Since the middle of the 20th century, numerous photographers whom we now perceive as masters of the artform have been drawn to the impact of humanist imagery. The English critic and historian Ian Jeffrey describes this style’s hallmark as a particular strain of “photojournalism…[lying] somewhere between the painterly, honourable concerns of realism and the high-minded hopefulness of modernism”. Its earliest proponents flourished in the interwar period – freed as they were from prior constraints of social mores and technology – and even today are echoed in the unvarnished lens of fashion maestro Peter Lindbergh or the “questioning and exploratory” street photographs of Alex Webb.

It seems odd at first, then – perhaps even facetious – to invoke humanist photography’s spirit in the pursuit of luxury goods, yet that is precisely what Hosanna Swee has done in her nearly decade-long career as a professional imagemaker. You certainly can’t argue with the results: her work is a frequent presence in the pages of Vogue, Cereal and T: The New York Times Style Magazine, while her commercial portfolio is laden with clients that appear as bywords in their respective universes of good taste. (To name but a few, these include the Italian leather-maker Tod’s; Aussie skincare giant Aēsop; and, of course, Leica – for whom Swee doubles as one of the brand’s four Singaporean ambassadors.)

Recently, we caught up with Swee in her hometown to learn more about the convergence between photography and watch culture. Along the 20-minute stroll that takes you between Millenia Tower and the National Gallery (two locales Swee sees as “distinctively different yet encompassing Singapore’s heritage and soul”) there’s discussion of mirrorless cameras; what makes a great watch shot; why street photography is as infuriating as it is thrilling; and the one time Swee (accidentally) threw her Tank into a waste bin.

ACM: Let’s begin, somewhat counterintuitively, not by talking watches, but with a discussion about you. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for work.

HS: My name is Hosanna, and I’ve been a photographer for around eight years now. Professionally, I wear a number of hats: my regular day consists of a mixture of design, image-taking, and creative direction. In practice, that means working on brand campaigns and visual marketing assets with my team – from point of concept all the way through to execution.

Just briefly, did you undertake any sort of formalised training in photography at school or university?

I’d say my work in photography was a logical progression of what I studied at university – fashion communications.