Contrary to popular belief, there is a complexity behind seductive pieces of photography. Take Wong Sim's body of work, for instance. As one of the most seasoned and acclaimed fashion photographers in Indonesia, Wong Sim has been heralded for his uncanny ability to produce images of his subjects at their barest and most physically sensuous. 

That said, there is a stark difference between ravishing art and what the internet calls 'thirst traps'. To produce the former, the 50-year-old photographer believes that having models with perfect bodies is not necessarily the primary requisite.

"Sense of style is important [for what I do]," he told The Jakarta Post. "How to arrange the model's pose, which poses work and which poses don't, the angle that works best for them, how to work the clothes; we [as photographers] must be able to see all those things in a single frame. There's a sense that must be honed."

Wong Sim's sense as a photographer is sharp enough to document some of the world's sexiest men in their, well, even sexier form. Nonetheless, contrary to popular belief, he also believes that sexiness does not necessarily equal lust. 

"It's less about being stimulating and more about how to make people spend more time looking at [the photo]," he added cheekily.

Lensman: Photographer Wong Sim's work has been featured in both national and international fashion magazines. (Courtesy of Wong Sim) (Wong Sim/Courtesy of Wong Sim)

Slow burn

Born and raised in Banjarnegara, Central Java, Wong Sim described his childhood self as an "introvert". 

"I wasn't good at interacting with people. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up," he said, laughing. He would often spend his time drawing portraits which, unbeknown to him at the time, would later on "inform" his future flair for photography.

Wong Sim's origin story as a photographer was not exactly akin to a fairy tale. In middle school, his mother bought him his very first analog camera. Unfortunately, the gift did not spark a photography interest in him at once. 

"I thought the camera was interesting, but I didn't really learn how to use it," he reminisced. "I lived in a small town, and there wasn't something like a community of photographers to be found. I liked the camera, but I never took it seriously."

Another issue that turned Wong Sim off taking photos was the inconvenience of working with an analog camera. Unlike working with a digital camera, he found that there was a vexing division between taking a photo with an analog camera and printing it.

"It would be difficult to generate the photos that I had in mind [with an analog camera] because the result would also depend on the person who was in charge of printing them," he added.

In 1991, Wong Sim temporarily moved to Jakarta to pursue a bachelor's degree in architecture at Tarumanagara University. There he took an interest in reading photography magazines, but once again, such interest did not necessarily lead to his full-blown passion. 

"I liked flipping through those magazines, but I didn't buy them," he said bashfully. After graduation, he accepted an interior design job in Singapore before returning to Indonesia to help his family in Banjarnegara.

It took another decade for Wong Sim to acknowledge his knack for camerawork. It was around 2008 when he decided to start figuring out whether his slow-burning inquisitiveness might evolve into something more. 

"When I looked at the photos people uploaded on Facebook, I figured, 'I think I could do that too!' So, I tried taking some pictures," he said. Wong Sim's 'a-ha!' moment finally took place when, two years later, an acquaintance of his noticed his portfolio and offered him a chance to take some photos for a high-profile men's pageant show in Jakarta. 

In retrospect, he never imagined at 38 years of age, he would find himself tapping into an entirely new profession.

"I didn't think that far back then," he chuckled. "All I thought was, 'I have this [digital camera]. It was expensive. It would be a pity not to use it.'"

Fluid: Jefri Nichol photographed by Wong Sim for Harry Halim Paris, 2021. (Courtesy of Wong Sim) (Wong Sim/Courtesy of Wong Sim)

Hot for the camera

After his first gig, Wong Sim soon landed himself more high-profile gigs, and subsequently resounding fame in the fashion world. Before he reached his tenth year as a professional photographer, his work had been featured in nationwide prints such as Cosmopolitan Indonesia, Esquire Indonesia, Tatler Indonesia and herworld Indonesia. His subjects encompassed some of the most influential public figures in the country today, namely Agnez Mo, Tara Basro and Luna Maya.

One of Wong Sim's most memorable shoots took place in 2015 when he was commissioned to photograph Italian model Pietro Boselli in New York City, the United States. "That was, like, my first time flying to America and instantly getting to work with a model who was very popular at the time," he gushed.

The unique experience steered Wong Sim toward what would eventually become his signature trademark: seminude male models at their steamiest. Pietro Boselli aside, some of the sexiest men alive he has photographed in recent years include Australian model and DJ Mitchell Wick, Brazilian model and social influencer Gilberto Fritsch, French model and fitness trainer Charley Santos and Russian model Sahib Faber. 

Moreover, his steamy portfolio has been featured in international fashion magazines such as Desnudo Magazine Italia, HUF Magazine, L’Officiel Hommes China, Period Magazine and VULKANmag.

Wong Sim reached a new career milestone when he was asked to be a photographer for a fashion campaign by Barcelona-based men's clothing brand ES Collection in 2016. Executing a fashion photoshoot on the Isle of Mykonos, Greece proved to be both an invaluable challenge and a dreamy experience for the photographer.

"The whole thing was very impressive because the location was incredibly gorgeous. The water was crystal clear!" he said. "There was no need to photoshop anything; the color was already good!"

Wong Sim is no stranger to viral moments as well. Case in point: the internet was buzzing in March 2021 when he photographed Indonesian actor and model Jefri Nichol for a fashion campaign by Harry Halim Paris, in which Jefri was wearing a couture dress. The gender-fluid concept generated a warm reception from netizens. 

Looking back, Wong Sim found no difficulties in pulling off such an atypical photoshoot.

"I was thinking of how to make both the clothing and Jefri stand out. Then, with the tools available for me to use, I was thinking about how to make maximum use of them. I didn't really need to direct Jefri when it came to posing. He always gave me options and I simply had to choose which look served the clothing the best."

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That sexy attitude

As a photographer, Wong Sim believes that what defines a good photo depends on the eye that sees it — the eye here is not necessarily the photographer's eye. "There are photos that technically check all the marks, but once you see them, well, they don't exude that feeling," he remarked.

Considering how most of his photoshoots require his subjects at their most physically vulnerable, the now-seasoned photographer always emphasizes the importance of "attitude" — especially when it comes to forging a working relationship between the models and himself.

"We simply have to behave professionally. We talk and we establish a comfortable environment. It's all about communication," he said.

And considering how he would often work with models from different countries and cultures, the language barrier serves as another vital element that can make or break a photo shoot.

"One time I worked with this Brazilian model who didn't speak English at all. I was like, 'How should I do this?'" he laughed.

Journalist Rory Asyari, who was once photographed by Wong Sim, praised the lensman for his determination and commitment to his craft. "It feels like you're in the right hands," he remarked, "especially a photographer who accentuates art and perfection first and foremost. He's so determined in creating great, showstopping work."

Closing the interview, Wong Sim wished to give a special shout-out to two people whose support had been pivotal to his career: actress and singer Cinta Laura Kiehl and renowned make-up artist and entrepreneur Bubah Alfian. 

"They have helped me so much and I'm very grateful for it. So, thank you so much," he said in delight.

For Wong Sim's portfolio, check out his Instagram @wongsim and his website wongsim.com.