Tyson Wheatley Through the Eyes of His Kids by Rachel S.

Rachel’s Introduction

Like so many of us here at Juxt, I have the lucky pleasure of interviewing someone I admire.  Tyson Wheatley is a gifted iPhoneographer; seemingly able to translate the soul of the city he lives in – through his photographs.  Hong Kong speaks to us in whispers and chatter as he explores the city’s peaceful suburban trails and crowded city streets.

Tyson’s reputation as an iPhoneographer on Instagram has grown exponentially this past year.  While he’s known for his photos and his work at CNN, he’s also a partner in another fast-paced, high-stakes business: Raising a family.

I’m pretty sure that Tyson is one of those cool dads that the other kids want to hang out with.  I mean, take a look at this family:  they are having some serious good times!  I was super stoked when Tyson agreed to this interview because I had grown so fond of his family photos and stories, I felt like any interview I proposed absolutely had to include his kids.  I know firsthand how much fun it can be to share photography with my family, so I wanted to learn more about how the Wheatleys interact and what role iPhoneography plays in their daily lives.

Needless to say, I am thrilled to share this interview with you all.  So let’s juxt get on with meeting… the Wheatleys.

Wheatley Family Portrait

R:  Rachel T: Tyson  K: Kaya  J: Jacinda  H: Huck  

R:  Tyson, tell us a bit about your kids.  What are some things they’ve done recently that make you laugh out loud?

T:  We’ve been blessed with three outstanding kids. Each is quite different than the other – but they’re all pretty hilarious.

Kaya, 9, is fiercely independent and stubborn. She’s loud and fearless and very entertaining.  The other day she asked me “Dad, why do I have to go to school when all I want to do is dance?”

Jacinda, 6, is much quieter than her big sister. She is kind and thoughtful and super smart. Jacinda is really perceptive and makes interesting observations about people – especially adults. She totally called me out the other day for telling her to turn off her Nintendo DS to come to the dinner table while I was checking email on my iPhone.

R:  Tell us a little about yourself; who is Tyson Wheatley?

T:   I’m an American news editor, dad, and trail-runner living in Hong Kong. I started using Instagram when I first moved here a little more than a year ago. My wife and I are raising three little ones in North Point – a residential neighborhood on Hong Kong Island full of crowded markets and bustling butcher shops and very few families that look like ours.

 Serious Selfie

R:   How would you describe your dad, and what does he do at his job?  

K:  Weird.  Funny.  Scary sometimes.  He writes the things that people have to say on the news.

J:   A nice guy.  He works at CNN and writes, or something.

H:  He is smaller than a building. Don’t work, just play.

R: What is your dad’s favorite toy?

T:  Does my iPhone4S count as a toy? It does? Then, yeah, my Phone.

K:  He bought mom an iPad, but he plays with it more

J:  His phone

H:  iPhone

Wheatleys Looking Out; one of Tyson’s favorite family portraits 

R: What do you love most about Hong Kong?

T:  I love the people of Hong Kong. I find that most are very kind, well educated, sharp dressed and independent. I also love the food – all of Asia is well represented in HK, but there’s nothing like a Cantonese-style kitchen. And lastly, I love the architecture – the towering skyscrapers perched on lush islands that jut out of the sea. Hong Kong is extremely photogenic.

K:  Noodles.

J:  Food, like sweet and sour fish

H:    Boats, rivers.

R: What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve eaten since you moved to Hong Kong?

T:  Coagulated pig’s blood. I’ve had frog too. Ostrich stir-fry as well. That was actually quite good.

K:  Spicy chicken

J:  Dried octopus

H:  Dim sum

Huck Watching Boats

R: What is your favorite family fun activity in Hong Kong?

T:  Taking the ferry to Lamma Island for the beach and seafood.

K:  Going to the beach

J:   HK Instayays

H:  Going to the park

 Jacinda at an HKInstayay photowalk

R: Have each of the kids participated in an HKInstayay at some point?

T:  All three kids went to our third Instayay – to Peng Chau. It was very hot and humid and poor little Huck kinda was miserable, so that was his last one.

Both the girls went with me to HK Instayay 5 “The Peak”‘ – which was super fun, but Kaya basically complained the whole time and kept asking people to carry her. To be fair, she did have a bit of a fever. Anyway, that was her last one.

