Print Store Update: Introducing the Print Catalogue

Pulau Tikus

I have finally completed my first print catalogue to help art buyers with easier browsing of my collections. It comprises of all 3 collection of images neatly organised into their specific themes, styling tips and also a collection of custom frames and mat selections if you prefer. Every print in these collections is curated with three things in mind: it has to be visually distinctive enough to stand out, aesthetically pleasing enough to elicit desire, and exclusive enough to appeal to a typical art buyer. That combination is harder to achieve than it sounds, and quite frankly immediately disqualifies a large portion of images in my collection that might otherwise perform very well online.

This is mainly because an image that is “likeable on Instagram” asks very little of the viewer. A tap, a swipe, maybe a fleeting moment of admiration. Often, that interaction is simply an acknowledgement of technical virtuosity — or, more honestly, an attempt to draw the same attention in return. A like does not mean someone wants the image. It certainly doesn’t mean they would hang it on their wall. A print, on the other hand, demands commitment. It has to hold up not just for seconds, but for years. And it needs to also coexist with space, light, furniture, and mood. This is why every image in the catalogue goes through a very thorough curating process. If I am being honest some of the rejected photographs are remarkable, perform extremely well online, and are highly clickable — yet remain entirely unsuitable as prints as they are mostly unsellable.

Now for those who are browsing the catalogue, might soon also realised that the first 3 collection releases covers quite a wide variety of subjects and that is frankly quite true. They made it to the final collection for a simple reason, just because they appeal to me and I believe they meant something larger than itself. While I might be known for my strict shoot discipline, I have never believed that cohesion should come from repetition of subject matter alone. It should come from consistency in intent, approach, and restraint.

In fact, what's more important to me is that every selected photograph should be executed with highest technical precision, not for the sake of perfectionism, but because I strongly believe prints are meant to give viewer a true-to-life viewing experience for them to feel something. And if the technical execution falls short, the viewer will be distracted into noticing the flaws, the near misses and the weakness in the technique. This in turn makes them start analysing what went wrong instead and that is not an experience I want to offer.

At the same time, I don’t believe technical complexity automatically equals depth. An outstanding photograph can be built around the simplest idea — even one that’s been done countless times before — and still hold just as much merit as something layered and conceptual. What matters is whether the image delivers what a photographer intend to say, genuinely. Not because it’s fashionable, and certainly not just because it sells.

That being said, some of these photographs also serve a basic function of being a quiet record of history. Certain views, landscapes, and scenes from Penang no longer exist in the same form — or at all. Development moves quickly, and the physical environment changes faster than we realise. In that sense, a print becomes more than decoration; it becomes a preserved moment. For those who are interested to, you may read about this and why it is getting harder to photograph Penang here.

Browse the print catalogue here.

Print Catalogue_Yzhensiang.pdf

Download PDF • 88.82MB

And for those who are interested in getting yourself a print, you may visit here.