a father, I already a father there. So every time I went to shoot, the time was really limited, you know, maybe one to two hours in that scene. So yeah, so because of that, don’t have, don’t have, normally I don’t wait too long for scenes or something on the street.
Frederic Paulussen (01:33)
Okay.
Hugo (02:00)
because I will try to shoot it fast and get as many as I can when I start street photography. ⁓ So, because yeah, in the Instagram or something, those people will start labeling me as a light street photographer. because yeah, I think this makes sense because I originally live in Hong Kong and I also…
travel to Japan a lot so I think that these both places you know it’s so right in the light is a light city you can say that is so that’s why I just like many of people that I also like the urban light city yeah the cinematic vibe or moody ⁓ atmosphere that only can happen in the light yeah
So yeah, at the early days, I think 80 % of my photos come from shooting at light. Yeah, actually I’m just shooting of all kinds of things. So I will limit it to myself. I will limit myself to just shoot only maybe one particular thing or style there.
Yes, that’s the… I will keep exploring and capture whatever catch my eyes or something. Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (03:27)
Okay.
There’s already a lot of information. So you moved to the UK recently from Hong Kong then? Because you only started doing street photography in 2021?
Hugo (03:41)
⁓ I-
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I started seriously in 2021 and I moved to UK I think it’s to 2023. I think it’s two years now. Yeah, yeah, yeah
Frederic Paulussen (03:56)
Okay, and was it street
photography or photography related or just…
Hugo (04:01)
No, it’s just my life because this year many Hong Kong people come to the I think it’s because of politics things or something Yeah, me too, so I’m the same case I come to live here and to find a new job or something So ⁓ yeah, recently I’m still a commercial photographer but I changed my…
My job as I moved here I’m not doing wedding photography right now. I still have some photography jobs, but ⁓ I changed it because… Yeah, the truth is I’m not truly in love with shooting wedding or portrait or something. You can say that my early life, the photography job for me is just for pay the bill or something. Yeah, I haven’t considered it.
so deep or so many in photography as my early stages. Things have changed after I drew into street photography.
Frederic Paulussen (05:11)
And do you notice a big difference between, well of course between the culture but in your personal style to approach street photography in Hong Kong and Japan and the UK? Do ⁓ you notice it changes your style or?
Hugo (05:28)
Yes, definitely, Because, you know, when I’m in Hong Kong, I start street photography. ⁓ I just self-taught myself because, you know, ⁓ people will say that, you are commercial photographer and you should get ⁓ better picture or something. from my experience, I can tell you that it’s completely different things.
You can be a commercial photographer but you can get sucked into street photography and two different things. But when I live in Hong Kong, ⁓ I know one day I will move to UK so I start to search, do some research to search other street photographers in the UK or Europe. This really… ⁓
⁓ blow my mind, mind blowing for me for when I search for something because I never thought that ⁓ street photography can shoot like this or something because in my home city you can find many many urban photography but if you say that for street photography there’s not really so many different styles or something ⁓
After I moved to London and started shooting here, ⁓ it really gave me a whole new perspective of it. I think the most different thing is the people. In Hong Kong, the people were generally not accepting of street photography. think that a lot of them, they will think you are invading their privacy or…
Frederic Paulussen (07:24)
Okay.
Hugo (07:24)
Yeah, just didn’t feel comfortable to being photographed or something. yeah, you know, in Europe, think that people are way open minded for this. ⁓ I don’t know, when I first started shooting in UK, I felt very nervous. ⁓ Yeah, because I’m naturally a bit introverted.
Especially I’m nervous because the people not speaking my mother language, right, it’s English. ⁓ If you think I really don’t want to deal with strangers or any kind of things. But after ⁓ I think a few months or I thought I feel that wow people are so kind here or at least they accepted what you’re doing in street photography. ⁓
Frederic Paulussen (08:06)
you
Hugo (08:22)
Even some people, they don’t want you to shoot at them But they are nice. They will say that no, but they will usually just politely say that no, they’re totally fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think after years, last year, I will say that the end of 2024, I start to change my…
Frederic Paulussen (08:37)
Okay.
