Photato is not exactly the kind of name you would forget. This quaint one stop photography servicing shop with a cheeky name launched their first retail outlet in Miramar Shopping Centre on the National Day, providing high quality frames, canvas, and photo books printing; exquisite camera accessories from all reaches of the globe; as well as a selection of renowned artistic photography albums to the lucky crowd loitering in Tsim Sha Tsui. Jasmine and I caught up with their co-founders, Michael Lee and Jack Man, as well as their Creative Director, Benny Woo, who gave us some valuable insights as to what we can do with all the high resolution photos we have stored in our hard disk drives!
Why did you guys open a photo developing shop at an age where everyone just shows their photos to others on their iPads?
Michael Lee, Co-Founder of Photato: With the technological advancement in digital cameras, we are now able to produce photos in a quality that was only available to professionals with high-end equipment in the past. As a recreational photographer myself since my college days, I have lots of high resolution photos, which are quickly gathering dust inside my external hard drives. I turned to Jack, who is experienced in the digital output industry, for ways that I can appreciate photography beyond the process of taking photos, and extend it to the viewing of the end product.
The idea grew from there, and that is how we came up with Photato, where not only the professionals, but also photography amateurs and even proud parents can turn their photos from something on the monitor screen to a worthy piece of art. We want to create a total shopping experience, so we chose to be located in the lifestyle corner of Miramar Shopping Centre, with the setup of an American deli for a chill and welcoming environment. Our staff has superb product and photography knowledge, so you can be sure your priceless memories are in safe hands!
How does Photato distinguish itself from the neighbourhood photo printing shops?
Jack Man, Co-Founder of Photato: As Michael has putted it, we have more product as well as photography knowledge, and we put it into practice when we deliver our products. We make sure we personally adjust every photo that comes out of our studio, for example, the lighting, so that everything looks the best when it is printed. People nowadays have keen eyes for good photos, and they have stored many precious impressions of places that will soon be demolished. We hope to give these photographs a chance to be viewed the way they were intended to.
I was in the printing industry for years, and as an amateur photographer since high school, my intention of starting Photato was to channel professional technology to the mass market. Our digital framing services will give you the flexibility of having a photo ready for hanging after a cup of coffee, and you can even choose to email us the photos, then have it delivered to wherever you please.
We also offer Fine Art Canvas Photos and commercial grade Photo Books, both of which are made to order and delivered right to your doorsteps. For the canvas, we do suggest you choose a more abstract photo, which would look great as an art piece on your wall, while with the photo books, we are proud to provide the same quality as what you would get from professional publishing houses, with the flexibility of doing the layout whichever way you wish, with the aid of our specialist software. You can develop any of your photos from any medium, be it your iPhone, DSLR, or even good ol’ film. Just don’t compress the photos, or download photos from Facebook for print. We are good with everything else.
What makes the camera accessories and the photography books selection so special?
Benny Woo, Creative Director of Photato: In addition to creating prints, we believe the process of taking photos is equally important as the appreciation of the end result, which is why we introduced a wide collection of stylish yet functional camera accessories from international brands, as well as photography books ranging in different topics by world-renowned artists. By doing so, we hope that we could be of service to those who views photography as lifestyle rather than a mere hobby.
Our camera lifestyle accessories range from chic camera belts to funky fish eye iPhone lense. Whatever you style, we have something that would suit you. Are you a diver who loves taking photos of amazing underwater scenes? We have waterproof camera bags from Aquapac that you will grow to love. Are you an environmentalist, who cares about where we are living in? Our bags from Côte & Ciel are made of recycled material, yet they still make a stylish, eye-catching piece in its own right. Are you the girly type who likes everything pink? We carry camera bags from Hellolulu, which are as colourful as they are functional. We also display products from Ciesta, Manfrotto, Unit Portables, and Built, so I am sure you will find something you like from our wide range of collection.
As for our collection of photography books, they are mainly from Asia One, which carries one of Michael’s favourite photography books, Hong Kong Inside Outside, by German photographer Michael Wolf. Having lived in Hong Kong for over 14 years, his depiction of people in Hong Kong’s public housing is extremely intriguing. As a professional graphic designer, I tend to think that photos aren’t just for capturing beautiful things, but more on appreciating what you are surrounded by, like the Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, who took a series of photos on her life’s daily hum dums. It was such a vibrant collection that I took a step back to ponder upon just how powerful still images make.
We aim to create a buzz on photography, merging it with as a way of life, so we will strive to update you with the latest photography events around town on our Facebook page. Like us to make sure you know what is coming up next!
Photato
Address: Shop B1022 Miramar Shopping Centre, 132 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Tel: 2376 2900
Email: info@photato.com.hk
Website: www.photato.com.hk