Falling for photography

Moon Sua: I was never really interested in cameras before, but my interest grew the more I took photos of the other members with my phone. I liked taking pictures anyway, so I thought, Should I buy a camera and try taking photos that way? I figured I better try out using a camera, and when I finally did take some pictures with one, they felt different somehow. And that’s how I became more interested in cameras.

The magic of a film camera

Moon Sua: I prefer authentic colors in a photo rather than a filtered version. I like how it feels natural, and with film, there’s a feeling only it can give, plus you can’t reshoot it, right? That’s what I like about it, I guess. When you take photos with a film camera and then develop them, you get to relive the feeling from that day. You don’t know what the photo is of until you develop it and it’s fascinating because you can’t know what it’s going to look like if you didn’t take the photo properly. Every kind of film has its own feel and color and I love that feeling, so that’s why I’m into film cameras.

An amazing gift from MOON BIN

Moon Sua: Since I was so interested in photography, I went looking for a camera. There’s so many different kinds of cameras and I was trying to figure out what kind to buy, and I really wanted one that had the feel of a film camera. The camera I use now is simple to use and just the right size to carry around. It’s exactly what I was looking for! It also does simulations, so I can use that to get whatever feeling I’m going for, and I can even adjust the colors myself, so I thought it was perfect and bought it. And I love the blue tone with Fujifilm. That camera’s my most cherished possession. I realized I could use the camera for the rest of my life and I can do everything just with the one camera, so I’m really happy with it.

Moon Sua’s B-side

Moon Sua: The pictures I take are best described as being taken from my general perspective as a person, not as a member of Billlie, so anyone can see them and empathize with them. The only thing I’m thinking when I take a photo is to capture the moment. I don’t try to take photos carefully; I do it because I think something’s pretty or I don’t want to miss the shot. The other members are beautiful, and I don’t want to forget the time I spend with them and with everyone in my life who’s important to me, and the scenery all around—that’s why I take pictures. Sometimes it would be a waste to only be able to see these things with my own two eyes. I can always look back on these times in my diary later and get a good sense of how things were, but I think photos capture them best. A photo is like a B-side to me.

Oh, to see France

Moon Sua: I really like taking pictures of streets with my camera. I took a trip to the US before and every photo I took in the street was beautiful no matter what. That’s when I started to have the idea of trying to take a street photo in every country. If I ever go to France, I want to take photos of all the different streets. And it’s a dream of mine to see the Eiffel Tower! And I want the other members to be there with me when I do. I personally love the Eiffel Tower and it’s because of something I read in a book called the Eiffel Tower effect. The tower was simply there, but after a while it made the people who were once opposed to it being built think of it as something to be proud of—a proud landmark of France. I thought that was really touching. So it really made me want to visit the Eiffel Tower and take pictures with the other members.

Favorite subjects for photos

Moon Sua: I like taking candid photos of the other members. My favorite ones are when the six of them are together and pick the camera up without them noticing and take their picture. Just taking pictures of them makes me happy. And I really like the sky. Autumn’s usually always really short so I couldn’t get many photos of the fall sky, but this year it was exceptionally long. The color and the feel of it change every day. They always say the autumn sky is vast and blue, but this was the first time I really felt it! So I was really happy. I hope my photos make the people who look at them feel comfortable and happy the same way I see them through the camera lens.

A loving look toward the other members

Moon Sua: I observe the other members through my camera and take affectionate pictures of them. When I’m with them and we’re looking at old photos or pictures of us all together I always say I’m choking up. And they always say, “Again? You’re crying again?” (laughs) Sometimes we’re short on time and someone on staff will say, “Hurry up, everybody, we gotta go!” And even then I’ll ask them, “One group photo—just one!” I try to make sure there’s always at least one. Or I’ll just quickly take their pictures. It doesn’t matter if I’m in them—I just want to be able to remember the others the way they were in that moment. All of them have a different way of having their photos taken. For starters, Tsuki and Sheon adore having their pictures taken, so I shoot them like they’re models. They’re both great at posing, so I just say, “I’m taking it,” and I don’t need to give them any instructions. (laughs) Siyoon and Haruna are the youngest and taking their photos always makes us smile. I take photos like I’m spending the day with my sister, saying, “Look over here,” or, “Like this—pose like this! Could you smile for me?” Suhyeon and Haram are around my age so it’s a little more chill. So I end up taking more candid photos of them, but sometimes when I try to take their photos without them knowing, they realize I’ve got the camera and they go from just being natural to posing instead. Then it’s more like, “No, go back to what you were just doing.”

First anniversary and first tour

Moon Sua: I still can’t believe it’s been a year since the debut. I’m really grateful. I remember crying a lot on the day of our first concert. I use the words “I’m touched” a lot whenever I’m with the other members, and I was touched when I was going through all the photos with the other members, too. It’s amazing to see the way we’ve all grown together over the past year, and I get emotional just thinking about taking pictures every day as we keep improving and work towards our second and our third anniversaries. I realized that the reason we’re able to keep growing is because of everyone who shows us so much love. I’ll always cherish our first concert. And I want to congratulate the other members on the first anniversary and tell them that I’m so happy I could spend the past year with them even though it was really busy. I want to tell them, “You worked really hard this year, and I can’t wait to do it all again next year with you!”

Before and after encountering photography

Moon Sua: I never used to have any hobbies I stuck to. I used to get bored easily, but I think I was always pretty into photography. At first I was taking photos with my phone, but I moved onto taking them with a camera and got better. Right now taking pictures with a camera’s just a hobby, but I’m curious what it will lead to and I’d like to try some new things with it. Right now I’m limited to taking pictures of objects or the other members, but I’m feeling more ambitious ever since I went to Singapore and took photos of lots of different subjects. I felt like I want to go around to different countries and take photos of different streets and other subjects. I think I’m a lot different now that I’m ambitious about my hobby.

Documenting happiness

Moon Sua: I’m in a position where my everyday life is documented and I have my picture taken a lot. Once I was the one taking the pictures instead, it was the first time that I ever knew what it felt like to be the person taking the photos. I usually feel happy when I’m taking the other members’ pictures, and when fans look at those photos, they say they can tell from them that I was feeling happy when I took them. I was amazed how they said they could feel how happy I was taking pictures of the members just by looking at the photos themselves.

If you could only take one photo

Moon Sua: It would have to be …Can I pick two? (laughs) One’s a picture of me smiling happily. That would have to have been taken by someone else, right? The other’s from my perspective and it’s my family and everyone I love laughing and being happy—I guess because I like candid photos. A big smile flashing by in an instant—that’s the kind of picture I want to take.