Hugo (08:51)
style you can say that or photography yeah because I start to get closer and closer to people and I feel that ⁓ because I I find myself ⁓ how to say that is I really want to make a photo that when when the reader ⁓ see my photo
they feel that they’re right there in the scenes too. So that’s why I will try to get closer to people because I feel that this kind of impact, you only can feel that when you are very close to that. I’m still trying that, I can’t say I always very close to that because…
But I would say that the most different, if you say that as before I live in Europe and in Hong Kong, I think the most different thing is, yeah, I feel that’s very comfortable here to get close to people, to shoot whatever I want. And I think this improvement I can say all this thing, when I back to my home city, I can apply to that too. I will feel that, yeah, I have…
go through that wall, yeah, and then I feel that my work is evolved Yeah, you can say that, something like that, yeah. Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (10:27)
Yeah, okay. Cool. Yeah, yeah,
I would expect that ⁓ English people would be more reserved. ⁓ So it would be the other way around. it’s okay. It’s nice to hear that at least British people are always polite, of course. And so you mentioned about getting closer to people. Is it something like you really train yourself in or is it more something you do?
you start doing more intuitively, instinctively or… ⁓
Hugo (11:01)
Mm.
Frederic Paulussen (11:03)
you mentioned like getting closer to people and that it’s something you you want to do more of so it’s something else like you go out on the street and say like okay i’m gonna get this close to people or is more something you just do naturally
Hugo (11:16)
I think yeah, yes, think this is because the last year I for a few years before start I think I… you know people ask me why I I I shoot photo like this or like this normally I think this is the hardest questions for me
Frederic Paulussen (11:16)
If that question makes sense.
Hugo (11:46)
because I haven’t think too much when I start to shoot street photography just I shoot whatever that catch my eyes or something but ⁓ at the moment I feel that I shoot quite repetitive all my photos is quite repetitive and I have moment I feel that I don’t want my photo is just only have
visual impact or something. found my, in fact I love to, I also want to add some documentary, you can say that it’s some documentary style there, I think. ⁓ So I’m looking for something that I can keep involve my photo or something. I want to add more meaning in my photo, you can say that.
⁓ So I’m trying to look for that because you know, I yes, I love that cinematic approach or something but I just want to add some more depth or more meaning in my photo. So I learned from many photography masters or documentary masters or something.
⁓ I really want to ⁓ combine the two things. Because some documentary style I know that because they are really concerned about the moments. ⁓ I think for the classic documentary style, the first thing they look for is the moments.
they happen to need to capture the moment. They have no time to consider the perfect framing even the perfect lighting or something. What I really want to do, think ⁓ is… Yeah, is use a better way. I’m not… Is it right to say that?
maybe a cinematic way or something you can do it to mix with some documentary style ⁓ yeah this is the ideal situation but it’s hard right because you know a documentary style ⁓ you capture a moment the moment is normally unexpected it’s unexpected but what my early photography style everything I
well planning you can say that was well planning maybe you find perfect background perfect lighting and you go a fishing style you wait for the object or something like that but ⁓ I want to push it more further now yeah I I will hope that I can do everything perfectly combined yeah but yeah you know this
Frederic Paulussen (15:03)
Okay.
Hugo (15:05)
It’s hard, but it’s true. this is what I want to do. Yeah, a lot more documentary style in my original style or something. This is what I want to do now. think that, yeah, this is the impact I want to bring.
Frederic Paulussen (15:26)
So I understand correctly that you first were like more of a fisher, like slow, like you make your backdrops and you wait for a person to come through your photo and that you’re now trying to be more of a like the hunter ⁓ person going a bit faster, catching the moments and more.
Hugo (15:36)
Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (15:47)
Yeah, more moment based than aesthetic based, let’s say. ⁓
Hugo (15:52)
In fact,
I think I can’t be a real hunter style or something. I think I try to train myself the ability that you can foresee something happen. Yeah, I can still be fishing a moment or something. I try myself to have the ability to foresee something happen.
