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<p>It’s all very meta, a photographer posing for the camera. Such is the case for Stephen King, managing partner of an investment firm and award-winning landscape photographer, whose breathtaking images explore the dramatic beauty and serene tranquillity of the natural world. When we meet for this cover shoot and interview, he brings his camera along – a Cambo Actus-DB2 with a Phase One digital back – and passionately discusses its technicalities with our photographer. “I’m usually the man behind the lens, but I guess I am the subject now. I could get used to this, you know.” He laughs: “Make sure you get my best angle!”</p>



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<p>Born into a family which has shaped the Hong Kong art scene, King is deeply influenced by his appreciation of Chinese ink painting and American Abstract Expressionism. This intersection of East and West manifests in his photographic style, which has been described as painterly and evocative of the emotive power of the natural landscape.</p>


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<p>He says: “My goal is to distil the essence of a scene and present it in a way that resonates with the viewer, conveying a sense of wonder and contemplation.”</p>



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<p>Fascinated by the intricate patterns and compositions formed by nature, King has dedicated his lens to capturing the essence of landscapes all over the globe. His pursuit of photographic excellence has earned him numerous accolades, including overall winner of the prestigious The Independent Photographer Landscape Award in 2020. His work has also received praise in other industry competitions like the International Landscape Photographer of the Year, the One Eyeland Awards and the Outdoor Photographer of the Year Awards. So, it shouldn’t be hard to distinguish him from the other prominent Stephen King, the American author dubbed the King of Horror – a reference he has heard all his life.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Click Start</h3>



<p>King’s journey into the world of photography began during his high-school days at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts. “Back then, I worked with film, which was fantastic training as we developed our own negatives and made our own prints in the darkroom,” he recalls.</p>



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<p>It was during this formative period that young Stephen developed a deep appreciation for the technical and artistic aspects of the photographic process. “I fell in love with everything about it – from hunting for interesting shots to spending hours in the darkroom watching images magically appear on photographic paper from the chemical process,” he says.</p>



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<p>Moving on to Harvard University, then nine years as an investment banker at J.P. Morgan and a further 11 years as a partner at a private equity partnership, he took a long hiatus from photography while he prioritised his financial career. However, his passion for the art form was reignited in 2011 when his wife, Diana, introduced him to digital photography during a workshop in Italy. “On that trip, I became hooked again,” he says. “Landscape photography drew me in particular, as it allowed me to enjoy the outdoors while also providing a convenient reason to explore remote areas of the globe.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Shoot for the Stars</h3>



<p>He captures the world’s natural wonders with his Phase One XF and Sony A7Riv camera systems, creating large-scale fine-art prints that are highly sought after by private and corporate collectors. Selected images are available for licensing through Getty Images.</p>


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<p>“Photography is my creative outlet, a way for me to connect with the natural world and share its beauty with others,” he explains. “Whether it’s the drama of a thunderstorm or the serenity of a misty mountain landscape, I’m constantly in awe of the power and elegance of our planet. Landscape photography, to me, is all at once a continual hunt for worthy subjects, worthy compositions and worthy light, a puzzle-solving exercise to unlock the underlying aesthetics of a scene, and a way of communing with nature.”</p>



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<p>King’s work is regularly exhibited in Hong Kong, including at Art Basel and Fine Art Asia. His images have also been featured in numerous art and photography publications, cementing his reputation as a leading voice in the world of landscape photography.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Picture Perfect</h3>



<p>When he stays home, he is a man of many talents and responsibilities. He’s a proud dad to Olympian kids and shows us news clippings that he had compiled throughout the years. He served as a delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of Zhejiang Province, and is currently Honorary Consul of Latvia in Hong Kong. He is also on the Board of Governors of the Chinese International School and on the board of the Asia Art Archive. He also recently joined the advisory board of the Centre for Asian Family Business at HKUST which is named for his father, Roger King.</p>



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<p>While King’s artistic influences are diverse, he credits his mother, Alice King, as a significant inspiration. “My mother started one of the first professionally run galleries in Hong Kong [Alisan Fine Arts] back in 1981, and she particularly likes Chinese ink,” he says. “I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by painting my whole life. She promoted a lot of the Chinese diaspora artists from the early years who are now household names like Zao Wou-Ki and Walasse Tang”. This exposure to the art world has undoubtedly guided his eye.</p>



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<p>His sister, Daphne King-Yao, has taken the reins at the gallery, and keeping it in the family his recent works will be showcased as the first exhibition at Alisan&#8217;s brand new gallery space in Tin Wan. Titled &#8220;A Brush with Nature&#8221;, the solo exhibition, which will run from 22 August to 19 October, will feature King&#8217;s works that highlight the flowing curves and shapes in nature. King also works with Wong Chuk Hang-based gallery, Boogie Woogie Photography, which has featured him in several solo and group exhibitions and at Fine Art Asia.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Selfie and Selflessness</h3>



<p>King is resolute in his pursuit of personal satisfaction over commercial viability. “I really need to shoot for myself,” he says. “I look at myself as my main client, and if I’m pleased with a photo, hopefully, other people will respond to it.”</p>



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<p>This philosophy has engendered a body of work that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant. “I don’t think about who, or what art scene, or what audience I might please,” he explains. “It’s really about kind of pleasing myself and hopefully it resonates with the audience.”</p>


