Meet Chen Zhao

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chen Zhao. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chen, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

For me, optimism is more of a choice – it’s about learning to trust myself. I noticed that I’m naturally fearful and withdrawn from the unknown. But this mindset only causes me to miss out on opportunities and solutions that are often right in front of me. Also, fear can lead to procrastination, which has caused me to miss out on opportunities. As a result, I now make a conscious effort to focus on the positive and trust that things will work out, even when I feel uncertain.

As an example, when I was a kid, I used to be very afraid of exams (although I still am). But when I think about the fact that after the exams are over, I can go out and play soccer with my friends or reward myself by buying a jersey of my choice, all the stress dissipates. So, whether I like it or not, tomorrow is coming and I guess I should face it optimistically.

I wasn’t always confident in my photography. There was a time when I saw friends creating abstract or expressionistic work, and it made me question my focus on documentary photography. I kept wondering, ‘Is this the right? Will people connect with it?’ But eventually, I chose to trust my instincts and embrace what felt true to me. That shift not only made me more optimistic but also helped me create work that feels authentic and personal.

For me, optimism isn’t about ignoring challenges—it’s about trusting that even in uncertain or messy moments, there’s potential for something good.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I love film photography, especially documentary photography. I love the unique and rich colors that film produces, and unlike the immediacy of digital photography, where the photographer can see the results at any time, film allows me to slow down think about the project and become more involved in photography. This “limitation” also encourages me to be more conscious when taking photos.

To me, photography is more than just pressing the shutter, from shooting, developing, scanning, to color grading, each step has its own charm. With each step I go through, I look at the same photo from a new perspective, constantly reflecting and reinterpreting it.

Last October, I had my MFA thesis show at Alexander Hall in Savannah, Georgia. I am now looking for more opportunities to exhibit this work as well. I am also interested in teaching photography or being a curator. I have always loved inspiring others and hope to use this passion to guide and encourage more emerging artists.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back on my journey of learning photography, I have discovered three habits that are crucial in this field. The first is persistence. It’s common to spend a week or even a month without getting a photo that meets your expectations. It happens all the time and it’s important not to get discouraged. The most important thing is to keep going and maintain the passion and habit of taking and creating photos.

Second, don’t be in a hurry to delete photos. As you gain experience, you may find that photos you initially disliked become appealing or suitable for other projects. Your perspective will change, and what once seemed uninteresting may take on new meaning.

Third, read widely. Having a strong core idea is essential when planning to develop a new photography project, and I often find this through reading. Books related to the humanities, social sciences and philosophy can ignite this ability, enriching your understanding and increasing the depth of your project.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

In fact, I’ve been feeling pretty overwhelmed lately because this is my most important quarter abroad. I have both a photography exhibition to complete and a paper to write. There’s a lot to do, like choosing and laying out photos, designing welcome cards, printing, and picking out frames. There were so many details I didn’t expect! Before I started, I thought it would be easy, but I realized that each step had its challenges.

At first, I just wanted to avoid everything and not deal with them. But I realized that instead of lying there and doing nothing, I should start step by step. “Starting is always the most important thing, whether it’s a good start or a bad start.

I break everything down into small chunks and solve problems bit by bit. For example, when arranging the layout, this process in turn gave me some fresh perspectives on my entire body of work and helped me decide which photos to include in my cards. When I was thinking about the exhibition’s title, I was given a chance to link it to my thesis. Finally, I realized that I began to enjoy this overwhelming process.

Rest is also very important – you can’t work under great pressure all the time. Watching a movie, reading, or going for a walk helps me to relax and sometimes, out of nowhere, new ideas and inspirations may come to me. The name of my current exhibition came to me while visiting an art museum. Before that, my project was called “Untitled”, and each of my photos was simply named “Untitled 1,2,3…”. But the idea came to me when I saw an exhibition called GENDERQUAKE. This inspired my own exhibition title, and I combined the two words into a new term called “WILDARTIFICE”. So, if you’re feeling stressed, take a break and go for a walk – you can always find a way to overcome it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chenzhaophoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zccc233/