Life & Work with Jean Huang of Hacienda Heights

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jean Huang.

Hi Jean, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve worn many titles in this life – scientist, CPA, and now, portrait photographer known as the “Radiant Women Transformer.”

I work exclusively with women, especially those over 40, helping them reconnect with their radiance – not just so they feel seen, but so they move through the world differently.

For many, that shift shows up in how they lead, how they show up in their relationships, and how they step into new chapters – both personally and professionally.

Looking back, every path, and every transformation, taught me something that led me here.

I came to the U.S. in my early 20s with two suitcases and $600 in my pocket, chasing a Ph.D. in biology.

But life had other plans. I left science, became a CPA, and spent nearly a decade in the field, including roles at two of the Big Four firms.

It was a career I genuinely enjoyed. I thrived in spaces that valued critical thinking, mentorship and integrity. I learned how to show up for people – and that’s still at the heart of what I do.

The real turning point came during a year-long “tour of duty” on a national initiative. I’d just experienced burn-out and decided to start being more present, to live more intentionally. So I picked up a camera on my business trips. After meetings, I’d wander the streets with my camera, learning to see with my heart.

That year changed me. I came back from it not just recharged, but reawakened.

As I continued growing and “finding myself”, I realized I could no longer shrink to fit a life that no longer felt like mine. I wanted to do work that left a personal mark – something that gave people more than a deliverable. Something that moved them.

So I left corporate and started again.

I didn’t have a traditional art education. But with the skills I developed as a CPA – problem solving, learning on the fly – I taught myself lighting, posing, and editing. Slowly, I built a visual language that felt honest, grounded, and timeless.

I don’t follow trends. I follow truth. Because to me, beauty is not measured by metrics – not by size, age, or skin tone – but by presence, lived experience and how we carry our stories.

That’s how Radiance Rediscovered After 40 was born.

Many of the women I work with haven’t had a portrait they love in decades. Some are starting over. Others are finally claiming space after years of pouring into others.

And increasingly, many are entrepreneurs and creatives who want portraits that serve both their personal evolution and their professional presence.

Because today, the way we show up – with depth, intention, and authenticity – is often the very thing that draws in the right people, clients, and opportunities.

Before every session, based on who they are (their personality, aesthetic preferences, stories, and wardrobe), I design a personalized shooting plan – from lighting and wardrobe to posing and intention.

It’s a collaborative process, but also a guided transformation. The portraits don’t just flatter. They reflect and reveal. They show women sides of themselves they may have forgotten… or never fully seen.

Every woman is different. Every story matters.

And every portrait I create is a reflection of all the transformations — mine and hers — that brought us to that moment.

These portraits don’t just become keepsakes – they become turning points.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth ride at all – but I’ve come to believe that the detours and bumps are where the gold is.

The hardest part was never the career change itself. It was the internal rewiring – giving myself permission to trust my eye, my instincts, and the quiet knowing that my work didn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

I didn’t come from art school. But I knew how to learn. And more importantly, I knew how to see. The way I use lighting, posing, and styling now came from years of experimentation and paying attention to what moved me and what moved the women I photographed.

But even more than technique, the challenge has been helping women unlearn what they’ve been told about how they “should” look. Most arrive a little nervous. Some bring outfits they’re unsure of. And by the end, they want to try on everything – not just the clothes, but the possibility of seeing themselves in a new light.

One client, age 83, told me after her session:

“It’s more than a photo shoot. Every portrait tells a story.”

She hadn’t read those words on my website. But they mirrored exactly what I believe.

I also think of my mother, in her 70s, who was known for her beauty when she was younger – and she knew it. I’ve watched her struggle with the fading of that version of herself. I once told her:

“You don’t need to look like a 20-year-old. You just need to be the best-looking 70-year-old.”

That’s the kind of beauty I celebrate – grounded, luminous, evolving.

Like aging wine, the richness is in the complexity. Challenges build character, and character makes us interesting.

It’s where the radiance comes from.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
What I do is more than photography — it’s transformation.

I’m a portrait photographer who works exclusively with women — especially those over 40 — helping them reconnect with how they see themselves through transformational portrait experiences.

Clients have called me the Radiant Women Transformer — and I take that to heart.

Through my signature campaign, Radiance Rediscovered After 40, I design deeply personalized sessions that reveal a woman’s strength, story, and beauty — even if she hasn’t felt radiant in years. Each session is planned with intention: from styling and posing to lighting and emotion. The result isn’t just a flattering image — it’s a reflection that feels true.

What I’m most proud of is the impact:

“I didn’t know I could look like this — but even more, I didn’t know I could feel like this.”

That’s what clients often say. That’s the kind of shift I live for.

More recently, I’ve extended this work to younger women through a new offering called Forever 22 — a portrait experience for women just beginning their adult journey. It’s a pivotal moment of self-definition, and these portraits are designed to ground her in authenticity — not trends — so she can walk forward with confidence, self-trust, and joy.

Whether a woman is rediscovering herself after decades, or just beginning to define her voice —
she deserves to be seen, celebrated, and reflected back in a way that changes how she carries herself in the world.

That’s what my work is truly about.

How do you think about luck?
I think luck finds you when you start following your heart, even if you’re not sure where it will lead.

For example, early in my creative career, I felt drawn to a series of fine art nude portraits I’d seen online. I couldn’t explain why, but I wanted to create something of my own. So I did. I designed the series – from lighting to editing – and shared it on my blog.

To my surprise, a curator reached out. One thing led to another, my work was selected for a gallery exhibition – featured right at the front.

The same curator then introduced me to another exhibition, where a woman told me her husband (who had a studio in the gallery) said my work was his favorite. Her husband turned out to be John Simmons, the award-winning director and cinematographer.

That encouragement inspired me to enter international photography contests. I became a finalist several times and won a Julia Margaret Cameron Award, with my work exhibited in Barcelona.

At the opening reception, I met a lady named Maria. She asked to meet the artist behind the piece she loved. We talked and exchanged emails. Later that night, I received an email inviting my husband and I to join her and her husband for lunch the next day. I now have a sister named Maria in Barcelona.

That’s the kind of “luck” I believe in – the kind that arrives after you say yes to a quiet nudge inside you.

Even coming to the U.S. was an act of hope: Two suitcases, $600, and a science Ph.D. in the making. I never imagined the art, connection, and purpose I’d discover here – simply by staying open and listening.

And that spirit continues to guide me now.

Most recently, I’ve felt called to create something new for younger women – those fresh out of college, standing on the edge of adulthood. I’m calling it Forever 22. It’s a love letter to this pivotal season — before the world tells them who to be. I offer a portrait experience that captures their freshness, their individuality, and the inner confidence they’ll carry into life, love, and leadership.

Radiance Rediscovered remains my anchor — the work that has taught me the most about aging, becoming, and what it means to be seen.

Both experiences honor the same core truth: that beauty lives in presence — not perfection.

It’s been a ride I never saw coming — and I’m grateful every day that I listened to my heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jeanhuangphotography.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanhuangphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanhuangphotography/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanhuangphotography/

Image Credits
Jean Huang Photography