Hi there, I’m Alice! I currently service the Bay Area in Northern California; I’m based in South Bay, but can travel anywhere nearby (or anywhere by plane, if you’d like to book me elsewhere).
For some technical background, I’ve worked as a professional photographer for over a decade, and have a BFA in Film Production from Chapman University (Directing emphasis). My favorite things to capture are people and animals, especially dogs.
I’ve always loved storytelling in all its forms, and photography was one of my earliest mediums– what began as a hobby I picked up from my father (who is now an avid, and incredible, wildlife photographer) quickly grew into something more substantial. I fell in love with how it allowed me to connect with other people in a way I hadn’t experienced before, and that’s still what I love about it today. More on that below, in the next section.
On a personal level, I am queer, first-gen Chinese-American, and multilingual– I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and can speak some Japanese. I am a storyteller and connector at heart, and I deeply value my community. Outside of taking photos, I also produce sapphic events in the South Bay Area, home organize, bartend, act, write, and many more odd, unrelated side quests. In my spare time, I love climbing, baking, watching women’s sports, singing, dancing, etc.… the list goes on.
My Photo Philosophy
I vividly remember the first time I photographed someone who was extremely uncomfortable in front of cameras. When we met up, the first words that tumbled out of her mouth were:
“Just so you know, I look really bad in photos.”
I was just starting out at the time, but I told her I would try my best to make her comfortable and capture her best angles. I talked to her as we shot, posing her in ways that would accentuate her best features but still keep her looking like herself. Eventually she relaxed, and when I showed her the raw images on my camera, she began tearing up.
I asked her why, and she told me that she had never seen a photo of herself that she’d liked before.
In that instance, I knew my mission with photography was to help encourage self-love– to allow people the chance to view themselves through someone else’s eyes, momentarily free of their own internal judgment. Through that, I also do my best to retain what’s authentic to each individual. No matter how fancy the lighting equipment or how expensive the props, genuine personality cannot be staged.
My philosophy is to Capture You As You Are. This means whatever makes you feel the most beautiful, radiant, and true to yourself. My editing style is minimal, because preserving the raw uniqueness of each individual is paramount to me. I never want a client to look at a photo I took and barely recognize themselves.
That said, having your photo taken can be a daunting idea; some people love it, but others cower at the thought of it. I think people actually don’t give enough credit to how vulnerable being photographed can feel– you’re being witnessed in great detail, in a moment of stillness, and probably under some bright lights. I don’t blame you for feeling nervous!
There’s far more to photography than just a good camera and decent lighting; in fact, I believe the technical aspect is only half the battle. The relationship between subject and photographer is a relationship of earned trust, which is inherently and undoubtedly intimate. Thus, your comfort is my first priority.
I always take the utmost care to ensure you feel your best. This means prepping you before the shoot on what to wear and how to style yourself for the camera, understanding how you’re feeling during a shoot, and posing you with consideration and specific directions, so you don’t have to worry about doing it yourself.
Some of my happiest moments as a photographer are seeing a client come to life– the squeal upon first reveal of an image, or the flicker of light in someone’s eyes when they finally sink into their body during a shoot. Those genuine moments, and the privilege to be able to witness them, are what keep the fire in my artistry alive.
If you’ve read this far, thank you– and I hope we get the chance to create something beautiful together.