PERSONAL WORK director
What I shoot
when no one's watching.
Between commercial work, there are projects that exist outside of briefs and deliverables. These are the ones that ask harder questions.
Documentary Portrait
Shanghai, China. 2021
Red
Strangers of Shanghai
Exploring the streets of Shanghai through my lens in the summer of 2021.
As a portrait photographer, I have always been fascinated by the diverse range of people in our ever-changing city. From the morning exercise enthusiasts in the parks to the neighbours strolling through the alleys and the hardworking individuals in the old streets — each person holds a significant place in my visual memories.
Amidst the rapid urban development, I felt compelled to preserve the stories behind these aging structures. Photography becomes a tool to extend memory. In this project, I chose red backdrop paper to highlight the individuals — red symbolising auspiciousness and joy in Chinese culture, and representing my love for these strangers and the city they inhabit.
Why do certain people resonate with us among the diverse array of society? I believe it's an energy attraction — a reflection of ourselves in others. I casually sought individuals with whom I shared a connection, capturing authentic moments regardless of age, region, or gender.
China Drag Portrait
Shanghai, China. 2020
Pink & Blue
Beyond the Binary
While China has seen enormous growth in the past decade, certain traditional ideas persist.
Modern society still considers pink a feminine colour and blue a masculine one. These two colours have an outsized impact in stunting societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity.
In this project I worked closely with the Shanghai drag community to demonstrate that a person is not confined to their stereotype — and can therefore be both pink and blue. By mixing the traditional duality of pink-female and blue-male themes, I hoped to challenge the idea of stereotypes framing our identity.
The drag performers I collaborated with became more than subjects — they became co-authors of the work. Each portrait is an act of visibility, a refusal to be categorised.