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<p>While King himself hails from an affluent background, he is adamant that photography is not exclusive to the rich and famous. “Photography is for everyone,” he declares. “And in fact, in recent years, everyone has become a photographer, right, with iPhones and selfies?”</p>



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<p>Embracing the democratisation of the art form, he challenges his audience to distinguish his iPhone-captured images from those taken with his high-end equipment. “Some of my best-selling prints are shot with an iPhone, you know. People are very surprised when they find that out.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Framing the Future</h3>



<p>King continues to push the boundaries of the medium to create images that captivate and inspire all who behold them. His sights are now set on expanding his photographic horizons. “I’m hoping to shoot more in mainland China, which has so many amazing landscapes that are not so well-known in the West,” he says. “I also would like to shoot and explore other areas in the US including New England, where I did most of my schooling.”</p>



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<p>In November, he will participate in the prestigious Paris Photo event for the first time. Closer to home, an ongoing project featuring colour street photography in Hong Kong, is a departure from his landscape work that he finds refreshing and enjoyable.</p>



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<p>Stephen King’s art serves as a testament to the power of photography to capture the beauty and wonder of our world. Through his lens, he invites us to see the familiar in a new light, to appreciate the hidden gems that lie just beyond the reach of our everyday gaze.</p>



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<p>Interview, Text &amp; Art Direction: Joseff Musa &nbsp; Photographer: Jack Law &nbsp; Videographer: Jack Fontanilla</p>


King & Country: Acclaimed landscape photographer Stephen King turns a painterly eye to the beauty of the world

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<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31857" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-4-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p>Alisan Fine Arts is currently hosting Stephen King’s first solo photography exhibition, <em>Rhythms in Nature</em>, from 24 January to 2 March 2018. Stephen, a landscape photographer based in Hong Kong, explores the hidden patterns in nature through his photographs. With several published works and awards under his belt, he has been recently ranked # 3 in the world (and #1 in HK) in the World’s Top Ten Landscape Photographers 2017 competition held by One Eyeland. We caught up with the ace photographer at the opening of his exhibition at Alisan Fine Arts.</p>
<p><em>Your exhibition is named Rhythms in Nature. What is the significance of this name?</em></p>
<p>Patterns or rhythms in landscapes fascinate me. Sometimes, these patterns are obvious, at other times, hidden. As human beings, we respond emotionally to these patterns and rhythms. We can see these patterns in grand vista-type shots or in intimate shots like grouping of leaves or designs on a rock. These natural rhythms really resonate with me and I hope to convey the same feelings to my viewers.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31855" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2.jpg" alt="Alisan Fine Arts" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></p>
<p><em>Some of your photographs look like paintings. Are you influenced by Chinese painters and their art? </em></p>
<p>I do get this a lot. I think it’s because as a painter you can put elements on your canvas exactly as you wish. You don’t have any extraneous elements. Everything fits together harmoniously because you can control it. On the other hand, a photo can be chaotic or random.</p>
<p>For me, as a photographer, composition is very, very important. I take a lot of care to compose my photos. I brutally exclude things that don’t add to a picture. So when people see my photos, they compare them to paintings, because, like paintings, my photos don’t have extraneous elements.</p>
<p>To get to your question, I have been surrounded by Chinese paintings all my life because my mother owns an art gallery. My use of negative space and vertical composition is borrowed from Chinese paintings. But it’s not just Chinese paintings that influence me. I am also influenced by the works of Western painters like Georgia O&#8217;Keefe, Mark Rothko, etc. It’s not a conscious decision on my part, but unconsciously I feel drawn to the aesthetics of their paintings.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31854" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1.jpg" alt="" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-1-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></p>
<p><em>You have been honoured with several rewards and recognition. Is there any that is particularly close to your heart? </em></p>
<p>One of my photos was recently selected to be on the October cover of Landscape Photography Magazine.&nbsp; I have also won the Best Single Image award in the Earth &amp; Climate category in Travel Photographer of the Year 2017, and have been ranked #3 in the World’s Top Ten Landscape Photographers 2017 competition held by One Eyeland. Last year I had a photo published in the Outdoor Photography Magazine in their top 150 photos. I have just been informed that they have selected two photos for the Top 150 list this year among 18,000 submissions. In fact, the two photos selected are displayed here at Alisan Fine Arts exhibition.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-31858" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5.jpg" alt="Alisan Fine Arts" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Stephen-King-Rythms-in-Nature-exhibition-img-5-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><em>What are the challenges of taking landscape photos?</em></p>
<p>The thing about taking landscape photos is that it is very unpredictable. You can plan where you want to shoot, you can go to the best spot for taking photos, but the weather’s going to be different from what you planned. The light will be different from what you planned. So you need to be a bit spontaneous and work with what the landscape has on offer. This can be challenging, but this makes it so much fun as well. The same landscape looks completely different in different conditions. If there’s a storm coming, it could look dramatic, if you are shooting in direct sun, you can play with the patterns in the shadow. It’s all about your emotional response to the nature in front of you.</p>


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King & Country: Acclaimed landscape photographer Stephen King turns a painterly eye to the beauty of the world

Alisan Fine Arts hosts HK’s no.1 nature photographer Stephen King’s first solo exhibition