Seeing Potential Through the Lens
Photography, at its heart, is about perception rather than equipment. The craft teaches us how to see with intention. Recently, while spending time with Hong Kong surrealist photographer Tommy Fung of @SurrealHK, I was reminded that the discipline of seeing clearly parallels the journey of reaching human potential.
Tommy’s perspective was shaped by growing up between Hong Kong and Venezuela before returning to the city in 2016. Through photography and Photoshop, he began expressing playful and unconventional ideas. A distinctive surreal style emerged, blending humour, imagination and the restless energy of Hong Kong. Familiar streets appear dreamlike. Ordinary buildings take on unexpected meaning. The landscape remains unchanged, yet the experience feels entirely different.
Our conversation about composition and storytelling revealed how deliberate his process is. Strong images demand patience. Light, angle and timing are studied carefully before a single frame is captured. Each choice influences the narrative that unfolds. Personal growth follows a similar rhythm. Without focus, energy becomes scattered. With clarity, even modest steps gain direction and weight.
Photoshop, in Tommy’s hands, serves as an extension of imagination rather than an escape from reality. He begins with what already exists and thoughtfully layers creativity onto the scene. Human potential develops in much the same way. Every individual starts with particular circumstances and abilities. Expansion happens when those foundations are refined and reinterpreted instead of resisted.
My own experience in fashion and portrait photography has reinforced this belief. A portrait is never only about appearance. Emotion, vulnerability and aspiration shape the final image. Meaning emerges from depth rather than surface. Lasting success in life also requires that depth. Achievement without self-awareness rarely feels complete.
Patience stands at the centre of both photography and growth. The decisive moment cannot be forced. Observation, preparation and sensitivity make it visible. Opportunity in life operates similarly. Preparation quietly aligns with timing, and potential reveals itself to those who have trained their vision.
Time spent with Tommy served as a reminder that growth begins with perception. Adjust the lens and the scene changes. Refine focus and new details appear. Realising potential depends less on chasing perfection and more on cultivating awareness, intention and the courage to interpret the world through a perspective that is distinctly one’s own.