Get ready to meet one of Singapore’s most exciting visual storytellers - Emily Flip! Working at the intersection of conceptual and portrait photography, Emily creates worlds that are rich in imagination, emotion, and cultural resonance. Through fantasy photography, she masterfully weaves intricate costume design, self-portraiture, and storytelling into images that feel both otherworldly and deeply rooted.
Her recent work has been especially inspired by a reconnection to her Chinese heritage, a journey that began during the pandemic and has since become a powerful source of pride and creative expression.
As Emily shares:
“I find myself reconnecting with my Chinese roots and learning what a rich and long history it has. I feel so strongly about Asian representation after the pandemic. I am so proud of it and wish to celebrate it more than ever!”
This message deeply resonates with me. As someone who also works within the fairytale and fantasy space, I believe it’s so important to see a broader range of stories, faces, and cultural expressions in this genre. Representation isn’t just powerful, it’s necessary, and it enriches the visual language of our shared dreams.
We caught up with Emily to explore her creative process, the personal roots of her artistry, and what it means to make space for fantasy that reflects a more diverse and meaningful reality. Read on to step into her world!
Hi Emily! Can you share a bit about your background and how you got started in photography?
I started out as a cosplay photographer back in 2014-2015 as many of my female friends felt more comfortable working with a female photographer and close friend. I didn't have a DSLR at that time, so I worked with my family's digital camera (the kind has a zoom function and the lens is built into the camera). Through that, I slowly discovered my love for photography and started actively shooting with the help of some friends who were willing to lend me their cameras! (I was a broke student then)
I eventually transitioned into fantasy/conceptual photography after discovering this community through Facebook and Instagram. It blew my mind then, that artists were able to create such intricate works with great story telling. It really felt like I stepped into Narnia and liberated in some sense as the creativity was limitless!
When dreaming up the narratives and scenes for your ethereal photoshoots, where does your creative process kick off? Is it the model, the styling, the location, or some other element that sets the tone?
Colours, music, ambience of a location, my emotions then, illustrations online. I often imagine scenes when listening to music. For example, this photoshoot titled “Red Sea” is about a sea nymph who lost her home through coral bleaching and it is inspired by Singer Aurora’s “The Seed”.
I also look at what's readily available so as to avoid buying extra props/costumes which would take up too much space in my small Singapore home. There was white gown, and a bunch of seashells which my father collected decades ago in my home. I saw some art online where the main colours were white and red and thought that would work really well for this concept. The concept is then built according to all that and sketched down for a clearer visual.
How has being based in Singapore influenced and shaped the art you create, and in what ways does your culture play a role in the stories and themes you wish to share with the world through your photography?
Singapore is a tiny country with tiny houses, there is a lack of nature or comfortable conditions for an outdoor photoshoot. It's crazy hot and humid, frequent thunderstorms and jungles here are filled with creepy crawlies. I personally prefer for the entire team to be in a comfortable environment to reduce risks of the photoshoot being affected. Which is why most of my photoshoots are done at the space outside my parent's house or in my room. There isn't much to work with, so I focus a lot more on posing, styling and lighting to convey a story.
In terms of culture, Singapore is such a young nation so we do not have that much history to look back on.
We do have a huge mix of cultures in our country though. Singapore’s aboriginals are the Malays and many Chinese and Indian immigrants moved here. We were also colonized by the British, so you can imagine how many different cultures we have here! Due to that, we don’t have one distinct identity but instead an amalgamation of many different ones. Plus, we've developed so quickly and have a very modern society. The majority of the younger generation here is very disconnected from our roots.Which could possibly be why Singaporean photographers or artists in general have so many different influences in their works. I too find myself drawing from many different cultural influences when producing my works, especially European influences.
But in the recent few years, I find myself reconnecting with my Chinese roots and learning what a rich and long history it has. Furthermore, I feel so strongly about Asian representation after the pandemic. I am so proud of it and wish to celebrate it more than ever!