Yeah, but ⁓ I really don’t… How to say? I just ⁓ let it because sometimes the things won’t happen as you think, But I just let it be, yeah. But normally I think that you will get some good photos naturally when you keep going on the street. Luckily that now my life, because my kids have grown up…
Frederic Paulussen (16:30)
⁓ Yeah.
Hugo (16:47)
I have more time to go out, not like a few years before. So sometimes I will try to push myself to spend time on street. Because I think every street photographer knows that. You see those masters, they got some master photos of that because I think the only thing, the only master is because they spend a lot of time in the street.
Yeah, so I think yeah, that’s I think if you say style I still fishing a lot. just just a little time when you see something that is really interesting and you need to get it. I will do it. I was going to do it before I would just say that it’s okay. I miss it. I don’t have to I don’t want to point the camera to hunt something or something to make someone
and feel uncomfortable or something. But now for me, ⁓ sometimes I will take it first. will just try to take it first. I will consider later if anything happens. Just don’t do something to make people feel so uncomfortable or something. I think it’s always, yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (17:51)
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so you have a very, very cinematic style. really, I think it’s really nice. It’s something that I don’t see too often. So I think it’s, very nice. Is it something you, ⁓ you developed? Is there some, some like inspiration that brought you to, to this style? Is it more other photographers? Is it maybe movies or, or
Hugo (18:30)
⁓ Yes, it’s definitely inspired by movies. Yeah, I want to say because I love all the movies from the 1980s or 1990s era. Yeah, because I love that. I love that feeling. The time that they film all the things, they still use the film, but not digital. ⁓
This kind of, you can say, color grading or anything, it just gives a special feeling for me. When it comes from storytelling or everything, I think something I can’t explain, that digital can’t give me. For example, you see that horror movie, for example, the horror movie.
⁓ It’s totally different feeling from in the digital world or something. You see so many… CGI or any things now today. It’s not that kind of thing. I’m taking to that. when you see some director, some director from the movie like in Hong Kong, say the famous thing, the Wong Kar Wai.
His color and the director of I think Seven right? David Fincher. Yeah, yeah, yeah. love his movie so much and the color grading so much. Yeah, that’s all when I start my street photography, that’s all inspiration from there. I try to bring back the color. ⁓
something like that and and and you know one photographer is called Greg Girard yeah yeah i think he is from he is from Vancouver yeah he’s from Vancouver but he is shoot so many photos in my home city i think in 1980s and the 1990s yeah
Frederic Paulussen (20:34)
Yeah, I know your name, yeah.
Yeah, the
first photo on his website is from Hong Kong I think so yeah. sorry no it’s Tokyo.
Hugo (20:55)
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love his photo so much. Yeah, and because, yeah, in 1980s, I think it’s the best time in my home city. He captured it so well. And that, you know, they shoot this film, right? ⁓ His photo and those kind of things give me so…
so many inspirations that I love this kind of thing so when I start I try to do that lost the jabs that feeling is what I want what I love
Frederic Paulussen (21:40)
Yeah, okay cool. you mentioned now several, well the era of analog film and Greg Girard who is an analog photographer. Do you shoot analog as well? Because I read that you do more digital stuff I think.
Hugo (21:46)
Mm.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I tried it. I’m not sure and a lot ⁓ I I have to but not always just I’m still fairly new to and I know I definitely I tried it with you know, because You can say I’m lazy but I just feel that When I go out to shoot I just want as compact as I want so normally I
Frederic Paulussen (22:07)
Yeah.
Hugo (22:27)
⁓ take a digital camera and then I don’t want to bring another camera or something but I definitely will try to shoot more and more in the future yeah because you know I have spent I have spent so much time on color grading when when street photography because you know ⁓ the times that I think ⁓ I really
I ⁓ really know how to grade it, because I have shoot a few different film stock for the analog. And then I go to understand different film stock characteristic, what color they provide, what texture, the grain, everything. ⁓
I really have a time because I think I’m really not good at color you can say I’m not some kind of colorist or some people when they first they see a photo they will know that that photo is a a purple in the shadow green the highlight or something my eyes can’t I I do think of my eyes is so good at this so what I do as a period of time you can say that I’m I I I have a period of time I should
few film stock, go out to shoot it or find some photo from my friends or from the internet from other photographers. I copy them, I capture them and then I open it on the screen. really try, I really ⁓ look at the picture and try to, ⁓ yeah, you try to how to edit the digital things to similar like that.
