Meet Frankie Chan | Creative Portrait Artist

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

Hi Frankie, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born in Hong Kong and my parents relocated us to Aotearoa (New Zealand) when I was 2 years old. Growing up I felt a separation from my culture, I felt like I stood out. At school my bullies made sure I felt like I was different and out of place. Now that I’ve grown up, there are truths to what these bullies said; I am different but I’ve learned that that’s not a bad thing, in fact it’s a strength of mine.
I’ve learned to embrace my differences and this has shaped me into the artist I am today. Uniqueness and individuality shines through in the fantasy and cosplay portraits I capture; each of these people with different faces, different cultures, and different origins; I am more than my face, more than my culture, and more than my origins.
I faced a lot of adversity for being different but now I’m empowered by it.

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 discovered that cosplay photography is my favorite genre after combining my love of pop culture with photography. I enjoy working with a variety of folks and try to bring their vision to life, as each character holds a special place in the cosplayer’s heart.

I have explored a variety of styles and techniques over the years and I have discovered my art shines best through fantasy settings. As a cosplayer myself (sometimes) I know how important it is to capture the essence of the character as well as the enormous amounts of work and dedication that goes into the costume.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Auckland has plenty to see, eat and drink! If you are more inclined to get in touch with nature then I would suggest a day trip to the black sand, west coast beaches – rough, wild, raw and beautiful is what I would describe them. I would also recommend a trip to the Waiheke Islands for the weekend where you can sample the local wines and enjoy the beautiful beaches.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am blessed with the support of my wonderful circle of friends. I would not be able to create without the models, cosplayers and most importantly the behind the scenes support crew (Eleen, Julie and Jeffy). I would also like to give a shout out to my talented friend Charlie (cej.photo), they are constantly a beacon of inspiration!

Website: https://lumenoxphotography.com/

Instagram: lumenoxphotography

Facebook: Lumenox Photography

Image Credits
senraaria (IG), c_01cos & otomeemblem (IG), bunny.meh (IG), quartzwork (IG), self portrait, sasserycosplay (IG), zub.kitty.cosplay (IG) and sxout (IG)