Today we’d like to introduce you to Kath Huang
Hi Kath, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Photography was never part of my original plan—it found me. My journey started with event planning and floral design, where I developed an eye for aesthetics and storytelling. But my love for capturing moments truly grew as I traveled and lived in different countries. I’ve always been fascinated by how architecture and fashion evolve across cultures, and I love documenting the beauty I see—whether it’s the intricate details of a historic building or the way street style changes from one city to another. I also enjoy using iPhone to photograph my friends, capturing their personalities in a way that feels authentic and timeless.
Last May, I decided to step outside of the office world. I had spent years working in structured environments, but I felt the urge to do something different—to create, to connect, and to experience life outside the traditional 9-to-5. I didn’t know anything about photography when I first attended an event as just an attendee. But I told people that day that I wanted to start a photography career—almost as if I was manifesting it. What I didn’t expect was that my friend, who was also at the event, would immediately offer to hire me for her company’s event. I was completely surprised because, at that moment, I didn’t even own a professional camera. But instead of turning down the opportunity, I took a leap of faith. Day before the shoot, I bought a Sony A7R V, and the night before, I didn’t sleep at all—I spent the entire night learning about lighting settings, determined to make it work. To my surprise, the results turned out pretty good, and that first event set everything in motion.
At the company event, I met Danielle, a super talented model. Watching her work in front of the camera was inspiring—her energy, confidence, and ability to bring different moods to life fascinated me. We stayed in touch, and later, I had the opportunity to photograph her. That experience taught me so much about working with models, directing poses, and capturing the essence of a person through a lens.
Soon after, I started attracting clients through travel photography. While shooting for some clients, I randomly ran into a Grammy voting member, The Girl Named Nino, in Downtown LA. We actually met because the parking meter wasn’t working, and we were both trying to figure out the issue together! That small, unexpected moment turned into a conversation, and later, she asked to come to the Grammys to take photos of her. That connection opened even more doors for me in the creative industry, giving me the chance to work with people in music, fashion, and entertainment.
Now, I’m heading to Japan to meet some Japanese friends I met at the Grammys and explore potential projects related to music and fashion design. It’s incredibly exciting to see where this journey is taking me, blending my love for photography with the creative worlds of music and fashion. Of course, I will be back to LA soon!
I’m Kinetic Kath, always on the move and constantly creating! If you’re a fashion/clothing designer, lighting specialist, photo retoucher, or a creative in the industry looking to collaborate, let’s make something incredible together.
Although I’m based in LA, I travel to NYC almost every year and am always open to projects in different cities. Whether it’s editorial shoots, branding campaigns, or experimental creative work, feel free to reach out—I’d love to connect and create magic! ✨
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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—there were many challenges along the way, but each one shaped me into the photographer I am today. When I decided to step away from office work last May, I didn’t have an immediate plan, but I knew I wanted to do something creative and independent. Unlike many photographers who start their careers through collaborations or free work, I focused on making money from the very beginning, even if it was just a little at first.
One of the biggest things that helped me attract clients early on was copywriting. I put a lot of effort into crafting compelling ads and social media posts to position myself professionally before I even had a strong portfolio. A well-written ad can introduce you to potential clients—even without much work to showcase. That’s exactly how I started gaining traction. My strategy worked, and I landed my first few paying gigs, which allowed me to reinvest in better equipment and refine my skills.
In the beginning, I took on a variety of jobs, including working as a tour companion for clients who wanted travel photography. This experience helped me develop my eye for capturing candid, beautiful moments while also strengthening my ability to work with different personalities. One of my posts on Red Note (小红书) even went viral, gaining over 200 likes and more than 100 people collected my post. It suddenly brought a flood of people wanting to hire me. It was surreal to see how quickly things escalated, and I realized that good marketing combined with quality work could open so many doors. Now one of my posts has reached more than 1,500 likes on Red Note!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in portrait, event, and travel photography, but what truly sets me apart is my strategic approach to marketing and client acquisition. Unlike many photographers who rely on collaborations to start, I built my career by leveraging copywriting and studying algorithms on the social media platform on Red Note to attract paying clients from day one back in summer 2024. Now, building YouTube Channel, Instagram and TikTok will be my focus in 2025.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Networking is not just about meeting people; it’s about making people remember you. Whether online or in-person, you need to clearly communicate who you are, what you do, and why you’re different. For example, I met The Girl Named Nino, a Grammy voting member, simply by striking up a conversation while fixing a parking meter issue in Downtown LA. Because I knew how to present my work confidently, that chance meeting led to a chance to taking photos of her friends and other Grammy attendees.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/tadda.studio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photo_kath16/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572592932008
- Other: https://www.xiaohongshu.com/user/profile/5b0da10b11be105bcf93f75a?xsec_token=YBhl5L17xhoK-h-siC56meX1Es0LHnKLxhLs2d3L209g4=&xsec_source=app_share&xhsshare=CopyLink&appuid=5b0da10b11be105bcf93f75a&apptime=1740531537&share_id=a5bb9e3a08d54a45a1a82566e4b3c91b
Image Credits
The first two photos: Model: Danielle Littleton
The third and fourth photos: Singer: Girl Named Nino
The fifth and sixth photos: Model: Mia Zhang
The seventh photo: My working photo as an event photographer at MyyShop