This is my learning process, I think that. it’s really ⁓ give me a… it really made me understand what analog film is happening, why this color come from this film stock is so warm, so cool. I think the hardest part is the texture. Color, I think the texture from the film…
is really different. You can’t really 100 % to get that feeling from the digital. But the things, now the things I’m I’m not really trying to make my photo or yeah, 100 % look like anything or something. I’m not doing that, but I think the process I mentioned before.
Frederic Paulussen (25:02)
Hmm.
Hugo (25:22)
it helped me to learn a lot about the color. yeah, really, because for my, can say that, what I think that in street photography is before I say that, what you capture, the moments, the framing, the color, think everything you need to combine with, yeah, everything you need to be.
good to combine to have a very good photo and impact photo. This is how I learned the color or something.
Frederic Paulussen (26:01)
Okay, yeah,
because I find your colors very, very strong and very, very good. So it’s funny to hear you say that you’re like not a colorist and that you can’t see all those things. I think for me, your color grading is very advanced. It’s very, very good. ⁓ So, and also the analog feel, it’s definitely there. ⁓
Hugo (26:13)
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, I appreciate that.
Frederic Paulussen (26:29)
So I was also gonna ask because I noticed, especially on your Instagram when you post, are very, it seems like you’re very productive that you shoot a lot of photos on a day.
Do you go out often and do you like, how long do you go out and how long, how many photos do you come home with? Do you have an idea?
Hugo (26:53)
Yes, last year I think I can say it started from maybe 2023 in Hong Kong. Hong Kong I think I go out from the first once per week. think once per week. After I moved to London the first year, I’m also trying.
I drive one hour or one and a half hour to London so I try once per week or once per two weeks something like that. not normally like that. yeah, yeah, normally like that. Yeah, but I can say I’m not, mean, the last two years I’ve not really spent too much time on the street. If you compare with other photographers, I know that I’m really not spending much.
Frederic Paulussen (27:29)
I okay.
Hugo (27:49)
But I this is because as my start of photography, I tell you that I am a father. I don’t have so many time. I think it’s because ⁓ I am a commercial photographer, maybe something that the experience helped me. I can get ⁓ photo quite fast, you can say that.
I can go to… I’m not just point and shoot shoot shoot like a… but I will see the scenes, will find the scenes, find the framing quite fast, you can say that because I don’t know, I look for lighting ⁓ I think that my job has given me the experience for that I’m quite familiar with that
what lighting you can get when the scene is coming. when go out to especially a live photography, I can get it quite fast. every time I go out, think I’m not saying that the legendary photo or something, or if you say that some good photo or some photo that I love it, I can get it quite fast.
Yeah, but ⁓ you know the best of the best photo or something this you know, it’s that the time or maybe you are lucky for that. Yeah, but in UK after I moved to Europe I I try to push myself to to go once per week even I’m very busy because I think that this is something that
Frederic Paulussen (29:25)
Hmm.
Hugo (29:45)
I need to do it because when you get lazy or something you will the whole… ⁓ yeah you stop it then you will have so many excuses that you don’t go out so yeah if you ask me I’m not really spend too much time
for the last few years. This year I only go to London for two times right now. year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I’m getting busy this year. I start to travel more. I start to explore more European countries. Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (30:24)
Okay.
Hugo (30:40)
I want to get some new perspective from other place.
Frederic Paulussen (30:45)
Okay cool and is it like photography travel or is it work travel or well street photography travel or work photography travel?
