Portrait Photography

One of the most surprising developments in my artistic journey has been my growing involvement with photography. I started taking photos in 2022 after discovering I could borrow DSLRs from the technology loan program. I started doing it because making 3D animations was way too time-consuming and skill bound to make something photorealistic. So I thought, “Why not just take a photo instead?” I had no idea how much I would enjoy it.

At first, I was more shy about taking photos of people, so I started with a lot of nature and landscape photography. But as I got better at using the camera, I became more confident in my ability to operate. What got me started with portrait photography was an event when FujiFilm was showing off their new camera. They brought in a professional model and through that experience I realized taking photos of people was not very scary and I could actually do it. After a few more events, I eventually built up a portfolio and a reputation in the Seattle modeling and photographer community. It was such a surprising turnout for me: from a side hobby to something I now do “professionally”. What was more surprising to me was how welcoming the community was and how fast people knew me, even before I knew them. It was such an interesting experience and really helped me grow as a more outgoing, social person. I got to practice directing a lot and learned how to communicate with people in various scenarios.

I hope to continue doing photography as a hobby and maybe even explore what it would be like to do it at an even more professional level. Photography has really defined my identity as an artist, and I hope to continue to grow in this area.

My portfolio can be found on my Instagram.