Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaohan Fang
Hi Shaohan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Shaohan Fang, and I’m currently living in New York, working as a fashion and commercial photographer, also a visual artist. My journey into photography wasn’t straightforward—I originally started my career as an internet product manager. Right now, I’m pursuing my second master’s degree in Photo Video, and Related Media at School of Visual Arts in New York.
I’ve never been very good with words, so I’ve always relied on other mediums to express myself. Initially, photography was just a “hobby” for me. I never considered it as a career path. I studied computer science and interned at Microsoft, so I always thought I’d naturally become a product manager after graduation. And I did—after earning my Master of Engineering degree from the Communication University of China in 2020, I joined a startup as a product manager, leading a team in software development.
Although this job paid well, the frequent overtime and constant travel left me with little time to develop as an artist. What disappointed me most was missing the opening of an exhibition at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, where a documentary I made was being screened. This failure was a turning point for me, making me realize that the career I had been working toward wasn’t my true calling. I quickly resigned, used my year-end bonus to rent a studio, and began working full-time as a photographer.
Once I started running the studio, I threw myself entirely into photography, experimenting with various genres: personal portraits, fashion magazine covers, product photography, movie posters, and stills. Before moving to New York, I spent three years shooting for numerous brands and well-known magazines. At the same time, I continued my personal projects, combining my photography with my background in engineering. I use visual programming languages and video projection installations to explore the relationship between the individual and the collective.
Throughout my work, I aim to merge my photography and engineering background to explore the struggles and experiences of women in contemporary society from a feminist perspective. I hope that my photography can serve as a medium for healing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road hasn’t been smooth at all. Before becoming a professional photographer, I worked in the internet industry for a year. I was afraid to tell my family that I wanted to quit a high-paying job to pursue my dream because, in the eyes of my very traditional Chinese parents, after all the effort they put into raising me and supporting my first master’s degree, I was supposed to settle into a stable office job, not chase after unrealistic dreams or imagine that I could be “special.”
So, when I decided to resign and pursue photography full-time, I spent six months struggling with how to break this bold decision to my parents. Ultimately, I quit my job without telling them. It wasn’t until a year later, when my studio started showing some progress, that I felt confident enough to tell my mother. She then passed the news on to my father.
Starting the studio was a significant challenge. I needed to renovate and buy equipment, but I didn’t have enough money. I found a few partners, but even then, the budget was tight. I had a hard time asking my younger brother for help—he had just started working and didn’t have much savings either. I told him that I wasn’t entirely sure about becoming a photographer, but I knew I had to give it a try. I realized that if I didn’t take the chance then, I might never have the courage to do it later. After hearing my thoughts, my brother immediately transferred a substantial amount of money to me, saying, “Consider it my investment. Just focus on doing what you love, and don’t worry about anything else. I’ll even help you keep this from our parents (laughs).” His support was crucial in getting the studio off the ground.
However, running the studio for the first time came with its own set of challenges. To save money, I did everything myself. At that time, I lived in the northwest corner of the city, near my old job, while the studio was in the northeast, where rent was cheaper. Commuting by subway took at least two hours each way. I remember starting the renovation in December, during the coldest part of Beijing’s winter. I scoured nearby construction and second-hand furniture markets, wrapped myself in plastic garbage bags then painted the studio walls myself. I even drove a truck to haul furniture. I was determined to get the studio ready and start shooting seriously.
But just as the renovation was completed, COVID-19 struck. The community where the studio was located didn’t allow outsiders in, so we couldn’t operate at all. We ended up taking on sporadic jobs, shooting outdoors whenever possible. Since I had put so much effort into renovating the studio, I couldn’t bear to sublet it or return it to the landlord. During the pandemic, many studios in the area closed down or were rented out, but we hung on by taking every opportunity that came our way. We shot a lot of projects at low rates and managed to survive the pandemic, eventually resuming normal operations without letting our renovation efforts and rent go to waste.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Before moving to New York, I primarily focused on portraiture and fashion photography, often experimenting with different film types to explore various styles and themes. However, when I applied for my second master’s degree, I began to shift my focus towards creating personal projects. I started using my camera to capture the realities I knew, exploring the struggles and experiences of women in contemporary society from a feminist perspective. One of these projects is called “Looking Back at Home,” which I am still working on.
In 2022, during the Chinese New Year, I returned to my hometown—a village on the outskirts of Putian, Fujian. Almost everyone I encountered questioned why I wasn’t married yet. I was aware that I had reached the age where marriage was expected, but I refused to marry just to meet the demands of a male-dominated society and become a commodity. Driven by this tension, I decided to document the clash between the traditional exploitation of women and the modern ideas of gender equality brought about by industrial civilization.
Another project I completed this year is titled “Portrait of a Family.” In China, there has always been a significant wealth gap and a strong societal bias favoring sons over daughters. This leads to an unequal distribution of family resources and parental attention, leaving many children with a lasting sense of abandonment that carries into adulthood and affects their understanding of love and belonging.
In families with multiple children, parents often struggle to provide equal care and attention to each sibling, causing some children to feel neglected or overlooked, resulting in feelings of abandonment and lack of love. Drawing from my own experiences, I have visually represented fragments from memory that reflect the complex emotions of being neglected by parents. Through this photography project, I aim to delve into these intersecting narratives of familial neglect and longing.
As I matured, my exploration of the purity, wholeness, and authenticity of parental love evolved into self-doubt and questioning of the world. Despite this, my desire for family connection and love remains strong. Through a series of staged photographs utilizing dramatic lighting techniques, I aim to capture the everyday life of a girl reintegrating into her family, as they strive to live together again as a family of four. By portraying a family of four actors on staged sets, I attempt to uncover the intricate family dynamics and express a deep longing for true familial bonds.
As a female photographer from China, I naturally gravitate towards exploring issues related to women and self-identity. In my new series, I will continue with a similar style, using dramatic lighting and staged settings. My actors will portray a family of four, and I will tell the story of a girl coming out to her traditional Chinese parents and younger brother at the age of eighteen. The narrative begins with the parents accidentally walking in on the girl and her girlfriend during an intimate moment in her bedroom. This discovery ignites a series of conflicts between the traditional Chinese parents and their lesbian daughter.
What sets me apart is my deep personal connection to the stories I tell and my commitment to exploring the complexities of identity, family, and societal expectations. I’m most proud of my ability to use photography as a medium to navigate these intricate narratives, bringing to light the often-overlooked struggles of women in both traditional and modern contexts.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I wouldn’t say I have years of experience in this industry, so giving advice feels a bit premature. However, if I could speak to my younger self just starting out, I would encourage her to be braver and to maintain a strong sense of curiosity.
From my undergraduate studies in computer programming, it was my curiosity about the world and everything in it that led me to teach myself software and explore what photography truly is. This curiosity eventually gave me the confidence to start and run my own studio. Being attuned to the world around you, staying open to experiences, and constantly sensing and engaging with life are essential to capturing photos that resonate with people—that’s at least how I see it at this stage in my career.
Additionally, I would tell myself to have the courage to make decisions, to embrace mistakes, and to follow through on the ideas that come to mind. There will always be moments of hesitation, doubts, and concerns, but if you don’t take action, you’ll never know where your limits truly lie.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shaohanfang.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanefang_/
