ABOUT TOMMY NGUYEN
BIOGRAPHY
Hello! I'm Tommy. I'm a 19 year old photographer and this is my online portfolio for the majority of the photography I do.
I'm mainly focusing on automotive photography at the moment but I enjoy doing all kinds of photography so long as I'm able to go on an adventure doing so! I'm not planning on turning this into a career and plan to study computer science while at university but if someone were to offer me a job or ask me to do a commission, I'd love to do so.
Photography is more than just an art
It's expressive.
Tells a Story.
F.A.Q
Q: Did you take any classes on photography?
A: I did not! They say if there's a will there's a way. I'm completely self taught and you would be shocked at how much you can learn through trial and error.
Q: Be real, which car is yours?
A: Haha I take a lot of photos of cars, as you've noticed, but this one is mine:
Q: What gear are you currently using?
A: I don't find myself using a ton of gear actually. I don't do a ton of film if any at all so luckily, I don't need to bring a shit ton of stuff with me to photoshoots, but I digress. Here's the list!
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 mark ii
Lights: some cheapo 5" LED panels with various coloured gels
Gimbal: DJI Ronin S
Tripod: one the grandpa got me for like, 25 cents at a garage sale. It's aluminium and fairly light weight.
Q: Do you charge for photos?
A: Nah. Photography is an art and tells a story. That shouldn't be monetized, imho. If you want a digital copy of the photo, I have no issues sending them to you via whatever media you like. I may charge for a physical copy, however. Usually, if a client or friend wants a physical copy, I just recommend getting photos done at a local pharmacy using a Kodak machine or something.
Q: Any plans for the future?
A: Not sure. Maybe I'll do more portraits involving cars. I want to do more smokey themed shots (burnouts, coloured smoke bombs, whatnot) and snag some shots of cars at new locations for sure, though. We'll see :)
Q: What got you into photography?
A: I have a handful of friends going to university for digital arts and photography so I gave it a shot. I never imagined it would turn into this, hehe.
Q: Why automotive photography?
A: I've grown as an amateur photographer over the past year and a half. I was into cityscapes for awhile but as someone who is into STEM, I felt that cars were the perfect medium. I get to see cool cars, observe how people have modified theirs, and think about how I can build mine while taking cool photos. It's been fun and I think this is the niche that suits me best :)
Q: How can I get started in photography?!?
A: Most of us walk around with a mobile phone in our pockets. People underestimate how capable a phone camera can really be. I actually started by using my phone - the Samsung Note 9. Many modern flagship phones come with a "pro" mode that allow software control over ISO and shutter speed etc. I definitely recommend playing around with that at some point but if all of those words just flew over your head, the normal point and shoot mode of your typical smartphone can also do wonders. Trust me, I've seen some shit. Don't underestimate your smartphone camera.