Life & Work with Maisie Leung

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maisie Leung.

Hi Maisie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been fascinated with capturing people and candid moments on the streets of Hong Kong and Vietnam because of its culture and beauty. My passion for photography started when my dad bought himself a Sony camera as a hobby, and I would borrow it every weekend wherever I go. So he decided to buy me my first DSLR in 2014 as a birthday gift. Since then, I would take photos of my friends and family for their Facebook profile photos as a hobby. It gave me so much joy and it made me realize my passion for photography is much more than a hobby. After graduating high school in 2015, I decided to pursue digital photography by attending The Art Institute of California, San Francisco. During my time at school, I would collaborate with other creatives in school and creatives in the Bay Area to create a portfolio. It made me realize how much I enjoy fashion photography because It allowed me to express my creativity through concept, lighting, style, expression, and colors. However, when the pandemic hit in 2020, I started experimenting with product photography, and it led me to a job that I currently work for at the Rosalie Agency.

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 was trying to figure out my style and the type of photography I wanted to pursue. So I had to get out of my comfort zone and try the things that I wasn’t confident in doing, such as street photography and taking photos of strangers on the street. I get nervous when it comes to talking to people and crowds. I knew I had to overcome my social anxiety if I wanted to work with different creatives. Starting with street photography was tough, as I had to interact with strangers on the street. As time went on, with practice, I slowly became comfortable with asking people to take their photos. Although it took time and patience, I’m glad I pushed myself because it made me realize what I enjoy doing the most, which is fashion and portrait photography. That gave me the opportunity to focus on what I need to improve. Being creative can be mentally draining sometimes, but I learned to take it slow and always be consistent.

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?
I’m a content creator and photographer based in Los Angeles. I create content for beauty brands on their social media accounts and websites along with freelance fashion photography. I’m most proud of when I joined Bob Cut Mag in 2018, I was given the opportunity to photograph Ayesha Curry at International Smokes. I also photographed Melissa King’s portrait – the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars. In 2022, I started assisting Karen Rosalie at Rosalie Agency. I’ve been a fan of Karen’s product photography before moving to Los Angeles. I’ve learned a lot from being on set and behind the scenes on how to create high-quality product photography for beauty brands.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was an outgoing child. I loved being surrounded by people and making memories. I always participated in activities that involved working with others, such as dance and sports. In high school, I wanted to expand my hobbies and try out other activities, so I participated in photographing school plays, competitions, and quarterly activities. Being involved in photographing classmates and teachers at school, I started photographing my friends and family members for fun. Photographing portraits allowed me to capture people’s emotions, features, and expressions. Being able to photograph people’s portraits allowed me to connect with people more in-depth and get out of my comfort zone.

Being able to communicate and work together with people gives me so much joy, which is the reason why I am so passionate about fashion photography. Fashion photography allows me to work with other creatives and bring a collaborative vision to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maisieleung.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maisieleung.photo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maisie-leung-67a2a0133/