EP 33: Tam Lan Truong

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. For the complete interview, you can access here.

​​Kristine Dizon:
Hello, my name is Kristine Dizon and I'm the CEO and founder of The Modern Artist Project. Today, I'm with Tam Lan Truong, a professional photographer, artist, and graduate of the Desautels Faculty of Management of McGill University. He is also multilingual as he speaks English, French, Vietnamese, and German fluently recognized for his precision agility, creativity, and sensitivity.

Tam specializes in portraits and music events. His regular clients include the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, Concours Musical International de Montréal, CBC Music, Opéra de Montréal, Capella Antica, Opéra McGill,  as well as the Studio de la Musique Ancienne de Montréal. He has immortalized internationally renowned artists with his camera, such as pianist Lang Lang, New Zealand soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano Dame Felicity Lott, and Acadian soprano Suzie LeBlanc, among others.

A highly versatile and talented photographer. Tam is equally as comfortable at events of great cultural and corporate significance as he is in his studio. And when it comes to music, his artist’s soul will become one with the camera. For Tam, photography is a way of communicating and immortalizing the most precious moments in harmonizing beauty and spontaneity. Thank you, Tam, for joining us today.

Tam Lan Truong:
Thanks for having me.

KD:
I know you've photographed so many great artists and you even photographed me and that was quite the experience within itself. So I know I've read a lot of things about the things that you've accomplished. But could you tell us more about the journey that has led you here?

TLT:
Sure. It was a bit of a long journey to get to our shoot. But I was born and raised in Germany and did my high school there. I took piano lessons and singing lessons, and music was always part of my life. Then I moved to Montreal with my whole family and from here, I bounced around a bit for two years waiting for the visa. And so, I went to the Broadway choir.

I joined a dance troupe just to live out a bit of, I guess, artistic fun. And the camera was always with me. I always took photos of the Broadway choir. I posted them for fun on my Facebook and they got seen by someone who was working for me back then. And he asked me to shoot their next production the following fall, which was the marriage of Figaro, I think.

KD:
Yes. That's correct.

TLT: 
And so, I shot that, put my heart and soul into it. A lot of sweat, and the photos were good enough for me to keep hiring me over the next few years. And so I made my connections there. I met the students. I shot the events and their headshots, built the portfolio, and then things snowballed from there. And all the other clients you read about. I'm lucky to work with them today.

KD:
That's really amazing. And about the journey, it almost seems like it was meant to be. I mean, in regards to the direction that your career has taken. As a photographer, as someone who has this eye, a lot of time people think that they can just be a photographer because “Oh, you know, if I have an iPhone 14 or if I have like the best technology that, oh, it's easy to take photos.” What are your thoughts about that?

TLT:
That's a super interesting question. It's true that we all have cameras these days, and compared to what they were five years ago, they're really amazing. What I think is that what makes a photographer is not just the technical stuff; it's also the kind of person you are, what interests you, and what have you done in your life. What do you pay attention to every day? And so for example, I don't really pay attention to landscapes as much as people.

My attention is always on expressions and moods, and that's why I'm good at capturing people, but I would be horrible at shooting a nice picture of a mountain. And so I think if you are someone who you know, wants to take great photos, then you would start with things that interest you already in your everyday life, the things you think about.

KD:
No, this is really great in regards to the things that we pay attention to because sometimes we don't really have that mindset of being aware. And I think that the increased awareness that you mentioned is really important. So in regards to that transition, being able to take pictures of people, not only because of the fact that you want to capture something that they want or being able to capture these elements of who they are as people, what typically helps you in regards to the process, I mean, the process sounds fascinating. What helps me usually is, do you mean for an event or just for a session? For example, I know for a fact that when I wrote to you and I wrote to you on Facebook, after a recommendation, I said, I want pictures that have an edge, I want something that says put this girl in jail, you know, type of thing and we were able to accomplish that. So in regards to the connections you make with your clients.

TLT:
Yeah. So there are two parts to it. The first part is when you reach out to me and ideally, you give me an idea as you did, and I do some research. I look up, and I make up my mind a bit about what kind of vibe jail means. Because obviously if you google Girl in Jail, that's not really the look someone like you would be looking for.