Hugo (30:55)
Both ⁓ yeah, for the last time the Amsterdam that one is I think you can say that it’s Work travel, photography travel you can say that yeah because have the exhibition there but the last time before Amsterdam that this spin that one I think is work travel Yeah, I think it’s work travel I take I spent normally I will will spend few two two or three days
to explore the city and try to do that. Yeah, I think luckily ⁓ I can have more time to do this kind of travel in the future.
Frederic Paulussen (31:34)
Yeah, so
for Amsterdam you joined the exhibition, ⁓ so you did get to visit. Did you spend some time in Amsterdam as well or to take photos? Yeah.
Hugo (31:46)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah few days I think I spent three days for this walk around there three days Yeah, yeah, they’ve walk around it’s really good city. Yeah
Frederic Paulussen (31:55)
⁓ yeah, okay.
That’s nice.
Yeah, I can imagine it’s totally different than London as well. because it’s well less modern in some parts. ⁓ So did you know Amsterdam before or?
Hugo (32:13)
no, this is the first time I’ve been here.
Frederic Paulussen (32:15)
yeah, okay. And
did you find it easy to have this new city and start photographing? Or was there like a getting used to it, like a warming up day? Or how was the experience?
Hugo (32:29)
⁓
Yeah, the experience in Amsterdam is still good. hard to say, I feel that it’s quite challenging to in this city. It’s a beautiful city, I ⁓ don’t know when the first day I go out to shoot. I go to many places. I see, I have a feeling that when I go to the places, wow, they’re so beautiful.
it should have a lot of ⁓ photography chances or yeah but when you take the camera to filming I would feel that you feel that maybe too cloudy or too something they did so many things messing up something so that’s why I feel that yeah I feel that yeah yeah yeah yeah so many tourists or something but ⁓ and and I think it would be just the timing ⁓
Frederic Paulussen (33:18)
Yeah, it’s a busy city. yeah.
Hugo (33:28)
know, the Amsterdam right now, so many places is under construction. ⁓ So sometimes you need to do a lot of isolated subjects or something when you take photos. So I feel that a little bit challenging. But overall, I think it’s super good, I think.
The people, the people is so nice. For something, I think, yeah, in Amsterdam or even in London, what I feel is completely different is my home city or you can say that in Asia. People have many people, they are enjoying their life or they will do some… Yeah, they…
they relaxing or they enjoy their life in the city you will see they I don’t know they lay down on the seaside or they will find a good places to sit down and then to maybe wash a book or something like that I think this kind of things to make this city I feel it’s so good to this kind of thing so good to photograph or something so yeah
Amsterdam also, there’s many layers, city is many layers, just like a maze or something, so I think that even I feel that it could be challenging, there’s endless photography opportunity there. ⁓ yeah, overall the experience is so good for me in the city. And I definitely, I will visit again.
Frederic Paulussen (35:18)
Yeah. Okay.
Yeah, I
went there especially for the exhibition because someone texted me and it’s like a two-hour train ride so it wasn’t too far. So I made like a day of it from like doing the exhibition and doing some street photography as well. ⁓ But I struggle with Amsterdam as well so that’s why I want to go again because it’s a busy city. ⁓ It has to be your style I think ⁓ and then it works.
Hugo (35:43)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (35:51)
So I was wondering, you started with street photography back in 2021, was there a specific reason you started doing street photography?
Hugo (36:03)
Yeah, know, I think a few things affect why I start street photography seriously. Yeah, I think I just like every people when I start photography. I get a camera from my father. ⁓ I feel that I love to shoot something. So I start my photography.
you can say that it’s travel photography or yeah also you will take a camera go out to the street and take picture whatever you want but at that moment I don’t think too much I even in my mind don’t have work called street photography just take pictures or something so but after ⁓ after I think seven years or eight years in my
photography career, ⁓ I feel that is… I hate to be a commercial photographer, especially in Hong Kong because it’s too busy and because my work, you will feel that it’s quite repetitive when you’re shooting. For example, wedding photography, you will feel that you are doing the same thing all the day.
you are taking the same pose for different people or something and you even don’t have the time to rest or something for moment I really don’t want to pick up the camera I really don’t want to do it but in fact in my heart I love photography but I can feel the problems I even I love photography but I don’t want to take the camera again so
I feel that it’s time to have some changes. Yeah, so I try to push myself to do something I really want to do it. I really want to do it. And because another very, I think, is a very, very big reason is 2019. And this is one of my biggest regrets.
