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When was the last time you viewed our country through rose-tinted glasses? If you’re up for some local hopecore content, then it’s time to pay Rafiq Farhan and his visual archives a visit.
If the name rings a bell for you, then you might have come across him or his work—he has blown up over the years, finding his way into your feed. He’s a lifestyle photographer who documents Malaysia (and other countries every now and then) on Instagram and TikTok, where he has captured the hearts of over 30,000 followers between both platforms with his idyllic portraits of places and people.
Very much like the images he takes, Rafiq is calm and cool, even though it’s his first time getting shot for an editorial. “It’s actually very hard! I didn’t know how to pose,” Rafiq admits once we sat down. It’s not the first time someone in his role struggled on the opposite side of the lens but during the shoot, it did not show.
His childhood was the perfect recipe for a nature photographer: he grew up surrounded by the lush greenery of Lanchang, Pahang; his family and relatives all spent a lot of quality time in that landscape; and his mother has a penchant for taking film photos for memory’s sake. “We have albums upon albums of those at home. Pictures of us playing outside and having fun at waterfalls,” he shares. But the thing that left a real impression on him was his daily waking up to the rolling hills in Lanchang. To this day, he’s a sucker for mountains and their layers.
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It was in 2016 when he got bit by the shutterbug. “It was just me and my iPhone 7 back then. During my university years, I would go on a hike and take some photos. Then I would think ‘How can I make these better?’ Watching YouTube vlogs helped tremendously.” And just a short year after that, he bought his first camera, a DSLR, and his enthusiasm took off like a rocket—unpredictable yet determined. The 27-year-old would later find himself zigzagging across the country discovering picturesque sceneries of Malaysia, though he now has switched up his preference to film cameras. “It’s way easier than people think. You literally just point and shoot. My tip? Overexposure is your best friend.”
Fast-forward to today, he’s racked up some headline-making hits up his sleeve. From the serene ‘Lonely Trees’ compilation to the sanguine carousel of photos that come out of his seven-day road trip across Peninsular Malaysia, the photographer has successfully created an audience for himself. What drives him to continue is the sheer joy that he gets to spread. “People need to know that there’s a lot of Malaysia that we can appreciate. It’s a beautiful place. And I’m glad that through my pictures, they can see that. I want them to go outside and see the good in the world. And if they can’t, I want them to know that it’s out there,” he raves. To him, the biggest compliment is when someone feels happy when they look at the photos he takes.
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Rafiq finds himself to be his best self when left to his devices in the quiet of the forest. “I tend to slow down and appreciate life more. Every time I return, the first thing I would do is go hiking. I could process my thoughts better in there, and it’s an opportunity to really do some self-reflection. It’s a chance for me to see how I can be a better human.”
Whether he’s out for that soul-searching hike in the great outdoors or the next great visual, there are certain essentials he cannot part with, the foremost being his film camera, of course. Next is some quality eyewear. Maui Jim’s Ekahi collection comes with the PolarizedPlus2® technology which enhances Rafiq’s visual experience by allowing the eyes to see clearly with less effort and delivering exceptional colour clarity. He’s also partial to physical maps. “It’s something I’ve picked up when I was younger. There’s just something about the tactile quality of printed maps that just does it for me,” Rafiq explains. Then come his hiking shoes, a bandana, and a windbreaker.
But you don’t have to go to the extreme to truly take in Mother Nature’s magnificence. His advice is to just give it a shot. “No matter how big your troubles are, there’s a beautiful world out there that can help you forget it.”
Photography: Edmund Lee
Makeup: Japhet Bong
Hair: Ckay Liow
Photography Assistant: Zane Chang
Rafiq is wearing Nelissa Hilman and Good Times.