Chou Mo, a visionary in fashion photography, is renowned for his captivating blend of muted tones and striking visual narratives. From a memorable photoshoot inspired by dreams to the harmonious collaboration with stylists and models, Chou Mo shares the creative processes that bring his distinctive images to life. He discusses the delicate balance between artistic vision and client demands, offering insights into staying true to one’s unique style while navigating the ever-evolving world of fashion and art.
hube: Your portfolio showcases a mesmerising blend of dulled colours, accent hues, and unconventional black-and-white aesthetics. What sparked your journey into this distinctive visual realm, and how does it reflect your artistic vision?
Chou Mo: Every period of shooting, the mode of thinking, sources of inspiration, tone, and colour coordination are instinctual presentations. These instincts and the resulting imagery reflect my preferences at the time, including performance art, film, contemporary dance, site-specific art design, photography collections, and even a novel. Therefore, it’s challenging to pinpoint a specific person or thing as the source of inspiration. Instead, it’s more about embracing what I love and enjoying the process of blending them.
hube: The art you capture is synonymous with uniqueness and originality. Could you walk us through a memorable photoshoot you’ve done, where your unique style took centre stage? How did you collaborate with the team to bring your creative vision to life?
CM: There was a shoot themed around a recurring dream that had troubled me for years and the fading memory of my father. The keywords for the theme were sticky, trapped, sharp, twisted, and blurred. After discussions with art director Liang Shuoliang and the costume stylist, we tried to materialise all the keywords into the scene, props, and costumes. Then, by describing the scenario to the dancer and providing the dance style, we aimed to capture the essence of these emotions in their poses.
hube: The models you work with seem to effortlessly inhabit the mood and narrative of your photographs. What qualities do you look for in a model, and how do you create synergy on set?
CM: Each shoot has different requirements. The qualities I look for in a model vary, including clothing style, the theme’s needs, and the required physical abilities. I try to create synergy on set by playing music that fits the environment, explaining the story, and using situational guidance. The shoot becomes an interactive process, allowing the model to freely interpret the guidance, turning the designed images into more spontaneous captures.
hube: Your approach to accentuating certain colours while muting others creates a captivating visual tension. How do you decide which elements to highlight, and how does this selective colour palette contribute to the storytelling in your images?
CM: Decisions on colour usage stem from the narrative theme of the image, determining the desired emotion and temperature. Sometimes, dramatic effects are achieved purely through lighting, emphasising the contrast between light and dark. This might mean simply using light to highlight expressions, distinguishing them from other colours in the image, while the rest is set or colour-graded to match the atmosphere. I particularly enjoy using black, white, grey, red, blue, and cyan – each colour carries its rich emotions while coexisting harmoniously.
hube: As an artist, it’s crucial to strike a balance between creative autonomy and meeting the expectations of clients or publications. How do you manage this intricate balance?
CM: In purely commercial shoots, the client’s demands take precedence. Finding a connection point within or beyond these demands that the client can also appreciate is an interesting process. Personally, I’ve mellowed over time. Even if a client’s ideas are not accepted or usable, they can become fodder for my next creative project.
hube: Collaborating with other creatives, such as stylists and makeup artists, is integral to the success of a fashion photoshoot. How do you ensure that everyone involved in the production is aligned with your artistic vision while still encouraging their own creative input?
CM: In the early stages, I collect elements, concepts, and styles to discuss with my agent and team, exchanging ideas and suggestions to integrate during the shoot. A photographer can sometimes be a creator and sometimes an integrator. In recent shoots, even though they present different ways, whether capturing models or still life, they revolve around the theme of Ink. This medium could be the hairstylist’s hair, the makeup artist’s pigments, or even the wind blowing through clothes and mixed media art materials and scenes. This approach allows partners to experiment creatively within the theme, which I enjoy very much.
hube: In an industry that often prizes conformity, your work stands out for its bold individuality. How do you stay true to your artistic voice while navigating the pressures to conform to prevailing trends or standards?
CM: I don’t resist aligning with current trends or aesthetics. These new changes and trends help us move forward and sometimes reminisce. However, I have a strong standard for my preferences. This contradictory mindset benefits me as it allows me to explore new trends or eras I haven’t participated in, finding a balance between the two and transforming them into elements I can use.
hube: For aspiring photographers eager to carve their path in the world of fashion photography, what piece of advice would you impart based on your own journey?
CM: Every region has different cultural and academic starting points, making it hard to offer objective advice based on my journey. A constant is maintaining curiosity about beauty, accumulating experience, shooting more, seeing more, and absorbing more. Let your work attract people to have you photograph them. Try to stay true to yourself and create works that you love.
Photography courtesy of the artist
