As photographers, we often get a glimpse into someone’s life during the short time we spend with them.
For our photographer Chi Yin, this is one of the reasons she loves her craft so much. Chi Yin shares:
“It’s always exciting to get to know different people during a photoshoot session. They are often very inspiring. I learn new things, hear different perspectives on certain topics, and get good stories too.
One of these stories is from an innovation coach. I remember he came to the studio with his bicycle and was sweaty because of our humid weather. After cooling down in our air-conditioned studio, he requested to put on his own music on our speakers. He started dancing a little to warm up for the session, clearly feeling very nervous. During the session, I asked him questions to get to know him. We somehow started talking about achieving goals and he introduced the concept of the 10,000-hour rule to me. Which is basically the idea that you can master a skill when you spend 10,000 hours on it. He used this method to learn how to swim!
Another time, a doctor urgently needed a headshot. She seemed uncomfortable as she had not taken portraits of herself for a long time. But as soon as we talked about her job, her eyes lit up. She talked about how the hospital was like her second home, and how much she loved her job. She also shared that because of her job, she felt like she spent too little time with her children. But thankfully, her children are very self-sufficient. Even so, with that awareness, she now makes the effort to spend more time with them.
There was also a session with a therapist. During the shoot, I asked her if she had any patients that she is particularly proud of? She thought about it for a moment and said actually, there are none of them that she is not proud of. She smiled when she thought about her clients’ achievements and mentioned that even though she might only have helped them make a tiny step, it’s still a huge growth moment that is worth celebrating.
These are only a few of the many inspiring photo sessions I’ve had. It’s one of the reasons why I love my job here at Stories for Business.”
