From up close and personal, to totally unaware Zuyi Woon photographs his surroundings, and documents everything from wild street acts to the average Joe.
Zuyi was inspired by the style of street photography, which showcases unmediated chance encounters in public places. He likes to “capture special moments that pass me while wandering down the street. Those moments are important because you might not be able to recreate it again.” Photographers he admires include, Daido Moriyama, Vivian Maier, and Ans Westra, to name a few.
Shooting street photography is all about getting out and observing; hanging around busy areas with good foot traffic. He finds that Wellington can quickly get pretty small, which means working harder to get the perfect shot, but says, “there’s always something.” Interesting facial expressions and characteristics tend to entice him the most, as well as striking fashion statements.
Zuyi works with 35mm black and white film most of the time, but loves trying new film stocks. “They’re all unique and are different in their own way, just like filters on our camera apps. I develop all my film at home and sometimes turn my bathroom into a darkroom.” Tending to reach for his rangefinder camera, Zuyi finds it compact in size and much lighter than a film SLR, which is important when its hangs around his neck all day.
His work is showcased on Instagram @woonzuyi and YouTube channel All Things Analogue, where he discusses cameras, shows how to develop film at home, and point-of-view videos on how to take photos.
Zuyi has been a finalist in the Capital Photographer of The Year competition in both 2021 and 2022. Read more about his 2022 finalist photo here.
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