In Sharp Focus

Introduce yourself, and tell us how you normally spend your days.
Hey! My name is Colette. I’m 24 this year, and I’m currently a freelance photographer. On days when I don’t have shooting projects, you can usually find me working part-time at Acne Studios. Apart from that, I’m normally attending events around the local arts and fashion scene. My best friend is also quite involved in the scene, so we always keep each other updated on the latest events and attend them together!

Any upcoming projects or events that you’ve been up to that you’d like to share?
Oh yes! My partner, Rangga Jones, is a musician, and I’ve been helping him shoot his album covers. We’ve recently been working together on the cover for his latest single, and I might potentially be directing a music video for it too—but we’ll see!

What other kinds of photography do you enjoy?
I’ve done a lot of fashion photography for students at LASALLE who need help capturing their Final Year Projects. I’ve also helped models with casting shots and test shoots for agencies. I dabble in live concert photography as well, mostly shooting indie artists or solo Korean acts.

What’s a day after work like for you?
If the day was really tiring, I’ll usually try to just get some rest. But during that rest time, I’ll still try to brainstorm potential passion projects I want to work on next, or do some research for upcoming projects that are coming my way.

What are some misconceptions people usually have about what you do?
IWell, when people hear that I’m a freelance photographer, they tend to assume I have all the time in the world and that everything is completely flexible. But being a freelancer actually means you have to put yourself out there more. If I’m not doing that, no one is going to know who I am. Even though I’m naturally an introvert, I really have to push myself to network. It gives me flexibility, but it also takes a lot of self-discipline and time management. If I procrastinate too much, my work would be a big mess!