Meet Alex Yang | Digital creator & Photographer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Yang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?

I’ve always been a visual person.

I spent almost my entire 20s in Europe, especially in Italy. The rich cultural heritage and my trips to all those amazing museums in Italy and all over Europe definitely shaped my knowledge and taste for aesthetics.

I’ve always loved films, TV series and photography. When I was about to turn 30, I made the decision to go back to school and study film. At the time, I was working for a multinational eyewear company in Padua, Italy. And I finished my film degree in Montreal in May of this year. Actually, I just had my graduation ceremony on August 23!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I’m a strong believer in nuances. Art is all in the details. When you’re taking photos of a model, lighting and camera settings are for sure important. You wouldn’t want to mess up the exposure! But it’s also not about that. You need to observe the person in front of your eyes and try to capture the subtleties and tension between you and them that becomes and transforms in front of the camera. It’s the intangible that separates an artist from a technician.

As a racialized queer immigrant person, I’ve had a lot to deal with on a regular basis. Not just for my career, but also for life. One of the things I’ve encountered pretty often is indifference. Even though you have great ideas to put forward or you can do a much better job than another person, sometimes the people who get to decide simply don’t care about what you have to say. I don’t have the power to take on the whole system on my own or change every person that ignores my merits in this world. Life is short and there are many battles. It’d be wise to choose your battle and maybe put in a little bit more time into creating instead of shedding tears.

I believe firmly that my complex identity is also what gives me strength. It’s my own truth and it’s also what makes me unique.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I loved every adventure that I’ve had with my partner in and around Denver.

The Colorado State Capitol is a beauty and the guided tour is free. I loved the baseball match of the Colorado Rockies that I watched back in June (the purple sea was very cute)! I don’t think the natural wonders in Colorado need plenty of introduction. It’s already very well-known. Garden of the Gods and Rocky Mountain National Park are two places easy to get to from Denver. And you won’t get disappointed! Bring a good coat with you for the latter, because it gets windy and cold up there! The Denver Botanic Gardens are simply exquisite! The outdoor gardens don’t seem to be conceived only for exhibition purposes. I have the impression that they are actually gorgeous and peaceful spaces we as human beings can dwell in. Last but not least, you can’t leave Denver without trying the fancy high tea at the Brown Palace! The establishment is a historical landmark. A movie that I loved, Our Souls at Night, with Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, was partly filmed in it.

Day 1: stroll through downtown and take part in a guided tour at the Colorado State Capitol;
Day 2: get some more sleep and watch a match of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field;
Day 3: visit Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs;
Day 4: visit the Denver Botanic Gardens and head to the Brown Palace for a chic afternoon tea;
Day 5: visit Rocky Mountain National Park.

For snacks and coffee, I’d suggest to check out the Denver Central Market. It’s a cool place to hang out.

In terms of dining, my partner and I are big fans of different Asian cuisines. I highly recommend Moobongri Soondae Denver and Hong Kong Station. For the first one, it’s most probably the best Korean food I’ve had and the servers are so nice there! For the latter, you should really get one Hong Kong French toast into your system, if you haven’t done so yet in your life! It’s so tasty!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My amazing partner, Alexandre. He’s my life. He is a loving, respectful, handsome and adorable man. We just celebrated the second anniversary of our first date.

Another person is my screenwriting teacher that I had in Montreal, Oriane Morriet. She’s an exceptional lady. She taught me to own my racial and cultural heritage – that’s what would make me unique in the arts. And I admire her drive – she’s always positive and doesn’t get discouraged easily.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexyang.ca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarpeYourDiem/

Image Credits
Photographer of my images: Scott Rawson Brown (Canada) Model in the posters I made: Diego Durin (France)