Arvin Prem Kumar photographer and videographer..
madre natura JOURNAL with Arvin Prem Kumar
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Please share a little bit about yourself, your background, where you were born and raised, noting some of the defining aspects that have contributed to the person you are today? Hi everyone! I’m Arvin Prem Kumar, a Malaysian photographer and videographer based in Sydney. One of the toughest moments was the passing of my dad when I was a kid. People always spoke about his smile and acts of kindness and I want people to remember me in the same light as well. You never know when your first impression is your last. Making the move to Australia woke up me up and realised I am now an immigrant. There are automatically less opportunities and it’s important for me to put in the hard work to get what I really wanted. It’s important to help others along the way as I could have not done this without the support of my family (living afar) and friends who are my ‘adopted’ family.
Arvin what do you love to capture more photography or film and tell us why? Filmmaking has taught me to anticipate or create a moment rather than just snapping away at a thousand snaps. It has improved my “spidey” senses and the way I give direction to models as I tend to explain them through motion rather and just being still. It is equally important to capture a moment as it’s happening right in front of you. Filmmaking has made me a better photographer ! However, both mediums are great for telling a visual story. I always see things in a still or moving motion.
Arvin in times of the environmental climate crisis, being sustainable can be an incredible tool to amplify the importance of creating a positive future for our planet and its people, what processes have you implemented in your every day to create this change? It’s important to create long term habits that help improve the environment and your personel well being. I try to slow things down as much as possible. I’d rather have my coffee in a cafe rather than in a take away cup. I regularly exchange clothes with my girlfriends. I try my best to go to the farmers market and support local! The media talks about conserving the environment through the overuse of greenwashing. However, the best solution is to consume less and better quality items. I have a very small wardrobe but I invest in good quality pieces that can last me to a decade if I’m lucky.
Arvin tell us about your relationship with nature and how to do you implement it in your daily life? I did not have the best relationship with nature when I was a kid. I hated the mud and I always wanted to stay in the shade to stay fair. I didn’t feel comfortable in a deserted nature park. Thankfully I learned to embrace it . I now enjoy the sun on my skin. Breathing fresh air. I love being in the ocean. It’s the only place where I can embrace the silence and I feel accepted by mother nature. I do my best to incorporate it since the sun is the best light source. There is something so magical when the light passes through the branches of tree and clouds in the sky.
Arvin how would you describe your style? And how has it changed over the years? Nostalgic but brat. Most of the pieces I own have a memory attached to it as I’ve sourced them from different parts of the world. I’m hooked on buying designer vintage at the moment too. I love experimenting, especially with unisex clothing. I have my staple workwear outfits but I love anything high waisted and red.
Arvin what is your favourite madre natura garment and why? It has to be my Fig Denim Bomber and Palm Denim Pants. It is my power suit and I wear it to shoots, meetings and social gatherings. Honestly, when I’m feeling down, I wear this suit, walk around the city and I always get compliments. FYI I’ve had my set for 4 years!
Arvin how can we create an optimistic future for fashion? Considering I've been in the industry for the last seven years what I found missing was representation, and I don't mean just from being a photographer but as well as a consumer. No matter how many billboards I've seen I just did not see a reflection of myself. I never felt I was good enough to fit into the industry. For the last couple of years I stood back waiting for someone to be a game changer. But there were just a handful so I do think it's important for us to become the game changers. Play a big role , get into the big rooms and have those tough conversations. We need to talk about what our creative industry can do to improve representation by incorporating it into our campaigns, marketing strategies and going face to face with the consumer and work together to improve our community.
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