Approaching his dad for a professional camera was not exactly the cakewalk he had imagined. It was hard work. He had to proof to be worth it, enduring a little test… So they got up early in the morning, went out of Jakarta into a little fishing village and had the most unequal competitive photo-shot you can imagine – dad with his high-end camera and son with the little snapshooter he was dreaming to replace.
But in the end all went well for Muhamad Putera Wicaksana and he became the perfectionist Instagramer @puterawicak that we know by now: His style being fashionable and lifestylish, yes, but always adding a bit of futuristic appeal to each, carefully edited, selected, and – according to the threesome logic of Instagram – streamlined photo.
And it’s these details that matter! Scrolling through the gallery, Muhamad gives enlightening backstage insights into his editing routine. Films are a huge inspiration for him – and studying the colour concept of, for instance Wes Andersons Hotel Budapest, can lead to edits that pastelize a red wall, the result being a subtle, poetic tone closer to the idol. It’s stuff like Interstellar, Inception or The shape of water that result in the choice of special locations and edits.
@puterawicak studies Communication Design in Potsdam – he came to Germany a few years ago and, wondering about almost everything in German everyday-life, started a vlog that with 2 year-delay became quite popular in Indonesia. “Half of my followers originate from me being suggested on Instagram and the other half from vlog”, he says. Regarding Instagram he joins the critical voices: “From my point of view, creators used to be appreciated much more while now Instagram does not listen to its community any more.”
After two years in Europe this year it’s time to go visit Indonesia, seeing his dad, who after all, did a good job. “Early on, he taught me how to take photos in the blue hour” – the magic moment after the sunset when the light turns from golden to blueish. Vocational disease of the photographer: Getting up early in the morning or being alert for the right moment after sunset – Muhamad admits hanging out with him is sometimes not easy.
