Hi Joseph! Tell us a little more about yourself. 

“I always thought it was my calling (to be an architect), but my passion in photography surpassed it. That said, a lot of the design principles I learnt from architecture (such as use of negative space) actually crossed over into my photography.”

When and how did you start dabbling in photography?

“I picked up my first camera in 2018 at a flea market. It was a Minolta Hi-matic AF2, not the best camera by any means but I liked how it looked. I realised that the process of documenting parts of my life through photography gave me more happiness than anything else at that time. It’s a combination of the subject and how I portray it. 2021 was the year I decided to get better at portraits and started reaching out to people online to shoot with me. The best part about shooting people is when they see themselves in the photo and go ‘wow I never knew I could look like that’. For me, my principles when it comes to photography is to make a beautiful image of someone that documents them and their personality, not to force a concept on them or use them as a secondary element of an artwork. To me, the subject is the concept.”

What’s the story behind your photographer moniker Badsoju?

A friend of mine said I was ‘weak sauce’ for being a lightweight at drinking, so I guess it (became a nickname of sorts).”

Tell us more about how the idea for DAMNSEL came about – including its title.

“(For this project) I sought to merge and document the two facets of my life that are the most interesting and curious to me; the first being women in Singapore and the second being (how they use style to express their identities)… DAMNSEL is a play on the word ‘damsel’. Often, we hear the phrase ‘damsel in distress’; (to me) that reinforces the conventional notion of women are reliant and docile. DAMNSEL (is intended to) push hard against that perspective and to express the inherent strength and power of women. The name DAMNSEL represents the non-conformity and angst of these young women who may be perceived negatively by those who hold onto the traditional views from past generations.”

How did you go about finding the people for your book? What were you looking for?

I would say that my friends (and assistants for this project) Derma, Justin and Ryan were a great help in this project – they are all deeply rooted in the local fashion scene. We started by reaching out to our mutual friends who we thought would be great for the book, and it snowballed from there till we managed to document more than 60 people. 

I wanted to document women who use their sense of style and dressing to express their identity, diversity and rebellion against social norms of past generations which still carry on till today. I also focus on the present day youth because they possess the strength and guts to go against old stereotypes.”

Most of your subjects are women – why’s that the case? 

“The inherent value of photography is to record and document, and I sought to document what I personally find interesting in my life. To me, women are interesting and there are so many things worthy to document about women. They have different life experiences from me and have societal expectations that differ from men. They are forced to fit into the mold that society has constructed for them and going against that is something I admire.”

Tell us about your creative process behind DAMNSEL.

“My team and I would reach out to people and we would tell them to wear their loudest outfit that represents the essence of their style. Sometimes, they would want to try a certain style that they love and we would use garments from our own wardrobe and friends to elevate the look, with the main importance being that when they wear the clothes, they feel that it’s true to themselves and expresses their persona authentically. 

The location is sometimes selected based on how much it complements/juxtaposes these individuals. Other times locations were chosen due to convenience or when it feels natural.  The most important thing about the location is for them to bear a strong local context; that is why a lot of the shoots are done at everyday places, like on the street or at a kopitiam. When you look at the setting of each image, it feels very Singaporean and familiar.”

What cameras or equipment do you use?

“I chose to solely shoot on a film, point-and-shoot camera for DAMNSEL. It’s very discreet which helps a lot when we shoot in public places, and ideal for the grungy, run-and-gun kind of look that I wanted. I tend to overthink a lot, so shooting on film helps me to compose properly and quickly move onto the next shot. I actually prefer point and shoots for all of my work; it’s less intimidating than other cameras and makes the interaction with the subject feel more natural. It feels more like taking some fun photos with a friend and I can catch candid moments that show their personality.”

What are you aiming to achieve or say with your book?

“DAMNSEL aims to dismantle the perception of young women needing to be docile and quiet. What empowers them is up to them to decide and it’s their personal journey. The women I document are powerful, bold, strong, distinguished, brave, driven by their dreams and undoubtedly stylish; they defy the traditional beliefs of how a woman in Singapore should dress.”

What were some things that surprised you or were new to you or that you learnt in the process of creating this book?

“Prior to this, I didn’t have much sense of what people wore and what style actually is. I realised that fashion in Singapore can be really diverse and there are many people here who are actually so stylish. It was like uncovering a new facet of an art form that I knew little about. It was really interesting and eye-opening especially since it’s in a local context and I think many people would feel the same way when they see the images.”

Having spoken to and photographed a sizeable group of Gen Z women for this project, what did you take away from them? 

“Even though there are many ways of expressing oneself, style is special because it’s something that others can visually perceive. Sometimes, it aligns with their backgrounds; for example, Derma’s (pictured) talisman tattoos (on her neck) has links to her (Chinese) culture. I learnt that even though fashion and style is often associated with looks, it manifests more as a trait of someone’s personality and maybe even their moral beliefs.”

And from this project, are there any misconceptions about Gen Z that you would like to highlight?

“Gen Z folks may seem soft on the outside, but they’re open to confronting hard conversations relevant to today’s social and political environment. In the past generations, subjects like mental health, gender and sexuality (would commonly) be swept under the rug. Now, Gen Z folks (are more comfortable) in expressing their views in different ways, one such channel being style and fashion. As it turns out, I think that’s a really effective way of claiming one’s identity and expressing themselves.”

What is your own relationship with fashion like? 

“My style is strongly influenced by the friends I have around me. I love buying garments and accessories from my friends or even buying the same things as them because it reminds me of them when I put them on. So while I don’t have much originality when it comes to my own personal style, I see fashion as an art form and I love to learn and document it.”

What makes someone truly stylish?

“Style not only comes from the garments they decide to wear. Beyond the physical garments, it’s also about their persona, their aura; the intangible presence that is created by their innate boldness and confidence. I seek to express that when making the images of these women.”