Every week I talk to a new photographer on Instagram. They share their favorite locations, camera gear, and the best practices to have on Instagram. This week is Adriano Tawin, a 26 year old Structural engineering student in New York City. He once studied in Illinois, but moved his studies to Manhattan, and he says it was the "best decision ever as I quickly fell in love with the beauty of the city."

What inspired you to pursue photography? Favorite photographers?

I’ve been on Instagram for almost three years now but I only started taking photography seriously last summer. Initially, Instagram was just a social media platform for me to update my family and friends in Singapore of my experiences here in the Big Apple. Eventually, going out to shoot became a weekly habit. After meeting up with few other photographers through Instagram, that is when I started taking it all more seriously. The following photographers are those that inspire me on a daily basis. Do check them out:

@cainite_ , @skinnywashere, @_ctnrl, @saunakspace, @jimscopes, @michaelhsieh0203, @tsetan_c

Most of the photos on your feed are of New York City. What about the urban subject attracts you to take photos?

Being a civil engineer, a city’s infrastructures would naturally captivate me. For example, many would see a building as just a building. But when I look at a building, I see beams, columns, forces etc.. I believe this is why I subconsciously gravitate towards urban photography. Below are some of Adriano's photos.

What kind of camera gear do you use? Feel free to use technical terms.

I shoot with my iPhone 5 only, in HDR mode. Occasionally, I would use an Olloclip attachment lens if I require a shot of a different perspective. For night photography, I would always carry a small portable tripod along. A tripod is extremely useful for those light trails and long exposure shots. I mostly use PS Express and Truefilm to edit my pictures. Timelapse videos were shot through Gorillacam with editing done on Splice and Video Filters.

What advice would you give to the beginning photographer?

My advice would be to get out there and meet with other photographers. Get in touch with other photographers that inspire you, be it through Instagram DM or Insta-meets. You will be surprised by how much you can learn from others as well as how others are willing to share their knowledge with you. Now not only are you learning new photography techniques, you are also making new friends. Some of my closest friends now are those I’ve met through Instagram.

Most photographers are joining Instagram... What advice would you give to them to expose their work on the platform?

Instagram is a powerful platform to get photographers and their work out there. If you’re new to the platform, do not be afraid to use appropriate hashtags for your postings. Be aware of those common hashtags that are currently trending. Since I shoot urban subjects with my iPhone only, I would throw in #streetdreamsmag and #iphoneonly into my postings. There is always a related hashtag to the types of shots you take. Another way of getting your work out there is to tie up your Instagram account to other social media platforms as well. This way, whenever you do a post on your Instragram, it’ll be shared with your Twitter and Facebook followers too thus expanding your audience reach.

What is your most favorite photo you have ever taken?

My favorite photo is one that I stumbled upon while walking in my neighborhood in the Village. I still don’t know what the name of this building is. The architectural composition of the building paired with the natural light seeping through just makes for an amazing picture. Stumbling upon something like this made me realize that great shots don’t always have to be planned; there’s always the possibility of chancing upon a great wonder anywhere around you. (Picture below)