From World Travel to Seattle Portraits: What Did I Photograph Before Babies and Families?

How I started photography

My journey into photography began the moment I stepped into adulthood, a time when I finally felt the freedom to shape my own life. My very first camera was a modest 3-point-something megapixel Canon A70. With it in hand, I loved wandering the streets, capturing the everyday pulse of Beijing, and eagerly uploading my photos to photography forums to share with fellow enthusiasts. The turning point came in 2005 when my father bought me a Canon EOS Kiss Digital N (350D) from Japan. Holding that DSLR for the first time completely ignited a spark within me, marking the official beginning of a lifelong passion.

2007-2010 Beijing | Weekend wedding Photographer

For years after, I balanced two worlds: working a regular office job during the week, and stepping into the joyful whirlwind of weddings as a photographer on the weekends. What started as a simple desire to document the city around me evolved into a deep, enduring dedication to capturing life's most meaningful moments.

Travel Blogger

Soon, wanderlust became another driving force for my lens. Maximizing my 22 days of annual leave and every available holiday, I dedicated all my time to exploring the world and writing about it on my travel blog. What started as a personal diary grew into a thriving community; one of my articles frequently hit the 1million views milestone. This passion project eventually became a passport to some opportunities, bringing in invitations to travel events in Macau and Italy.

2008 | Beijing Olympics

In the summer of 2008, I was living and working in my hometown of Beijing. The entire city was buzzing with the electric anticipation of the Olympics. I had already fallen deeply in love with photography, spending my free time wandering the streets to capture the energy around me. To my absolute thrill, these photos were selected and featured by the BBC. Back then, a younger, slightly rebellious version of myself didn't quite like using my real name, so I shared them under the nickname "LooLoo." Looking back at these frames 18 years later, I smile at that young girl behind the shutter. But more than anything, I realize that the same eyes that were drawn to the raw, human heartbeat of Beijing in 2008 are the exact same eyes I use to document your family's most precious stories today.

2011 | iPhone Book

In Summer 2010, I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for art school. While navigating my studies, I started using the trending iPhone 4, the coolest gadget at the time, to document my daily life. As I shared these snapshots online, they caught the attention of a publisher, which unexpectedly led to publishing my very first book on iPhone photography.

2011 - 2014 | Engagement Photos in the Bay Area

Around 2012, San Francisco was my home, and it still remains one of my favorite cities in the world.

Back then, I lived a vibrant dual life. During the week, I worked at a media company, and on weekends, I photographed engagement sessions throughout the city. I spent countless weekends wandering every corner of San Francisco, camera in hand, discovering hidden gems and capturing love stories along the way.

iPhone World Gallery

In November 2014, with just one month left before my first child was born, I upgraded to the new iPhone 6. I took the fresh phone out for a walk near the Golden Gate Bridge. It was around 4:30pm in the afternoon, the light was absolutely perfect. I remember crouching down by the water, patiently waiting for a seagull to cross the frame. After about five minutes of waiting, I finally captured the exact moment I wanted and shared it on Instagram.

Fast forward to December: while I was spending those first blurry, life-changing days in the hospital giving birth to my baby, an unexpected email landed in my inbox. It asked me to sign a strict non-disclosure agreement (NDA) because they wanted to use my photo. I didn't know what it was for until early the following year, when I walked out onto the streets and saw my seagull displayed globally as part of Apple’s iconic "Shot on iPhone 6" campaign.

Motherhood & Seattle

My life and my lens took a beautiful turn with the arrival of my two children in December 2014 and July 2016. Naturally, they became my ultimate muses, and I transitioned into children's and family photography while we were living in the Bay Area. In 2018, my husband’s career brought our family to the Seattle area. In this lush, beautiful corner of the PNW, I slowly rebuilt my craft and planted new roots, turning my lifelong passion into the thriving photography business it is today.

From capturing the streets of Beijing with a pocket camera to documenting the laughter and tears of beautiful families in Seattle, my gear and my surroundings have evolved, but my core purpose remains exactly the same: to hold onto time. Every new life and every family milestone deserves to be treated with tenderness and preserved for a lifetime. Thank you for being here, and I can't wait to help you write your family's next chapter through my lens.

Today, I still love discovering new places. But some of my favorite stories no longer happen across oceans or continents. They happen right here in Seattle, in the first smiles, first steps, and first birthdays of the families I photograph.