Russel Wong

Russel Wong is a Singapore-born Hollywood celebrity photographer.

Education and early years He received his primary and secondary education at Anglo-Chinese School, and his bachelor's degree at University of Oregon, Eugene. Renowned for his portraits of celebrities like Jackie Chan, Richard Gere and Tom Cruise, Wong has been called the "Richard Avedon of Asia".

Wong first came to prominence in 1980, when, at 19, his photograph of track-and-field athlete Sebastian Coe was chosen for the cover of Track & Field News.

Beginning in 2000, Wong shot the publicity images for Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Zhang Yimou's Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Ang Lee's award winning " Lust, Caution " (2007).

In 2005, a collection of his photographs titled Russel Wong: Photographs 1980 - 2005 was published by Epigram Books. In the same year, Wong became the first and only photographer to be invited for the art residency at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute. His art works can be found in public and private collections, with his “Bamboo Forest” print going for a record US$40,000 at a recent Christie’s auction in Hong Kong.

In 2009, Wong staged Russel Wong: A Different Journey at Valentine Willie Fine Art, Singapore, presenting his landscape and nature photography. In 2011, Wong staged his first exhibition in Australia. In 2012, Wong staged his first American exhibition, Russel Wong: The Big Picture at Eugene, Oregon's Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

Wong played himself in a cameo in the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians.

Personal life Wong is an avid jazz lover. He also is a food lover and has his blog www.thewongist.com He has also appeared in good friend Anthony Bourdain's 'No Reservations' and 'The Layover ' shows on TV.

Works The Art of Flying: Singapore Through the Lens of Russel Wong (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, 2010, 2013) Russel Wong: Photographs 1980 - 2005 (Epigram Books, 2005) Singapore Symphony (Landmark Books, 1994)