Gim Liu is from the UK and Hong Kong. He’s been taking photos for more than 10 years since he bought his first fancy camera in 2009. He started taking steel wool photography as a hobby but it became something he’s really into and does all the time.
He thinks photography is like making art or writing poems. It’s not just about taking pictures but also about showing who you are. Gim really likes long exposure night time photography because it lets you create something special in a cool way.
1. Tell us how you got started in steel wool photography and what inspired you to pursue it as a career.
I have always been into photography since an early age. I guess it started when I had the first camera phones back in the mid-2000s along with the old digital compact cameras. My first DSLR camera was bought in around 2008 when I was hanging around with a group of bloggers who had DSLR cameras. This was during the period when I was at University. I started taking all types of photos including long exposures which I enjoyed very much and it immediately captured my interest. From here I carried on taking long exposure night time photography photos up until this day as I loved the creativity of it. Later on, I was inspired to pursue it as a career because it was something that I could do that I loved and also teach people what I have learned while also making money at the same time.
2. Most of your work seems to be only in long exposure night time photography. What draws you to these genres?
Yes, most of my work is highly focused on long-exposure night-time photography indeed. What draws me to these genres is how creative and artistic you can be in it. You are not simply just taking/capturing a photograph, you are creating one like when a painter paints a painting. It is a very systematic and detailed process but spectacular photos come out of it. It is also rather mysterious as you never really know what you are going to produce in the final photo and how it will look!
3. How would you describe your photography style, and how has it evolved over the years?
I would describe my photography style as creative, experimental, and spectacular. I think these three words sum up my photography style succinctly. For those who don’t know, my main aim when shooting is to create a photo where a static object is brought to life by what I have done to it.
As for how it has evolved, it has been a gradual progression throughout the years. In long exposure night time photography, I first took photos of vehicle light trails which then progressed to using a torch to paint words/shapes/patterns to create a photo. From here I took it to the next level by using different light sources to make creative photos by using different objects as the center point of my photo and bringing it to life in some way.
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4. Which is your favorite photoshoot ever? Why does it mean the most to you?
I don’t actually have a specific photo shoot that is my favorite ever. This is due to them all being special in their own way because the photos produced are always different. Typically I would consider the last successful photo shoot I have done to be my favorite one because the idea has been brought into existence.
Nevertheless, I will give you an exclusive which I have not uploaded yet. The photo below is from a photo shoot that I did at home that produced one photo which is an idea I was excited about. The idea was to use a slinky and a light source to make it look like it had traveled down a flight of steps and it came out pretty cool! Here is the photo:
5. What equipment do you prefer to use for steel wool photography, and how do you believe it contributes to your unique approach to photography?
Personally, I do not believe that the equipment contributes a great deal towards my unique approach to photography nor does it have a bearing on whether a photo is successful or not. What makes a difference and contributes to my unique approach are the ideas I am able to come up with and the process I take to make them come into existence. What the equipment does is just make it easier. Furthermore, apart from my camera, the equipment I use is cheap and widely available. A last point to make is that you can still take spectacular and interesting photos without the best equipment.
To answer the first part of the question, the equipment I prefer to use is a DSLR camera, a tripod, a wireless camera remote, and different light sources such as a torch, sparkler, or string lights. That is all that is needed!
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6. What tips would you give to someone who is just starting in photography?
I have several tips to give to someone who is just starting in photography. The first tip I would give is an important one which is to take the time to play and experiment in the genre of photography you are interested in. The second tip is to find what interests you most out of the exploration then develop and perfect it. The third tip is to exploit any techniques you discover to take the most interesting photos possible. The fourth tip is to take the time to practice and develop your skills and to keep at it. The fifth tip is not to be too critical of yourself too early on or let others put you down. The sixth tip is to check out the masterclasses on PhotoWhoa.com which will help you develop yourself as a photographer. They have fantastic masterclasses to take your photography to the next level!
7. How do you approach working with clients to understand their vision and translate it into your photography?
Other than in commercial photography when I have done photo shoots for clients who own restaurants and hotels, I don’t work with other clients in that way. That is, to understand their vision and translate it into my photography. I predominantly work with clients to project my vision like when I work with the fantastic team at Photowhoa. What is great about our partnership is that we spread our vision together and educate the masses.
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8. You recently launched your book on After Dark Photography. What made you turn into an author and are there any new books in the making?
Yes, you can purchase a physical copy of the book ‘A Beginner’s Guide to After Dark Photography with Gimagery’. You can also buy the ebook available.
I turned into an author because of the challenge to write a book as I knew I had the ability to write one and it also being a great way to spread my knowledge.
As for any new books in the making, not at the moment but myself and Photowhoa just collaborated and published a book called ‘The Complete Guide to Steel Wool Photography’ a few weeks ago which you can purchase.
9. Name some photographers whose work you look up to.
Unfortunately, I don’t look up to any other photographers. I am self-taught, picked up skills myself, and developed my own methods. Additionally, my motivation comes solely from within. It primarily comes from trying to outdo myself and create better photos than I made previously. The satisfaction of your idea coming to life, it being a success, and seeing what you have created on the camera screen is indescribable! This is exactly what spurs me on.
What I can say is that I prefer to look up to and also draw inspiration from other highly influential people that I have great respect for and aspire to be like such as the GOAT of football, Cristiano Ronaldo, the cricketer Virat Kohli, the streamer iShowspeed and the rapper Pedro.
10. If not photography, what profession do you think you would like to pursue?
The profession I would like to pursue which I have already started pursuing is in the real estate industry. In March last year, I bought my first property which is in Scotland. It took me around 6 months to renovate which I mostly did myself. After finishing the renovations in September, I successfully got a tenant and rented it out.
I thoroughly enjoyed this project and everything I learned from it so I would like to do it again. As soon as I can I would like to purchase a second property and get it rented out so that would make two I own and collect rent from.
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11. How do you balance the demands of a photography career with your personal life?
I balance the demands of a photography career with my personal life by dedicating time to my practice and keeping them separate from each other. A career and personal life should work symbiotically, with one complimenting the other. The key to keeping the correct balance is being able to prioritize what is most important at that time. My photography career is perfect for me because I can do these things and photography is something I love to do!
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12. What are your plans for 2024? Are any new exciting projects coming up?
It looks like 2024 will be another exciting year for me! At the start of writing this interview, me and my partner were expecting a baby and he has just been born! So now that our son is here, a big part of 2024 will be bringing him up and settling into family life.
With regards to projects coming up, the main one is me and the team at Photowhoa are creating another masterclass for our audience that is on light painting photography which I am working on now so look out for that!
Conclusion: Long Exposure Photography
As we came to an end, it was interesting how steel wool photography can be creative in ways. And how Gim Liu had shown his talent in long-exposure photography.
Gim Liu’s love for long exposure with steel wool photography is visible in his words. How he has explained about his journey is something we can all learn from.
