Depth of Field: Paul Vu

Photographer and founder of Here and Now Agency, Paul Vu, on working small, thinking big and staying humble while pursuing global aspirations.

So what do you do?

I’m an architectural photographer. I’ve been at it for nearly a decade. Growing up, I was much more interested in design and actually was very disinterested in photography because the analog film process seemed too tedious to me. I unexpectedly fell in love with it while documenting work and travels related to my studies in architecture. These days, I’m more than happy to have gone down this path; I have access to a wealth of great spaces and I get to be a tourist in my own town and around the world. I also enjoy film photography now too.

What’s the greatest thing about your job? What about the not so great parts?

The greatest part? No two days are the same. I love variety. The worst part? No two days are the same. To reel it all in, I focused on discipline and have refined a series of workflows to stay as effective and efficient as possible. Without these processes it would be really difficult to deliver consistently, as no two projects are the same.

Tell us about your workspace

It’s pretty small. I cleared out my bedroom closet, removed the doors and cut down a desk to fit inside it. Now one whole wall of my bedroom is an open closet. It has to stay tidy because there aren't many places for hiding things! This isn’t the solution for everyone. I could have set up an office in another room, but I don’t need too much space and it helps keep me humble.

Do you have any rituals that tell you that your day has started? How do you know when it’s time to shut down for the night or when you’ve gotten “enough” done for the day?

I work from home on days where I’m not out shooting. I love not having to commute but it can be difficult to keep a healthy work/life balance when your workstation is in your bedroom. I try to get up early and make tea or coffee and go for a walk outside before glueing my eyes to a screen for the rest of the day. I’m very goal-oriented so, at minimum, I have to finish processing any projects due for press or award submittals.

Photoshoot days are based on the season. Fashion clients need their stores photographed before sunrise and store openings while most all of my other clients want their projects to be photographed at golden hour and sunset. Summer photoshoots can be 12+ hour days, while winter shoots often feel like sprints.

When did you know you’d made it? Or have you gotten there yet?

When the architects that I most admire and that I had wanted to work with began contacting me, I really felt I had made it. More recently — and to my complete surprise — the fashion industry approached me to regularly document the evolution of their boutiques and artist collaborations.

What are you working on next?

I started an agency, Here and Now Agency (HANA), during the pandemic, so these days I’m splitting my time between training and internal development in addition to my usual photo-related obligations. It’s a lot and demands a lot of the time and a lot of juggling. We launched on January 1st, 2021 and one of our biggest clients just asked us if we could serve them globally! Any French speakers out there that I can practice with?

Do you have a goal for the next few years?

Absolutely! I’d like to be able to document more work abroad, where design philosophies differ. It’s the little things. In order to do so, I need a reliable team to handle things when I’m away, or to be the ones to tackle remote projects when something more demanding requires my presence back home.

There are so many creatives we’d love to collaborate with and that we admire for their talent and ability to do things we aren’t proficient at yet. Whether or not we end up working with them, there’s so much out there that we can all respect and appreciate about each other.

Thanks, Paul! Follow Paul Vu on Instagram at @paulvuphotography, check out his website or learn more about his agency, Here and Now Agency (HANA).