About my time in Hong Kong too, it’s because the 2019 There’s had a huge huge movement a protest of the biggest protest in Hong Kong if you see the news that that’s changed the city forever But at that moment, I’m very busy on my work And I didn’t really go out and take many photos to document it At that time. Yeah. Yeah, I was foolish but still
Frederic Paulussen (38:48)
Yeah.
Hugo (38:54)
I don’t know, I really regret not being out there with my camera. ⁓ Yeah, the regret still stick with me now. and because of that, I come to realize that ⁓ if you ask me now, this street photography is not only just a hobby for me, I think it’s a bigger idea that why now I even I feel that sometimes I really feel that ⁓ it’s kind of…
Boring to go out to London to shoot because I go so many times but I still push myself to do it because… ⁓
Hugo (39:33)
No, I, yeah, it’s okay.
Frederic Paulussen (39:33)
Yeah, so sorry for the listeners, there was a slight
disconnection. ⁓ So we taking it back up now. So yes.
Hugo (39:41)
Yeah, you start recording right now? Or soon after? Okay, okay, so I think I picked up the point there. Yeah, I’m saying that because of the moment I mentioned the Hong Kong protest, I really regret that I haven’t been out to shoot with my camera. now, whenever London or something, even my living area,
Frederic Paulussen (39:44)
It’s recording now, yeah.
Hugo (40:10)
I will push myself to go out to shoot there because I just don’t want to stop it because I think that the documentary thing is so important for me. ⁓ Even the tiniest detail or something. ⁓ All those moments might be the exact things that make a photo unique Sometimes, yeah, what you capture could be something that disappears forever.
That moment may never come back. I think that this is another very big motivation for why I keep going out to do street photography. I don’t want to miss something. Yeah, the memories or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s why.
Frederic Paulussen (40:56)
yeah so it’s a
very big part is the documentary aspect of it okay that’s that’s i think that’s a very very noble noble cause to to do it for so that’s great and do you do you sometimes like look up protests now like to to join or do you prefer to have the the more your surrounding and go to markets or or something ⁓
Hugo (41:03)
Yeah.
Yeah, I’m… Although I say I want to document the things, I will not target on any politics thing or something. If they happen, I will go to take it. If the things happen. I think sometimes…
Frederic Paulussen (41:38)
Mm.
Hugo (41:52)
I just, what I say that documentary I think is not really 100 % you need to be a historical event or family or I think the ordinary things or every daily life things you can documentary all the things because the city is changing for whatever the little pieces, yeah. You just like some, I take some photo in London that is a…
Frederic Paulussen (42:02)
Yeah.
Hugo (42:21)
red light theater from the red light all on the street but after I think after six months or seven months the red lights have because I think maybe someone complained the council turn off the red light or something in the air and the environment is totally changed I think these little things that’s why street photography is interesting right because they just forever gone you won’t take the
Frederic Paulussen (42:44)
Yeah.
Hugo (42:50)
same photo again then that’s why we love yeah that’s why we love street photography right so I yeah if you ask like for this protest or something I definitely if I can go to shoot it I will go there but I think it’s not not a must for for some big event you can document your life because
Frederic Paulussen (42:52)
No true.
Hugo (43:15)
I realized that because when I start photography, go out, you’re like, if a set of time you can see it’s just ordinary things. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So that’s why I find a way that you capture this thing in a cinematic way or in an interesting way or everything. Then you can get a good street photography. Street photography, street photo, you can get it. I think this is the thing.
Frederic Paulussen (43:24)
Yeah.
