Blog

A Corporate Photoshoot with Me

13 Sep 2021
[This was written by a recent client of mine who wanted to share their experience working with a photographer on a corporate photoshoot. I thought it was a worthwhile piece to share because so many potential clients don’t really have an idea of what to expect when hiring a professional.…

What it’s Like Being a Photographer Right Now in the Early Stages of a Pandemic

15 Mar 2020
It’s been crap, honestly. I’m a photographer based in Toronto and the core of my work involves the congregation of many people in one place at the same time. As you can imagine, it’s been a challenging week. I’ve had four corporate shoots cancelled (including a shoot out of country)…

Ka’Wine and Dine x Neil Ta Photography

19 Jun 2019
As many of you may know, I’ve been a massive fan of the Toronto Raptors as soon as it was announced we were getting a franchise. I’ve been through a lot as a fan (see this). It took 24 years for us to get a chip (with the dip!)…

50 Year Old, $100 Lens on a $6K Camera

04 Apr 2019
So I made a big purchasing decision a few months ago by investing in the new Fujifilm GFX 50R camera. It is a larger-than-full frame, ‘medium format’ sensor camera. The 50R was by far the most affordable medium format option in its class at the cost of $4500 USD ($5700…

I’m Thinking About What Sara Said

13 Mar 2018
I’ve had the great privilege of tagging along with Eric Kim for the Gulf Photo Plus (GPP) event in Dubai back in 2014 and 2016. GPP is an annual event: the region’s biggest and only photography festival, bringing the world’s best photographers and instructors to Dubai to share their knowledge…

Tokyo Streets with the Fujifilm X100F

20 Sep 2017
When I booked my flight to co-host a week-long street photography workshop in Tokyo with Eric Kim, there was no doubt what camera or camera system I would be bringing; it had to be the Fujifilm X100F. My new Canon 5D Mark IV and all the lenses were staying…

So I Shot an Engagement in Iceland

20 Jun 2017
It seems like everyone has been visiting Iceland recently. It’s like the new Cuba. You’ve seen the photos of lush landscapes, pictureque waterfalls, the bluest glaciers, and all that aurora borealis. Everyone who has been there raves about Iceland and you better believe they want to tell you all…

Photography: Fears, Successes, and Failures

21 Feb 2017
Confession: I’ve been wanting to do some kind of stills or video documentary of my family’s past; what they lived through in Vietnam during war times, how they fled Vietnam to an island refugee camp in Malaysia, what they faced on the refugee camp, and what it was like raising…

Reflecting on the Epic Hanoi to Sapa Week-Long Workshop

14 Feb 2017
I’m currently at the airport in Hanoi trying to reflect on the epic week-long workshop my friend Eric Kim invited me to co-host with him. The participants came from all over – LA to New Orleans to Tasmania to locally in Hanoi. The workshop would take us through the rustic…

Workshop Alert: Hanoi to Sapa, Vietnam “Travel Street Photography Experience”

25 Oct 2016
Workshop Description Are you a street photographer who is looking for a travel experience of a lifetime? Do you want to learn more about another culture and its people while capturing memorable images? If so, I am excited to invite you to my upcoming “Travel Photography Experience” that will take…

My Experience Photographing a Photographer’s Wedding

23 Jun 2016
When I found out my good friend (and Street Photographer) Eric Kim had finally gotten engaged to his long time girlfriend Cindy, I sort of just arrogantly (and correctly) assumed I would be photographing their wedding. I didn’t really take into consideration that, you know, he may have been interested…

Dear Nikon: We Want an Explanation

01 Feb 2016
***Now Updated with a response from Nikon*** As many photographers know, Photokina is one of the most talked about events in the community. It is where all the camera and accessory manufacturers go to show off their new innovative products. In September 2014, a friend noticed something very interesting on…

On Feeling Inadequate as a Photographer (and the Worst Sony A7R II Review Ever)

26 Aug 2015
My life is pretty good. I live in one of the coolest cities in the world, I have a lot of close friends, good family, an amazing girlfriend who loves me, and I’m beginning to think my photography business is sustainable after almost five years of hard work. I’m happier…

On Travel and Realistic Expectations

17 Jul 2015
I had very high hopes for Havana. I’ve always wanted to photograph this city, drawn to its romanticized streets popularized by a number of street photographers and documentarians who have photographed it before me. Still, it was something that needed to be done. For Canadians, Cuba is viewed as a…

Lessons Learned from a Film-Only Engagement Session

25 Jun 2015
Film is dead. But I didn’t get the memo. Outside of my wedding and commercial work, I’ve been shooting film almost exclusively for three months, including 36 rolls I shot on a trip to Havana, Cuba. It’s been rewarding shooting film for my leisurely work, but I wanted to merge…

On the Importance of Photographing Friends and Family

13 Apr 2015
I was recently in Melbourne visiting two of my best friends Timmy and Della and their adorable kids Michael and Chloe. I was essentially given an all-access pass to them for two weeks, getting the full suburban Australian parenting experience. I joked with Della saying how this was part of…

Don’t Take a Photo of what it Looks like, Take a Photo of What it Feels Like

15 Mar 2015
When I look at the images of photographer Josh White, I feel them. They can be as mundane as a funny poster, fish for sale at an outdoor market,or a candid photo of a lady on the Seoul subway system. I got the chance to meet Josh a few years…

Travel Blog: My Cambodia

14 Feb 2015
It feels like forever since I was in Cambodia. I’ve since passed by five other countries - currently in Seoul, South Korea! I’ve been wanting to take some time to write a few words down to try and articulate to everyone why Cambodia means so much to me. So here…

Travel Blog: Vietnam 2015 (Part I)

04 Feb 2015
To no one’s surprise, I haven’t had a chance to update my blog nearly two weeks into my five country/two month trip. A lot has happened in a short period of time, and I’ve been having some difficulty with posting images but holding back others that may be part of…

And…I’m Off

19 Jan 2015
2014 was an incredible year. I worked my tail off last year so that I could do a bit of travel for the duration of the winter. So with that…I am off! Over the next two months I will be visiting Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, Korea and Japan. It is my…

On Being a Pseudo Wedding Photographer

14 Jan 2015
I’m going to be real here. When I first started taking photos, I never aspired to be a wedding photographer. But in life, one thing leads to another and all of a sudden – BAM! – you’re a wedding photographer (or at least a very good pseudo one). My path…

5 Reasons Why I’m Fucking Done With Rooftopping

18 Sep 2014
Note: This blog post was more widely shared on Petapixel. So it has been an amazing run. I owe a lot to my ‘rooftopping’ adventures. I’ve sold prints, had gallery shows, been on TV, in magazines, on the front page of the Toronto Star, and most importantly…

Save the Date: Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2014

09 May 2014
I am pleased to announce that I will be exhibiting this year at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition at Nathan Phillips Square July 4, 5, and 6th, 2014. This is an incredible opportunity for me all of you out there and to interact and gather feedback from people unfamiliar with…

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