So, what I do is I have a running collection of photos I see online. So, every time I see a cool photo anywhere like Facebook, or Instagram. when I'm reading an article, I save the image on my computer. And so, I have this archive and when you said jail, I remembered there's this photographer who does very edgy photography, maybe it's good to check him out, see what lighting he uses, what poses.

That was kind of my preparation for our shoot then when it came time for the shoot itself, since we really hadn't interacted before in person, I liked to just take the 1st 10 or 15 minutes just to talk as we did, right? We just walked along the canal. We just chatted and I wanted to get a feel of who you are, and how comfortable you would be with.

How edgy we can go. And that talk I find is super important to loosen both of us up to get to know each other and just to create an environment where you're free to explore together. And so, I think we were successful at that.

KD:
I think so too. And it's one of those things that when you talk about the process, I mean, those small things are actually so important to be able to get the best art, in regards to being able to capture those moments and reacting quick enough to those moments. I remember one of the photos with your friend.

“Did we catch it?” “Yeah” “Did it fly?” “No, the wind made it to the other side” and being able to say  “OK, we're gonna do it again” “OK. Not quick enough” “Oops, sorry” “Let's do it again.”

TLT:
Yeah. Sometimes it takes a while. But I think one of the most important things is probably not just photography because I remember this from playing piano in art, first, you gotta have an environment where you can express yourself fully, but then you also need to be open and let go of control and just take what's coming.

KD:
Yeah. I know what you mean. It's a little bit like music or, I guess you could say with any other art form, being able to just let things come in a way that they just do and it just kind of works out at the end. Right.

TLT: 
Exactly. And that's the best in art that I find. And that's the most genuine art. If you just live in the moment, like not try to copy anything that you saw before, but make it your own thing.

KD:
Yeah. For sure. And now, one of the things that I'm really interested to learn about is that you're not only doing photography but you're also an entrepreneur. And it seemed like, there were certain opportunities that came up at the right time. So in regards to being able to take that mindset, that growth mindset, how was that with the journey going in this route for you?

TLT:
One thing that comes to mind right away is the mindset that I just mentioned for shoots, which is to prepare, but then let go of control at the moment and roll with things in the moment is something I just recently learned, and it helps so much in on the business side of things as well, because you can prepare, you can worry yourself to death about certain things, but things will happen the way they do and the outcome will depend on how you react to things.

On the entrepreneurial side, I think at first, it's really good to say yes to a lot of things. So you learn, you gain experience, you build a network. But with time, it's also good to check in with yourself and see what are you really good at. What do you enjoy? What do you want to focus more on and then double down on that, and that's what happened, and that's why I'm in classical music now and not fashion, for example, or product photography.

KD:
No, I can imagine because of being able to capture artists within their element and when you look at different types because not a lot of people think about these things in regards to fashion.

I imagine that's a whole other animal, even taking pictures of different products like, a phone, right? So like for you, how are those elements different in regards to the focus that one needs in regards to photography?

TLT:
So that goes back to the first point, which is you take good photos of the things you love and you're truly interested in. If I was a fashionista, and I read all the fashion blogs, I decked myself out, and if I wasn't super fashionable, I would take better photos of people in robes because I know exactly what fabric they're wearing and how it flies, how it should lie, and how it should be lit same with products. If I'm really into phones, as you say, I wouldn't just see a phone; I would see, this beautiful piece of technology that reacts differently under different lighting conditions. So I guess, in the end, my point is that you take good photos of what you pay attention to on an everyday basis.

KD:
And I think that's amazing. Were you trained to do this or was it something that just came over time? With taking pictures of different artists through the different projects that you've done?

TLT:
OK. So it's two parts. One is my dad. He was one of my biggest teachers. Two is self-learning. Of course, you go online, you look at people who inspire you, you follow them on Instagram or if they're dead, then you Google their work and what I did, I saved it all and I have it like as a running screensaver.

So every time I sit at the computer, I see their work. And lastly, I think it's just trial and error. You try new things, and you look back at it a couple of weeks later and you evaluate it.

