My friend Thanh Tin, who’s taking a Photographt class at RMIT University in 2022, reached out to me to help with his final project. He wanted someone who could bring creative energy to the concept, so I jumped on board as both the concept developer and the model. I started brainstorming ideas and reflected on my own style and personality. I realized that, although I always dress in black and white, my work as a designer involves a full spectrum of colors. This contrast often brings up questions, and I found myself drawing from my interest in physics ( I'm a Physics honored student, what a surprise ) to answer them. I’ve always loved how, in light theory, you have RGB, which combines into white, and CMYK, which blends into black. These ideas sparked the concept: a portrait series featuring me in an all-white outfit with RGB lighting to capture that blend of color theory and personal style.
The objective of this project was to go beyond traditional portraiture by capturing both my style and the concepts behind it. Thanh Tin and I aimed to explore the contrast between my monochromatic wardrobe and the full spectrum I use in design. Using an all-white outfit under RGB lighting, we merged color theory with my identity, showing how colors blend to form white light. Every creative choice was made to reflect my personality authentically, resulting in portraits that not only look striking but also express deeper elements of who I am.
In developing this project, Thanh Tin and I worked closely, creating separate moodboards for each color to give each one a unique look. Blending portraiture with fashion, we drew inspiration from local photographers like Kolt Huynh, Hau Le, and Chiron Duong, whose work we admire. Kolt’s painterly compositions, Hau’s bold, character-driven images with vibrant backdrops, and Chiron’s elegant, multi-exposure techniques influenced our vision. Each of these artists brought valuable inspiration to our collaboration on this project.
For the project, Thanh Tin and I chose a professional photography studio to bring out the fashion element. We spent time researching lighting setups and exploring the studio space before the shoot. Planning to work with three distinct lighting layouts in one session, we knew it would be challenging and required careful preparation. Using Set.a.light 3D software, I mapped out each setup and learned the basics of lighting equipment and placement, which saved us hours in the studio. We also brainstormed props to enhance the visual effects, like using an aluminum foil sheet for reflective effects, adding a unique texture to the lighting and style. Though adjustments were still needed with real equipment, this prep work gave us a strong foundation going into the shoot.
For the appearance, we knew we wanted an all-white outfit that would be striking yet refined. We ended up collaborating with a fashion graduate, Châu Thanh Xuân from Van Lang university who let us use one of her project pieces. Initially, we considered going all out with the white concept, including a white wig and even white eyebrows and lashes, but we scaled it back due to some uncertainties with the look. To prepare for posing, we created a primary moodboard, but I anticipated that the outfit’s volume and form could pose challenges during the shoot. So, I made a second moodboard featuring similar outfit shapes, which turned out to be a smart move—we referred back to it frequently, helping us capture poses that worked best with the outfit’s structure.
