Rosa Tseng Photography
By Linda L. May
Hong Kong, which means “Fragrant Harbor,” is the largest of a
long chain of islands located off the southern coast of China in eastern Asia.
It began as a tiny fishing community, probably because of its beautiful
natural harbor, and is now a bustling, prosperous economic center. Before the
British occupation in 1842, Hong Kong was a safe haven for pirates and opium
smugglers, but today legal commerce abounds. It is the perfect location for
operating a profitable business. Rosa Tseng realized this vast potential, so
she started Rosa Tseng Photography here in 1999. Her insight has proven
rewarding because her business and revenues are increasing every year.
High-end weddings (about 40 annually) and portraits of families and children
(about 80 per year) are her main focus, but she’s experienced in many
types of photography.
Background/History: Rosa Tseng has been interested in the arts for as
long as she can remember. Although she is of Chinese descent, she had a very
untraditional Chinese upbringing on a blueberry and animal farm near Vancouver
in Canada. She grew up watching her artistic parents painting in their garden,
which influenced her towards the arts as well. From youth, Rosa had a drafting
table, which was used for drawing, painting and sketching. However, she did
not discover photography until high school, when she borrowed her
Father’s Canon AE-1 camera and fell in love instantly. In high school,
Rosa joined the local camera club and was on the yearbook photography staff.
After high school, Rosa attended the University of British Columbia in
Vancouver, Canada, where she took fine arts and art history classes. Later,
she became the photo editor for the University newspaper. All the while, Rosa
was doing freelance work on the side and assisting several photographers to
gain experience and hone her imagemaking skills.
Soon after college graduation in 1994, she made a drastic change in her
life’s path by moving to Hong Kong. “At the time, Hong Kong was
heralded as the ‘Land of Opportunities,’ and many fresh
university grads from the Pacific Rim went there to find work,” she
says. “I was ready for a major change in my life, and had a strong
desire to move to a big cosmopolitan area. So, my sister Fay and I packed two
suitcases each and headed for Hong Kong. We didn’t even have relatives
here since our family is from Taiwan. We speak Mandarin, not Cantonese, which
is spoken here. But I had a strong desire to succeed. After three months, I
landed a wonderful job at Cathay Pacific Airlines as their in-house graphic
designer and photographer. That job paved the way for my professional
photography career because I shot everything from flight attendants to
in-flight meals. Overall, it was a great opportunity to learn my craft. Of
course, the cheap discount airline tickets were also beneficial because I used
them to fly to the States and take courses at the
Santa Fe Workshop and
Los Angeles and other places, like Italy. Recently, I flew to Melbourne,
Australia, to attend Yervant and Bambi’s workshops.”
Studio: Rosa Tseng Photography occupies two 800-square-foot floors of a
commercial building in the heart of Hong Kong’s entertainment district,
Soho, Lan Kwai Fong. Her studio is also within walking distance of the
business and financial districts, so many of her clients arrive at their
appointments on foot. Numerous coffee shops and restaurants attract pedestrian
traffic to her business in Central Hong Kong, so the location is perfect.
Rosa’s office and showroom are on the bottom floor, and the camera room
is located on the upper level. The main entrance leads clients immediately
into the tastefully decorated showroom/reception area, which boasts a
beautiful Turkish carpet on the floor (her husband, Daniel, gave it to her as
an office-warming gift). Opposite the entry door is a cozy couch and a wall of
framed wedding images. Another L-shaped wall displays all of Rosa's portrait
work. Wedding albums and smaller samples are shown on a shelf lining the
walls. A Sony widescreen TV is also in this room, where DVD slide shows and
proof presentations are viewed. The showroom is separated from the office area
by a curtain, giving the space a comfy, homey atmosphere. The office is
located directly behind this curtain, where two Power Mac G5 computers, a
laptop, and an eMac for administrative work operate almost non-stop.
One full-time employee, Zenia, and two contract workers, Vincent and Ching,
help Rosa keep her studio running smoothly. She also works with associate
photographers and is in the process of expanding her team of shooters.
Equipment: As for camera equipment, Rosa uses
Nikon D2Xs bodies with a
variety of focal length lenses, but her favorite lens is the Nikkor
70–200mm zoom. Moving from film to digital capture required some extra
effort and study, according to Rosa, but she mastered it one step at a time.
I first shot family portraits on digital because it was easier to control in a
studio environment,” Rosa explains. “But switching from film to
digital for weddings was a bit more challenging. I had to shoot digital like
transparency and my exposures had to be so much more accurate. However, I knew
in the long run I’d benefit from this technology, so I kept learning
and practicing. I love having the flexibility to change ISO speeds on the fly
to better suit the different lighting situations. For the first five digital
weddings, I did my own color correcting on every one of the 1000 frames I
shot. But then the computer work became exhausting, and my social life was
suffering, so I hired employees to do that aspect of the process. Now I just
do any special retouching jobs.”
For additional lighting, Rosa uses Nikon SB-800 flash units at weddings and
Bowens studio lights for
children in the studio. Rosa loves experimenting with unusual lighting
techniques and often takes video lights to weddings to add another dimension.
Marketing: Most of Rosa’s clients still come through
word-of-mouth advertising and referrals, which money cannot buy. Recently, she
placed an ad in a local Hong Kong entertainment magazine, since her studio is
located in that popular district. The website is also a good source of
inquires and new clients.
Wedding Philosophy: “My philosophy is quite simple,” Rosa
says. “Treat clients like you wish to be treated yourself. The wedding
is one of the most important days of their lives, so always be happy for them.
Be respectful and cherish the day like you are part of the family. Create new
and interesting images at every wedding. Don’t sink into any staid
formulas. Photographers need a good understanding of human nature and
psychology too. Knowing when to direct and when to step back is important as
well.”
Wedding Photography In Hong Kong: Wedding photography in Hong Kong is
very different than in the States. For one thing, weddings in Hong Kong are
generally much longer than in other parts of the world. Rosa starts the event
about 9 a.m. at the bride’s home or hotel and ends her wedding coverage
about midnight, so staying physically fit is necessary. Most brides change
clothes four or five times during the day, adding a twist of fashion show to
the photographic mix. Each outfit must be documented along with the traditions
(such as the Chinese games) and rituals (like the tea ceremony) that each is
worn to celebrate. Rosa works with one assistant, unless the wedding is huge,
then she hires additional photographers. Rosa has also shot weddings in China,
the U.S., Australia, Bali, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Japan.
WPPI Membership: Because Rosa has no peers to study with in Hong Kong,
joining WPPI in 2002 was her answer to meeting other photographers and
learning from the best. Two years ago, she attended her first WPPI Convention
and plans to return this coming year. “I love being a WPPI member and
keeping abreast of what photographers are doing all over the world.
It’s important to learn from one another and exchange dialogue with
others in the industry. I’m looking forward to attending my next WPPI
convention and listening to all the inspiring speakers,” Rosa says.
Future Plans: Rosa loves her job and plans to continue improving and
honing her craft in the future, along with building her business. She believes
“humility enables one to improve on what they do,” and this
philosophy has certainly worked to Rosa’s advantage.
Readers may contact Rosa at Rosa Tseng Photography via e-mail at:
info@rosatseng.com or view her website
at: www.rosatseng.com.
Linda L. May is a freelance writer/photographer based in the Midwest.
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