How curiosity sparked a colour-blind photographer’s journey
Photographing spaces for Louis Vuitton and Rolex, David Yeow’s story proves one small decision can lead to an extraordinary career.
David Yeow, an architectural photographer, left his career in architecture to pursue photography full-time, having never regretted the decision. Diagnosed with colour blindness at seven, Yeow struggled to distinguish between certain colours, such as dark blue and purple, or red and brown. This condition did not deter him but became a part of his life that shaped his future.
It was his curiosity, not perfect colour vision, that guided his journey. At 19, Yeow's sister gave him a digital camera, prompting him to learn how to use it, and his curiosity grew as he experimented with the camera. Despite studying architecture, Yeow continued to explore photography, even while working as an architectural designer in Melbourne.
After three years, he took a leap of faith, leaving his job to pursue photography full-time at the age of 28. His background in architecture provided him with a keen eye for architectural details, allowing him to see buildings from both a designer's and a photographer's perspective. Over the next three years, Yeow traveled the world photographing destinations like Iceland, China, and New Zealand for Condé Nast Traveler China.
He returned to Malaysia and was commissioned to photograph the Menara YTL building, which became one of his most rewarding projects. Yeow's advice to those held back by self-doubt is simple: "You just have to try. If I hadn't taken that leap of faith into photography, I would never have known where it could lead."
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