Hugo (43:45)
This why I train myself even the living area I I’m living I I will I have a time I force myself to get at least one picture every day or something it’s because Yeah, we can’t always see the best thing or the special things or something like that, right? So, yeah. Yeah, that’s
Frederic Paulussen (44:04)
Yeah, yeah,
it’s on your website. It’s clear like you have some like small daily moments. There’s like I’m looking at a photo of just like a newspaper stand or someone browsing through books. it’s those are nice photos indeed. So I recently had a did a workshop with Chris Harrison. He’s in Brighton and like the thing that I remember from the entire workshop is everything is interesting.
Hugo (44:21)
Thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (44:35)
It was
just like take photos of everything, like everything is interesting and like just at the end of the day you’ll see what’s crap and what’s good. So it’s,
Hugo (44:37)
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Yeah,
exactly. yeah, when I’m… 2023 when I arrived in UK, and definitely of time if you ask me right now, it’s quite lucky for me because I really meet some very interesting characters on the street and I take some very good shots with them. yeah, but after a year, I never see this kind of character or something.
in London, whatever, go out so many times. ⁓ And I start, I have a period of time, I haven’t, I can’t click my shutter because I feel that, I need some great photo or I need some photo is better than this. And I stuck in it. I stuck in it. I feel that, the problem is coming. I don’t know what to shoot or something.
when I take a step backward and see the whole thing, yeah, that’s just like you say that in the workshop, everything is beautiful. just do, you just shoot whatever you feel that you want to shoot is okay. Just don’t think about every time you need to have a great photo or a very interesting photo or something. So now I’m, yeah, when I go out to the street, I just relax, I think.
Yeah, I think everything is just relaxed. If I get very quick photos, I’m very happy. if I get nothing or something, it’s just because every time I walk to the street, even I don’t take the pictures, but I think I will get something or I can learn something because you will observe the city, you will see what the city changing or something. Yeah, I think this will also…
give you some improvement or something for your next street photography or something. Yeah. Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (46:45)
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah. No, it’s nice to hear that you think that way. It’s also clearly in your photos because it’s very little moments based. It’s nothing aggressive. It’s ⁓ too focused on specific ⁓ things. It’s more like it’s everyday life. If you browse through your website, it’s all kinds of moments.
Hugo (47:12)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Frederic Paulussen (47:15)
which
I really like. So you’re traveling Europe, there any wish list for you that you still want to visit? ⁓
Hugo (47:25)
Yeah, sure. I think that in top of my list is Istanbul, capital of Turkey. ⁓ as a Hong Kong people, I just went too many times in Japan, this kind of such advanced city. I really want to go to some city that
Frederic Paulussen (47:33)
yeah.
Hugo (47:55)
It’s totally different with them. This year I’ve been planning to explore the European country because now I live in Europe. I hate long flights. So normally I don’t really want to go to some destination that’s 12 or 13 hours more than that. the top of my list is Istanbul, Morocco,
Frederic Paulussen (47:57)
Yeah.
Hugo (48:24)
And Italy, I think Italy is also my wishlist because it’s so beautiful in some cities. Yeah, the first thing I want to try that kind of city because I think that sometimes these cities, those cities, the people connections is even more closely. Yeah, people, they have more interactions in the street or something. And that’s what I want to try.
I to challenge myself to go to some places that I’ve never been before to see the culture or something.
Frederic Paulussen (49:05)
I they’re
all great photography cities as well. Especially Istanbul is very popular with street photographers and I think there’s a good reason for it. So I’m gonna start wrapping it up here. So thank you, Hugo, for your time and insights. It was very interesting. If anyone wants to follow Hugo, I will put his links in the description, so for his website and his Instagram. So make sure to follow his fantastic work because it’s really very pretty.
Hugo (49:10)
Yeah, I think yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yes, thank you.
Frederic Paulussen (49:34)
Also make sure to follow the podcast on your favorite platform of course. ⁓ Whether Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, whatever. And follow me for ⁓ updates about new episodes. Those links will be in the show notes as well. So thank you for your time Hugo and ⁓ I’ll see the or I’ll hear the listeners in the next episode. Bye! ⁓
Hugo (49:55)
Thank you so much. Thank you.