My name is pronounced Sunday, after the day I was born. My mother chose it, and she’s an English teacher. Indonesian is a very phonetic language, and the vowels are pronounced a little differently.
I came to Melbourne fifteen years ago to study, and now I work as a software engineer. But what I really want is to be an artist, specifically a photographer. I want to sell prints and photo books. There’s a lot of struggle in that, with trying to balance a full‑time job and wanting to do something else.
Every weekend I go out and take photos of everything. I’ve been building my knowledge and skill through documentaries, practice, and paying attention. There’s a lot to learn, particularly about technical side, composition and light.
Having the goal itself is positive. I’m passionate about it, and I’m developing my craft. When people say, “oh photography, you do that as a hobby,” I can get a bit annoyed, because I work very hard and I’m really committed.
I have a paraphrase of an Andy Warhol quote on my Instagram:
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they’re deciding, make even more art.”