(scroll to bottom for photos)

Being the event photographer for this summer’s Stanford MedX program was my first, large scale photography job. Thanks to Dr. Larry Chu, I was given the opportunity to capture engaging images of students and professors that could help drive the narratives of future informational and marketing materials. Not only was I eager for this job before it started, I enjoyed every single day of it. I think I can begin to understand what it means for your work to be your passion. Waking up every morning, taking pictures all day, and being well compensated is a dream come true. This mid-length gig was perfect for me as it was more immersive and involved than a one-off shoot, but it wasn’t grueling like doing the same thing every day for years at a photography studio.

More than anything, I am grateful to have had a chance to work with Kris Cheng, an accomplished professional photographer, as his photography assistant. Kris and I got along very well, and I truly felt that he was both a mentor and a friend. Being an aspiring Asian American creative, I respected Kris for carving his own path in an industry that is historically difficult for minorities to penetrate. To put down my own camera to be the hands and feet of someone more experienced than me was such an incredible learning experience! Being a completely self-taught photographer, I found that there was still much to learn, and felt inspired to apply many of the new techniques I observed Kris using in my own work.