Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Ting.
Hi Alex, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to Vancouver, Canada at a young age. As a young boy, I used to flip through the pages of various fashion magazines my mom had laying around and admired the beautiful images of iconic photographers of the time. During my teenage years, I discovered film photography and shot a lot of film until digital photography became a thing in the early 2000s. At some point, I forgot about photography for a number of years as I worked as a 3D Artist until I found myself wondering what else is out there. It was at that point where I rediscovered my love of photography. I started shooting regularly, working with many models from local mother agencies and collaborated with makeup, hairstylist and stylists. Following that, I started assisting an amazing photographer for a few years while still shooting on my own as well.
I eventually followed him in-house at a rapidly growing brand and worked as the Brand E-commerce Catalogue Photography Lead (yes, it’s a mouthful), where I lead a team of photographers and in-house retouchers. After spending a few years there, that fateful day came where the majority of the company was let go and I had the opportunity to go full-time as a freelance once again. It was during this time that I started working with many different brands and was able to build on my portfolio of clients. Eventually, with a visa in hand, that led me to Los Angeles where I started shooting with a few brands and artists in LA and San Francisco. I still fly back regularly and work closely with my lovely clients on the Canadian-side of the border, but I am now mainly focusing on expanding in the US and meeting the amazing brands and people out here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I felt my journey has been a constant uphill climb, which I appreciate every step of the way. The struggle is what makes each milestone feel that much more rewarding. That being said, I feel the greatest struggle is trying to stay focused and motivated. What gets me through these days is to reflect and appreciate on what I have accomplished so far and to keep moving forwards. In addition to that, I am very grateful to have a supportive and amazing wife and a supportive friend/mentor who is generous with his time and knowledge.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
The bulk of my work consists of shooting for fashion and apparel brands and the majority of that work is e-commerce product catalogue photography. For the catalogue photography I shoot, I generally work with brands to incorporate things like movement and varied crops. This gives the images personality and the feeling of relatability in addition to the functional purpose of these shoots, which is to sell products.
What I’m most proud of is that I followed my dream and chose a path that is not as conventional as what my, somewhat, traditional Asian parents expected. I hope that this sets an example for my twin daughters to follow their passion and believe in themselves in whatever they choose for their individual careers when they grow up.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I like to think of risk more like taking a leap of faith and to do things for the experience you gain along the way. I learn the most from all of my previously failed (and successful) attempts in everything I take on. At the end of the day, I don’t want to be wondering, “what if”. I take chances and have faith that all will fall into place. I am thankful I did take the risk and pursued photography. In addition to doing what I love daily, meeting/working with new people all the time, it is how I found my way to Los Angeles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexanderting/
