This is Me (Fourth Edition) - 3 Pumpkins
I had the privilege of serving as the photographer for the 4th edition of This Is Me by 3Pumpkins. The project highlights two clubs and six youths within the community, celebrating their individual creative pursuits.
I was given about 30 minutes with each youth or group, and I approached the sessions as a form of respect. The intention was to acknowledge their interests as something meaningful, worth time, attention, and care. I wanted the youths to experience what it felt like to have their craft treated with seriousness, and to see themselves represented in a way that felt considered and intentional. The hope was that the final images might offer them a new way of seeing themselves.
At TTKC, youths are often photographed on mobile phones for documentation purposes, usually as collateral for websites or social media. While there is nothing wrong with that, it is a visual language they are already accustomed to. I wanted to offer something different. I wanted to be present not just as someone documenting, but as a photographer taking their work seriously, and to invite viewers to see these youths not simply as participants, but as committed hobbyists, crafters, dancers, and makers.
The first goal was to create a studio-like environment free from distraction, allowing each youth to focus fully on their craft. We blocked out all external light in the Tak Takut Kids Club space and worked using only two video lights. I’m grateful for the trust the youths placed in me to show up as themselves, and thankful to 3Pumpkins and the facilitators on hand for making the process smooth and thoughtful.
1. Rizqizil
2. Sunesh
3. Amani
4. Lion Dance Club
5. Dance Club
6. Shaine
7. Iskandah
8. Clarice