KD: 
No, for sure. And I think it's one of the things that's really great with what you've mentioned is the trial and error, the actual process because a lot of time when we think about being able to master something, whether it's photography, painting, writing, it's always that trial and error process.

And I can see now with photography, it's something that you try something, maybe it doesn't work, maybe try it a different way, see if the technique is a lot better, being able to capture those moments, and then being able to learn from them. The thing is, with the work that you've produced, it's really phenomenal in regards to that.

And I feel like it's really demonstrative of the things that you mention. And a lot of time, people feel like I have to go to school in order to learn this skill. But at the same time, when it boils down to it, ultimately, we're the best teachers for ourselves if we want to try something new.

TLT:
And I think that's the most essential point which is the resources are out there. Yes. But we will only learn when we're ready for them.

KD:
Yeah, it's definitely true, and being able to take those moments, and a lot of the time, I know for a fact that the older we get, sometimes we feel like “Oh. I'm already here” and I feel like sometimes it's really damaging, because of the fact that then we can't have that type of growth. Now, in regards to your career and having established yourself as an artist in Montreal, I've looked at your portfolio even before I contacted you and I said “Oh wow, this is the man that is going to take my photos” How have you found the process of being able to make those connections with people and how were those connections helpful in your growth, not only within your work, but also in regards to community.

TLT:
This is one of the things that happened really organically. It's funny to say because I went through four years of business school and you learn strategy and business plan and all those things. This is one thing I didn't plan in advance. It just happened organically because of the kind of person I am and my background. Classical musicians or artists are the people that I connect with the most.

Because of the connection, I feel like we create the most genuine art. During a shoot, when you and I speak the same language, it's natural because I was naturally attracted to artists.  That's how the community came together and they recognized me as one of their own. They recommend.

​KD:
And I think it's one of those things that with what you mentioned, you were able to create these connections, and the value of those connections. It's not even just connections; it's genuine care for people, and being able to establish that trust. One of the things that I always emphasize is Organic Marketing and a lot of the time when you put the word ‘marketing’ with ‘organic’, people turn off their ears, right? But the thing is, it's also marketing in the sense of creating community, being able to have people who are genuine about how they feel because ultimately people remember what they feel. A lot more than some things that maybe some people have learned, right? But they remember those feelings and how they walk away from something and feel great.

And this type of approach is really great in regard to everything that you've accomplished. You have mentioned that you studied music, and you also have done business. How have you found those elements in regard to your training helpful in your business and career?

TLT:
So that's a question that I come back to myself periodically. But I think the answer for myself now is one cannot live without the other. Personally, in my career, I’ve found that from an artist's perspective, you need to perform at your best, try things out, and experiment. And then at the end of the day, there needs to be something that comes from you.

That's one. But then the other thing is you also need to ask yourself, “Who's your audience? What you put out there? Who will look at it? Who will buy it?” Because it's funny just last Sunday, I was walking down the street and I saw an example of that. There were plenty of buskers that day and there was one girl, she was a classical violinist and I think I didn't recognize the piece she was playing, but it was something classical straight.

And everyone walked past her that day and her cup was kind of empty. Although she was very, very good and I walked a bit up the street and there was this guy who was playing an instrument. It's like this instrument that's laid out like this like a xylophone but it has strings. I think it's a hammered dulcimer. I don't know if you ever heard of that.  I think he played super popular tunes and there was a whole crowd around him. And so, he knew his audience, he had found his audience, business-wise, I don't know how he structured his business, but I know that he had a product and that is sold and I think you need to find a balance between the two.

KD:
Definitely. And I think that's something really important, in regards to being able to increase awareness and making sure that people know that you exist because I know I'm sure you've known this too, in regards to maybe some of the clients that you've worked with or, some of the people that you've worked with that, you can be the best person to take photographs, you can be the best person to play music or you could be the best painter or writer. But if no one knows about the work that you do exactly, then all of that work in regards to being creative goes to waste.

TLT:
I agree 100%. Yeah.

KD:
It's amazing when you see these people really hustling. We hustle too in regards to making people aware of the things that we have to offer and being able to share that in a meaningful way.

