Mherck’s World: An intimate look behind The Lens.

Mherck, thanks for reaching out to us on Instagram. You’re art is an inspiration to us, so it’s an honor to get the chance to interview you and get to know more about the man behind the lens.

Lets do it!

I say we start with the most important questions first. Like, What’s your favorite cereal?!

I fucking hate cereals! Sorry! 🙂

Kidding… actually, not really. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day after all. How do you like to start your day?

I like to start my day by checking my Whatsapp & Instagram, playing music, having coffee, a cigarette, and a big poop! LOL! Then make a healthy breakfast!

Indeed… There’s nothing like a good morning poop. Is cooking part of your creative repertoire? If so, what are some of your signature dishes?

I don’t really cook because I don’t have a proper kitchen! My local apartment here is pretty shitty! But my signature dishes are probably… Cup O’ noodles & Boiled eggs.

Gotcha. You seem to be well traveled. Tell us about the city you’re living in and a little history about where you’re from and how you grew up. Tell us about your parents; were they strict, were they laid back?

I am originally from the Philippines and decided to move to Hong Kong! It’s been six years now, working in different marketing roles. Growing up, I always loved cameras and watching TV series’ that related to photography or fashion. I always loved to pose in front of the camera, so my family encouraged me to embrace it and to get behind the lens and capture the moment.

My parents are quite strict. I come from a religious family, and this has really become a sensitive issue for them. I really love the sexy, raw, & edgy look, but lots of people have dirty minds and they don’t appreciate this kind of art. So it’s hard for me to win the case. All I want is to promote and inspire body confidence, self-confidence, and beauty in all of its forms, no matter what shape or size.

Totally. That’s very important. What would you say some things from your childhood are that still inspire you to this day? What did you say you wanted to be when you grew up?

I always thought about being an artist, I used to make poster slogans using oil pastels and I even won some contests. I don’t apply that now, but in my heart, I am an artist!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be part of Ninja Turtles and save the world! I’m not lying, this shit is real!

No way! I’m one of the biggest Ninja Turtle fans ever! I still collect the toys to this day. Can you remember what the first camera you got was?

My first ever camera was a Canon. I used it for a while, but at that time I wasn’t that inspired to take photos, so I didn’t take care of my camera and now its broken! Now I am a proud Sony user! 🙂

Tell us about your first girlfriend. Do you still speak to her? Does she know what you do now? If not, would she approve? Would she model for you?

This is very interesting question! I do have girl friends, but I never had a girlfriend…. because I never liked girls! LOL! I am a gay man! hahahahaha!

Haha! Well that would certainly explain why women feel so free to express their sexuality with you. Well.. now that we’ve got the past out of the way, let’s talk about the future. What are some of your creative goals, what do you plan on accomplishing in the next five years?

Living in a discreet and conservative country, its tough to be creative on my own, because people always have an opinion on everything, especially my skills. But I will keep shooting, creating, and inspiring people around the world. I am dreaming of creating a coffee table book; I really think it’s a great way to showcase your work.

Do you think you’ll see flying cars or hover boards in your lifetime? What technological advances would you like to see before you die?

Anything’s possible now! hahahahahaah! So yes, I think Russia is working on it right now! hahaha!

I would love to see cameras with unlimited memory and battery! LOL! Makes everyone’s life so much easier.

Wait.. did you say Russia is working on a hover-board?! Where did you get this information? Spill it! Haha… Now, let’s talk art. When I look at your photos, the first thing that comes to my mind is sex, drugs & rock n roll, but it’s not the blatant click bait that floods the inter-webs. There’s a certain subtly to it intertwined with this larger than life rockstar edge. How big of a role does music play in your art? How big of a role does nightlife play in your art? Give us an example of a regular party night in Hong Kong with you and your friends. Where is your most favorite place to party in all the places you’ve traveled and lived?

Music plays a huge role in my photography. Hong Kong people love to get crazy and dance all night! I just love to capture that moment without them noticing that I just took their photo. I love partying in different bars and club in Lan Kwai Fong in central.

I always bring my camera in my bag, so when you see something fun and interesting, I’ll just grab my camera out and shoot it!

I can definitely relate. Candid shots are my favorite pictures to take as well. Being a nightlife photographer for years, one of the main things I’ve discovered is that it’s less about the technicalities of the camera that matter, but rather how comfortable you make your subjects feel, and how much you can get them to open up and be free. What’s the process like for you when you photograph people? How do you make them feel THAT comfortable? Whats your secret??

Music, Cigarettes & Vodka!

I won’t lie, these really are important tools in my repertoire, anyone can learn the technical skills and tricks on the internet. This doesn’t interest me. I believe that if you really want to be a good photographer, let go of the idea that you can capture the “perfect photo.” It doesn’t exist, it’s totally subjective!

What I do find interesting are the techniques that can help me to tell a story and bring out the best in my subject.

Music sets the scene. How are we feeling at that moment, what is happening? Music is almost like a soliloquy in Shakespeare to me. It’s a tool to forecast and express a moment. It also really helps us (me and whoever I am shooting) to truly be in the moment and have fun, capturing natural and real interactions.

To be honest, the cigarette really does it for me. I like to indulge in one now and then. I can sit down for 5 minutes to calm down and reassess the moment alone, and look at my pictures and come up with a few new idea so. Or I might even have one with my model. We can have a chat, laugh, and bond over more fun ideas.

And vodka, doesn’t it just make everything better? A little bit goes a long way, and boy do we have fun. A little buzz on shoots like mine definitely expedites things and helps us to get in the mood to capture some fun pictures. My style definitely has a colorful party atmosphere, so I like to treat my shoots like that and have fun. That’s not to say we get drunk, but a couple of drinks loosens us all up.

Ain’t that the truth! Tell us some of your influences outside of the photography world. People or places that inspire you and influence you. Tell us some of your influences within the photography world.

I am a huge fan of Terry Richardson, but now he is in all news regarding the sexual harassments. But still I respect his photographs.

I also love Tyler Shields, because he is very cinematic and always telling a story. I’m glad that we had a conversation on Instagram and I got some good feedback and compliments from him!

Another one is Nan Goldin, I just love the mood of every photo! She Captures the real world, it’s very strong and powerful!

Lastly, I wouldn’t be so productive and more creative without my partner in crime, Nicoline Aagesen, a Danish photographer living in Hong Kong. She made me realize that you only live once, so dont waste any time and keep shooting beautiful moments! and Have Fun!

Very cool. Are you single? Do you want to get married, have kids? If so, do you think any of those things will affect your art in anyway? Do you think your style will change?

I am 100% single and Yes, I want to get married to a man who will accept me and will support my craziness LOL!. Art is Art, if I die, I’ll leave a lots of memories and stories.

My style will not change cause my photos are about body and self confidence! Just be yourself and let me capture it!

You tend to integrate a lot of food in your art, spaghetti, pizza, hot dogs, tell us about that.

Dope. You’re style is definitely OffKey and we look forward to what the future holds for you. Let’s end it here and save some more for interview number two!!

Thank you very much for having me!