I visited China 3 times in 2024 and did a lot of modeling while wearing traditional (though inaccurate and romanticised) ethnic attire. I also did a gene test and found out that I’m not purely Chinese but a mix of Mongolian, Japanese, Dai and Korean. With more upcoming trips to China, I would really love to reconnect with what my ancestors left us with and to also show people all their beautiful culture through both photography and modeling. Here are some photos of me wearing hanfu and chinese opera attire.
What is your all-time favorite photograph that you've captured or created, and could you share what it is about that particular image that resonates with you on a personal level?
"The Kiss" inspired self portrait with my husband is definitely my favourite! The relationship my husband and I share is something I really cherish, so recreating Gustav Klimt's work while celebrating our love is something I hold dearly. Plus, the photoshoot process was so enjoyable as we could just be ourselves and be intimate without having to gross anyone out. I've never been to a photoshoot that's romantic so that's a really new experience! I also took inspiration from an anime (Elfen Lied) which featured “The Kiss” and it left a big impact as that was when I was first exposed to his otherworldly works.
On the technical side of things, what skills do you find crucial to imagine and bring to life the visions you have in mind?
Lighting and photo editing is crucial.
I cannot further emphasise the importance of understanding lighting and how light modifiers work. Lighting adds a whole new dimension to your work and could literally change how the set looks.
I heavily emphasise on how the light is being positioned during photoshoots. The way highlights and shadows work together sets the mood of the photos. It also helps to draw the viewer's attention to your desired areas of focus within the photo.
Understanding what you will be doing during the editing process would affect the way you plan your photoshoot and set up. For example, composites. If having a clean background with minimal shadows would help in your composite works, make sure to separate the subject from the background by adding an extra light for the backdrop during the photoshoot itself. I have made many mistakes in the past on how the lighting was planned without any consideration on how it would affect compositing in photoshop afterwards, and really struggled during the editing process. Photo editing also allows you to push your works to its fullest potential, be it fine tuning the colours, adding texture overlays or cleaning up.
I believe these are extremely essential skills for photographers.
Color seems to play a huge role in setting the mood in your images. How big a part does color play in the initial planning and conceptualization of a photoshoot?
Colour is everything for me because I just love colours. Most of the time, I determine the colours first before building the concept. To be honest , I don't think too much about colour theory and just go with my instincts. As long as it feels right, I'm happy!
I'd usually choose 2-3 contrasting colours for each photo project. Contrasting colours really helps to draw the focus on areas of interest! When it's a concept that's more focused on fashion and styling, I'd usually pick a more vibrant colour for the styling.
If the focus is on the model's skin tone and texture, the colour of the background and props would be much more muted. In this photo, I used an orange colour gel (closest colour to the model's skin tone) to help separate the model from the background. It doesn't stand out too much and also complements the model's skin tone by giving it a richer tone. I also used a green make up highlighter (which is in the same colour family as the background) to reduce visual distractions in this piece.
What other artists or art movements have influenced or inspired you?
Rembrandt and the renaissance have been the main inspirations for my work. My favourite modern day artists would be Kirsty Mitchell, The Tog Father, Bella Kotak, Lillian Liu, Zhu Shan Jin.
What are some of your goals as an artist for the next few years? What would you love to accomplish?
To just make art that I would love and enjoy the process. I feel that most of us started this way, but eventually became concerned over our art staying relevant and being seen through social media with the endless struggle with the algorithm. My main career doesn't involve art, so I have the luxury to create as and when I want to.
I'd also love to get out of Singapore occasionally to do more photoshoots overseas! It's so important to reconnect with nature when you live in an urban jungle.
What advice would you have for photographers who might want to discover their own creative style?
Be more intentional with everything. From styling, props, photoshoot set, lighting and post processing. I feel that it's when you really really think and put your heart into telling a story through a photoshoot that helps an artist discover their own style.
Save lots of reference photos, do your research and draw inspiration from other photographers. You can analyse the photograph's lighting, colour use and props and have your own spin on it! 
Can you share five essential items that you include in your photography gear bag?
-Sony A7R4+ Sigma 50mm F1.4
- Reflector
- Octobox modifier
- Godox TT600 lights
- Light stands
Thank you so much Emily for taking the time to share your journey and perspective! You can follow Emily's creative journey on her Instagram - Linked here!