How was your journey in regards to the progress or, even the process of being able to build your company?

TLT:
I must say, I started this in 2015 until today. I was super lucky. My business is totally built on very organic marketing. I don't think I ever ran paid ads. I think my marketing happens as funny as it sounds during the shoots. My brand is me and the experience that you get during the shoot. And so when people walk away from the shoot as we talked about and feel good afterwards and love the results. They market for me to referrals.

They upload on their social networks and all their whole network sees the picture. And they have a lot more reach than I could ever have if every client posts. And so, that's how my business has grown really through recommendations and people seeing my work on social media. But not because I posted it, but because my clients posted them and they tagged you in it too. Well, I always make sure that they do. That's the important part.

KD:
Yeah. That's the thing. It's like a lot of the time, for example, with a lot of artists, not even just musicians, or photographers, or things like that or even painters, writers, a lot of the time, you walk away from school and you don't have too much money, and you're wanting to create something that you're passionate about, that you care about.

For example, in The Modern Artist Project, one of the things I encourage is that type of organic marketing because even though in the long haul, people could pay for boosts and ads, in the short run, it's like, we have X amount of pre, but that trust you talk about, it's because your medium is photos, right?

And capturing moments of joy, sadness, seriousness, and intensity that those moments are the things that people respond to and that they react to. I could definitely tell you that with the work that you've done, I was like, wow, he can do that with people and being able to have the courage to say, hey, would it be possible to do this, and the fact that what I loved about your work is the fact that you are fearless in trying new things in regards to the ideas that you have and those are things that I feel like sometimes with people graduating college.

TLT:
I'm sure you have a variety of clients, but how do you think fear can play a role in limiting things for people? Fear is huge, especially in arts because, in art, there's nothing more vulnerable than being an artist and making art. You're putting a part of yourself out there for judgment, scrutinizing, and criticism, and whatever they attack, it's part of you, so fear can be very limiting. I found personally that you said I was fearless in my work. I wish that was true. There are often times when I feel a bit out of my comfort zone, and I found that every time I feel that, I'm not sure that's exactly the moment when I should stop thinking and just do it. That's when the greatest photos happened or the greatest things in my life, to push past the fear when you feel that little thing in your belly that says, no, don't do it, just do it, great things happen.

KD:
And I think that's amazing advice because sometimes when you're at the edge, you're trying to see, 'Should I do it?' And whether you land in a bucket of pillows or in a vat of water, those types of things, that's the thing. What's really great about what you just mentioned is also the fact that when we think about fear and courage, a lot of times people think courage is the absence of fear. I think actually with what you've mentioned, courage is having fear and doing it anyway.

TLT:
Exactly. If you weren't afraid in the first place, then there's no courage, then it was easy for you to do anyway.
Just a side note. I was wondering why we have such a fear of the things that can push us to be greater. I feel like there's a correlation there that every time there's something that can promise you to level up your life or your career or anything, there's always a barrier for some reason. That you need to push past that. Just a side note. Yeah.

KD:
And I think that's the thing. You get to a point where you are at a high level with your craft, and there's that point where it's like, okay. It's just a matter of how I push through it to exceed the limits. Because a lot of times people feel like they're limited. They say, "Okay, this is the most I can ever do," and not really being able to explore that because I think it goes back to the idea of comfort. For example, if you're comfortable that you're gonna be okay, you're like, "Oh, I'm true."

TLT:
I know it.

KD:
I know this. Yeah, it's like not a problem, but then being able to surpass that and saying, "Okay, I'm gonna push it, and let's see where this goes, and if I'm gonna feel uncomfortable, then that's okay." And that goes back, for example, with today's digital media. I mean, I imagine 2015 was completely different from what it is now, right? How do you feel the direction, you know, with everything that's going with photography, from your experience and, you know, just, you know, I know you're like, "Yeah," how do you see the future, you know, of it as an artistic medium and also being able to encourage people that this is a sustainable career?

TLT:
I mean, there are two ways you can think about any kind of change, for example, in photography. Of course, there are NFTs now and AI-generated images and all these things. And there's one camp of photographers that might say, "Oh, you know, this is the death of photography. We're all gonna die, we're all gonna starve, it's gonna be horrible." 

