Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Wu.
Hi Brian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a full-time Fine art & Luxury Events, Weddings and Portraits photographer based in Los Angeles. I moved here to Los Angeles County about a little more than a year and a half ago from Redding, CA. wasn’t necessarily looking to do professional photography full time but this is how I fell into it.
I picked up photography while I was in College overseas in Sydney Australia. I was actually studying Business and Organizational leadership at a Bible College and my aim was to become a Pastor. I came to faith in High School and really wanted to help people wherever I went and since I felt like faith helped me through a lot of depression, anxiety and identity crisis, I decided that I wanted to dedicate my life to helping people. While I was in college, I made some friends in our TV & Media department and ended up buying a Canon Rebel T4i from a friend of mine and thus started my “career” in photography. I didn’t know anything about cameras or photography, only from just what I see on websites or national geographic and at that time when Instagram just rose to its popularity, but every week my friends would wake up at 3am and drag me to explore all the beaches surrounding Sydney and I would take my camera, shoot photos with them and ask questions whenever I didn’t know what to do with my settings. I’m not sure why I continued to learn, because my photos were absolute crap back then (which I still have to this day), but something about the journey in photography made me addicted to it. The constant trial and error, the constant having to learn something new really intrigued my mind, but most importantly of all, I got to hang out and make memories with my friends that I still hold dear to this day.
My first paid gig came when a friend reached out to me to take portraits for her, and then from there a friend asked me to do their wedding and that was the journey to my freelance career on the side while I pursued my career in ministry and leadership. Fast forward to now, I’ve stepped down from ministry about two years ago after eight years of pursuing full-time ministry and continued on to become a full-time freelance photographer when I moved to LA.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think we as human beings ever get a smooth road. I wish. But some of the hardest times have been mostly in my mind. I think there’s a term for it called the “imposter syndrome”. As someone who just loves photography and people, I never really considered myself a professional, but I guess from the fact that this is what I do full-time, I am a professional in some way shape or form. It’s a constant struggle to figure out who you are and why you are doing what you are doing. On the more tangible side of things, you’re dealing with a lot of the mundane tasks of learning to run a small business. From boring stuff like taxes to learning how to market yourself and how much you should charge, it’s all part of the journey and it’s weird to say, I kind of enjoy these struggles. It makes life a bit more interesting when you find out that you actually don’t know some things and have to do research and figure it all out. At the end of the day, there will always be a lot of ups and downs, but I would never trade the life I have now for any other, I am grateful that I get to do what I love and connect with people on a day-to-day basis.
We’ve been impressed with Brian W Studios, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Although I like to say I’m a freelance Fine Art & Luxury photographer, as an entrepreneur, I also run a lot of hustles on the side from hosting networking events to starting my own clothing brand.
As a photographer, I specialize in a lot of Luxury & NDA Events (from business conferences to birthday parties), Luxury & NDA Weddings (from destination to local) and Commercial (From Portraits to Adventures and Brand work). Sounds like a lot, but I approach all clientele the same, I care for you more as a human being than for what you have to offer me. I see you as another individual and not as an opportunity. In Los Angeles, it’s so easy for people to get caught up in the materialistic side of things, but for me I’m there for you to help you finish a project, capture your favourite memories, highlights and at the same time be there as your friend to support you in all that you do. That’s why I say that when you hire me, you have me for life.
As an entrepreneur, my passion has always been people, so this year I’m also starting a Destination Networking Retreat for anybody who considers themselves an entrepreneur, wants to be an entrepreneur or owns a small business to help guide them to lead an intentional and fulfilling life.
Wu House Mafia is the clothing brand I’m starting this year. As a Taiwanese American moving to the U.S. when I was 10, I was bullied a lot for my last name and drove me to really hate my last name until the last couple of years where I’ve really learned to accept myself for who I am. Seeing my family name in its Chinese form 吳 has always been a personal battle. As I’ve always dreamed to own a clothing brand of my own, I thought to myself, “what better way than to make this a challenge for myself as well” So here we are a new brand, a new identity and with a love for creating a community for people to feel accepted for who they are and what they do.
This is my business, this is my life and this is my purpose. Thank you for believing in me.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I listen to a lot of leadership podcasts and read a lot of personal leadership books. Those are the only ones that I will touch in my life because I really want to use this knowledge to give back to my friends, family and communities wherever I go. Practical coaching advices that can help shape someone’s mental state and mindset about themselves can really change the culture of their community and atmosphere. These also help me with my own mentality as well, and if I’m in a good mindset, then that will affect the community around me. Here’s one of my favourite quotes of all time,
“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.
When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”
– Unknown Monk 1100 A.D.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.brianwstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianwstills/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brianwstudios
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianwux/
Image Credits
Brian W Studios Photos