Jacinda’s been to three! She’s such a trooper. And a good little photographer. She had an active Instagram account for a few months before breaking her iTouch at HK Instayay 8 – Shanghai Street.
Caption:  Jacinda Instagraming (RIP iTouch) 

R: How many HK Instayay meetups have there been to-date?

T:  Well, we’ve had 11 official Instayays, a handful of mini-yays (smaller gatherings, like at a bar) – and one 12-hour “Tram Yay” – a photowalk that took place overnight and included a private HK tram. Oh, and we just had our first exhibit. We get together for big events once a month.

Our FB page has a great timeline of the history
https://www.facebook.com/#!/HK.InstaYay

R: How have these meetups enhanced your time in Hong Kong?

T:  It’s not something that can be measured really.  For me, HK Instayay has helped shape my experience moving to a new city. It introduced me to so many new friends – many of whom are local Hong Kongers. They opened up their hearts and really welcomed me and my family. Together, we’ve explored places I probably wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise – and I’ve made real, lasting friendships. It’s been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced and it just keeps getting better.

R: Why do you love making pictures, and how much of your day is spent doing so?

T:  It’s kinda crazy, I didn’t realize I had a passion for photography until Instagram.  It unlocked something inside I think.  Or perhaps just leveled the playing field.  I’m not a “photographer” – I mean, no one’s ever paid me to take pictures of anything and I have very little formal training.    (As for time)… Well, you know the saying – the best camera is one you have. I carry my iPhone everywhere I go – even when I’m running. (I’ll wrap it in plastic sandwich bags when it rains.) Basically I’ll stop and take a picture when something catches my eye – which happens a lot in Hong Kong.

 

Girls at Pool 

 R: Why do you think your dad likes taking photographs so much?

K:  Because he likes Instagram and is very inspired by things, like a family of jellyfish.

J:  Because he lives in a cool place to take photographs.

H:  Because he is always taking pictures, of everything. Like boats, buildings, pictures, everything.

 R: What do you think makes a good picture?

T:  Anything that evokes emotion.

K:  A goth person

J:  Shade and color

H:  A zombie

R: What is your favorite iPhone app?

T:  You mean besides Instagram? Probably Snapseed.

K:  Angry birds

J:  Instagram and Angry Birds

H:  Star Walk

 Kaya in Hallway

R:  How do you like to make pictures, and how much time in your day is spent making pictures?

K:  I love to draw.  4 hours? Maybe 5 on Saturday

J:  By drawing.  I don’t know.  About 1 hour

H:     Draw.  I draw a lot of pictures.

R:   Every good hero has a theme song.  If you were a superhero, what would your theme song be?

K:  Beat It, by Michael Jackson

J:  The Amazing World of Gumball

H:  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

T:   This question is totally absurd – and I love it. My initial pick was “Eye of the Tiger” by that’s already taken by Rocky Balboa. Too bad. Tigers are by far my favorite animal.   I’m a huge baseball fan. Growing up I dreamed of playing for the Atlanta Braves. When I went to games, I always imagined coming  up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the Ninth. I’d stroll slowly from the dugout to the plate as “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who starts blaring – right around the 7:22 mark in the song. By the time I reach the plate the “Yeeeeaaaahhh!” kicks in – the crowd goes wild. So, yeah.

——-

Tyson, Kaya, Jacinda & Huck… thank you so much for sharing, for being super nice and for genuinely having an awesome sense of humor.  I loved learning more about you and your family’s adventures in Hong Kong.  You’re all juxt lovely folks. – Rachel

More photos by Tyson:

Kaya at Photowalk	Huck at Airport
Jacinda at Library

Juxt thanks the Wheatley Family for the words and their art!

About Rachel Marie:

iPhoneographer • Hipstaholic • Mamabear • Community Advocate • Makin’ it happen in the City of Music® one initiative at a time • Self-taught and powered by a mild case of OCD, I’m inspired by inanimate objects and everyday life.  I don’t mind when O.G. film photographers call me a “phoney-ographer.”  Rather, I embrace the sentiment as a challenge to continue experimenting and championing mobile photography as the art form evolves.

 

About Author

Rachel White

Latest stories

• StoriesSeptember 8, 2014The Reinvention of Chloe: Chapter 9
• Featured ArticlesApril 15, 2014A Passionate Woman in Seattle
• StoriesDecember 23, 2013[Tutorial] Mobile in Motion: FiLMiC Pro Video Series no.3
• StoriesDecember 16, 2013[Tutorial] Mobile in Motion: FiLMiC Pro Video Series No.2