And there's another camp where you can say, "You know, this is just another tool in your toolbox. In the end, whatever you use, the goal will be the same, which is, in my case, to create a true representation of the person at that time. 

Whether you use AI or make an NFT out of it or if you use new Photoshop functions, it's up to you. But I think humans will always be attracted to a piece of art that is truly coming from an artist's soul. You know what I mean? That will always attract people, no matter what form it takes. A very important point that you brought up, though, is that you have to adapt, try new things, incorporate them into your toolbox, but it's probably a good idea not to always do things the way you've always done them.

KD:
Yeah. You know, and, and that's the thing. It's like, you know, a lot of the time people do, you know, these types of changes in, you know, digital media or, you know, just the digital age is like, oh, my gosh, everything is moving so quickly and I can definitely tell you that even for me, you know, I just feel like, oh, well, what's the new thing now? You know, like, oh, what's happening?

Did that happen yesterday? Oh, no. You know, type of thing and, you know, being able to kind of adjust the waves, you know, being able to navigate in a way that, you know, even though it may seem like a problem that if we're able to, you know, move through them that we, we're always gonna be able to find that, you know, solution because there's nothing that substitutes humans. Right.

TLT:
Exactly. I agree with that. And I think the mindset that I've been approaching things since COVID started and the biggest problem of all came, which is no contracts. I've actually found that every problem can be flipped on its head and become an opportunity.

Everything. For example, when COVID happened and had no contracts, I took a job at a marketing agency and I learned a lot about marketing and now I can use that in my work as a full-time photographer again.

And I think that's amazing too, to be able to take the skills that we learn from other experiences and be able to put them together. And I think that a lot of people can learn from that because a lot of times when something bad happens, it's like the world's falling apart. I need chocolate.

KD: 
Yeah, and that's completely ok. But what's great is being able to allow those moments when we're vulnerable in regards to opening our spaces to new things and welcoming those new things in a way that we otherwise may not have in the past in regards to young professionals that are trying to make their mark, they're trying to break into the field of photography and, being able to find their niche. What type of advice would you give to those people?

TLT: 
Wow, good question. I'd give them two because it's a twofold thing. First, if they're unsure of what it is they really like then try out everything, try it all, build a portfolio, do product, do fashion, do whatever itches you, whatever opportunities you can get. If you wanna get into fashion, shoot models, or if you can't shoot models, shoot your friends, and create art with them.

If you kind of know already what you're into, if you know yourself and you look back at your interests and you're like, “I like this,” see how you can create a portfolio out of the things that you love, put it out there. I think that's the biggest advice that I haven't always followed myself.

But I always felt it when I didn't, you have to put your work out there. People need to see what you're doing. Even if there's not a lot of engagement on whatever you put out there, just trust that people do see and if you keep consistently at it, something will happen that will give your career a boost.

KD:
Definitely. And I think this is really amazing advice, Tam, in regards to being able to be persistent, because a lot of time people are so easily wanting to give up and, calling the towel because they don't see that instant success. But, from what it seems, from the career that you have right now, being able to appreciate those moments when there were a lot of things and, but also to appreciate the moments when there were changes that happened and being able to navigate it and learn from those experiences that make you stronger and better. I mean, this was it's really inspiring advice. Thank you.

TLT:
No. I actually can sum it up now. I just heard it in my head because it's something I read, and I absolutely love that sentence which is “Just willing to suck at something because you will suck at it, and no matter what you do, you will suck at it at first because you tried it. You already know more than the person who didn't try. And the deeper you go down that hole, the more skills you will have, but you gotta suck at first” I definitely love it.

KD:
I love it. I think this is great. I think what we're going to do is we're gonna leave on that note. So thank you so much for joining us today and sharing your experience and thoughts with us. We look forward to seeing the amazing things that you continue to do for our community, Tam.

TLT:
It was a real pleasure to be on here, Kristine. I'm looking forward to seeing The Modern Artist Project make a big impact in this community as well.

KD:
Thank you.