Artist Interview: Nogc Van Anh Nguyen
Get to Know Artist Nogc Van Anh Nguyen!
Nogc Van Anh Nguyen (@Anh.Yeong) is a Berlin-based photographer. She has dedicated her time to shooting futuristic architecture, street and sometimes portraits as well. Her signature work showcases leading lines which focus the subject and interesting perspectives/angles of architectures & negative space. Along with following her on Instagram, check out her work and projects at www.anhyeong.com.
What kind of messages or emotions are you trying to convey with your work?
I love to shoot architecture. If you look at my portfolio you will usually find a person in the picture. I intentionally combine both aspects in my work to make the shot look unique and add a sense of perspective & scale.
I want to people to take a look at my pictures and make them think. I always do my best to create something different, play with perspectives, try to find leading lines which focus the subject. I just want to show people something they haven’t seen before, something different.
What message or advice do you have for young creatives just starting out?
My advice to young creatives is to find your niche and stick to it. It’s common that photographers just starting out don’t know what theme they should follow. It’s always hard at the beginning; but try out many different photography styles and pick one which suits you best or describes your personal narrative better.
It’s also important to understand your camera. Without any knowledge about exposure, iso or shutterspeed, it is easy to destroy the image. Stay focused, try to set goals and outline what you want to achieve by year end. Don’t exclusively chase fame or money. I am sure, if you’re skills are good enough and you believe in your creative shots, your hard work will pay off later!
What inspires an image for you?
I mostly draw my inspiration when I travel or when I venture outside and focus on one urban environment (such as Berlin). Walking around and searching for cool spots is part of the fun after all! Before I visit a new city I research some locations so I don’t have to waste my time while I’m there hunting for specific spots. It also happens quite often that when I just wander around and stumble upon a location accidentally.
Tell us a little bit about how you got into photography. How long have you been shooting?
I started to take random pictures with a Polaroid camera because I liked to capture the moment with friends or family and I didn’t know anything about photography back then; then one of my friends introduced me to Instagram. I can still remember when I accidentally hit the explore page and saw so many inspiring pictures! I started to take pictures in the middle of 2016 but it started to get serious since last year. Watching the photo community on Instagram grow really helped me develop as an artist.
Are you self-taught or classically trained, or a little bit of both?
I am a self-taught photographer and I have watched many YouTube videos to improve my skills and learn from other photographers, including urban, architecture, and portrait photographers!
What was your first camera?
My first camera was a system camera which is the Olympus E-PL 7 and recently switched to the Sony A7R II.
What has been your proudest moment in your career as a photographer?
My proudest moment in my career was my first commission. I didn’t think my portfolio was good enough to work on projects with professional clients until I started working with them. I had the chance to work on cool and creative projects this year and I hope that I continue to develop as a photographer and continue to professionally produce.
Do you take photos more for yourself—or for others?
I would say I take photos for both, though at first it was always for myself. Then as I started to improve I liked to think that my pictures would continue to reach a wider audience. It felt natural to share all these photos with the world since I want people to notice more of my work.
What’s next for you? Are there any new countries you want to explore?
This year I don’t have any specific plans to travel outside of Germany. But next year I already booked a few travel plans and I’ll be back out in Asia.
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