Photographer - Jerry Tsui

Coffee Shop - Crispelli's Bakery

City - Royal Oak, MI

Date - September 16, 2023

Q - What camera did you use for Cameras and Coffee?

A. - I used a Canon Canonet QL17

Q. How long have you been taking photos?

A. I’ve been taking photos to preserve memories for 10+ years but I’ve only started treating it as an art in the last six months.

Q. Why did you start photography?

A. I started photography to capture memories that will never be recreated again. My father is a photographer, and seeing all of the picture books he has stashed away inspires me to memorize all of the fleeting slices of daily life that make life interesting and meaningful.

Q. What motivates you when it comes to photography?

A. Impressing my friends and family with my work.

Q. Describe your photography style.

A. My digital photography is usually all landscapes and portraits. Those photographs are purely for me to preserve my memories. With my film photography, I try to put the spotlight on people or scenes we don’t normally think about on a day-to-day basis, but remind us of something about us as individuals. Here’s a recent example - https://photos.app.goo.gl/qhsZ7TpEBQZsSFF36. This reminded me a lot about myself in high school, when I felt like I needed to use a mirror to tell me how I felt.

Q. Explain your Instagram name. 

A. I don’t use Instagram because it takes away from the authenticity of who you are. There are really only 5-10 people you can truly and deeply care about, and I want to share my life with them.  I’m more than happy to show people I meet my work, but I want that connection to be meaningful, rather than a split second of attention someone gives as they doomscroll at night.

Q. What are your photo goals for the next year?

A. Learn how to be more confident with street photography and miss less shots. I’m still getting used to zone focusing and am constantly afraid that if I don’t focus my subject perfectly, the shot’s not worth taking.