In the dead of winter in Sweden with very little else to do, and with the encouragement of her husband, Mable set up a photography shop on Etsy, and she has not looked back.

Her images are soft, romantic and evocative, with a fine sense of balance. They are full of warmth and joy for the beauty of the things she has seen.

 

 

Mable Tan is the HappeeMonkee who has always loved photography ever since she was very small. “My dad had a really old camera – one of those turn and twist film cameras – it was my toy for a long time. I would be contented just clicking it even though there wasn’t any film.” Now, no matter where she travels, a camera is never very far away.

Originally from Malaysia, Mable earnt her styling stripes working for seventeen magazine and Marie Claire (both Malaysian editions) for five years. Of that time, she says “Those years definitely helped me develop an eye for composition and styling. I watched the photographers and studied magazines. It was the best non-academic education I ever had.”

She then moved to Melbourne, discovered a husband, and a love of cooking. Subsequently combining cooking with  photography, she began a cooking blog a couple of years ago. Her love of photography grew,  and when her husband was posted to Sweden for work in 2011, it was natural for her to follow, with camera in hand. Needless to say, she took full advantage of being based in Europe.

 

 

“I’m not a technical photographer. I work mainly by instinct – when I feel the moment is right, I shoot. Always be careful of your white balance as it could make or break the photo. I’ve learned that Photoshop is used only to enhance a photo. If a photo is taken badly, there is no amount of Photoshop that can save it. Digital photography has definitely made it easier for everyone to take photos, but not everyone can be photographers. Take time to compose a photo, look out for good light, and be patient.”

 

 

She is inspired by many things, but in particular singles out food stylist, photographer and blogger, Béatrice Peltre; aerial and landscape photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand; and  Australian painter, Jeffrey Smart. I can see in each of these artists the same love of  composition and sense of stillness that I see in Mable’s work.

 

 

She stills considers Melbourne as her home. “I’ve always wanted to live in another country. I don’t think I felt like I fitted in, in Malaysia. I studied in Melbourne for a year and thought it was a really lovely city, I didn’t think it would be home! The food is amazing here. It’s such a melting pot of cultures and where people go, food follows. I love the history of Melbourne and its laneways.”

Her best piece of advice is “If you’re not happy about something then change it. Don’t waste your time complaining.”

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You can find more of Mable’s work in her Etsy shop HappeeMonkee, and some wonderful recipes and photography on her blog, MableTan.com.