Photography graduate Nicky Wanzi came to the New York Film Academy from Singapore, an island city-state southern Malaysia. She believed if she was going to pursue photography it should be in New York City and NYFA would provide the education and location that she was looking for.
“From theory to the practical lessons, the training at NYFA pushed my skill set to another level — the professional level.”
One of her projects, which was for her NYFA mid-term, was selected by PDN (Photo District News), Student Annual. The PDN Photo Annual is an esteemed accolade for established photographers and a jumping-point for student and emerging photographers breaking into the field. The series of photos focused on her personal life story of coming to New York and chasing the dream of becoming a successful photographer. It documents the snippets of her daily life as an international student living in a shared apartment, and the little things that make her who she is — from the food she eats to the activities she partakes in. However, she executed the series from a different perspective and added another dimension to this otherwise ordinary documentary-style shoot.
“The three young men in the photos represent the strong bonds I share with my good friends from back home in Singapore,” said Wanzi. “Back home we usually operated as a unit, almost like triplets hanging out all the time. Whether it’s having a meal or a game of basketball, we were almost inseparable and had each other’s backs no matter.”
While attending NYFA, Wanzi also worked on a photo series called “Transition,” where she celebrates her newfound love for nature and explores her connectedness with it, gradually becoming more in sync with her surroundings as she captures what’s around her.
Wanzi is currently in the middle of planning another personal project before she heads back to Singapore.