Kaine Harrys

“Photography was never a pragmatic choice for me. It came from a need to create images in which I could see myself, and to articulate identity in ways I couldn’t otherwise express. Even with the difficulties of the industry, that purpose is what drives me and keeps me here.”

What equipment do you use?

“I work mainly with medium-format film cameras and Polaroids.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“I’m not opposed to new technologies, but I prefer material, analogue processes where fragility and chance shape the image.”

Lorane Hochstätter

“Photography has always been what I wanted to pursue, long before I really understood the financial realities of the industry. As a young photographer, I find it difficult to be paid fairly for my skills and vision, and as a woman, I sometimes feel it’s harder to be taken seriously. There’s a constant pressure to say yes to unpaid opportunities for fear of missing out, and that can be difficult. But despite the challenges, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. What I love most is the sense of freedom, the chance to collaborate with different people, and the excitement of always exploring new creative directions. It makes the work feel less like a job and more like the life I want to live.”

What equipment do you use?

“I mainly use a Nikon Z7ii, and sometimes Phase One when the budget allows. Much of my process develops through Capture One and Photoshop.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“Yes – I use AI to expand or alter scenes, but always grounded in my original photographs and aesthetic.”

Xueling Chen

“I entered photography quite by chance. I first bought a camera simply so I could keep traveling and making short films, but around 2017, while studying in Beijing, I became involved with an underground circle where people freely photographed the human body and used the medium to express their own ideas. That was when I began personal projects and exhibitions, and by the end of 2020, I decided to become a professional. After studying commercial photography and later moving to Shanghai, I started receiving steady freelance jobs. During two to three years there, I was earning far more than an ordinary office worker while only working a few days each month. Even though the industry is uncertain, I actually feel this might be the best time to be a photographer, with new technologies and diverse styles emerging.”

What equipment do you use?

“I’ve used many different types of cameras – from compact and Canon full-frame to Fujifilm medium-format and even my phone – but I love digital most for its immediacy and flexibility.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“My clients and I experimented with AI, but the response wasn’t strong – audiences still seem to prefer images with a sense of authenticity.”

Camille Lemoine

“My path into photography began while I was studying fashion design and sat in on a lecture about fashion photography. I was immediately taken by the medium, became a bit obsessed, and soon changed course entirely because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. With both my parents being violinists, I grew up believing a career in the arts was possible, and I was fortunate to have their support.”

What equipment do you use?

“I work with medium format film on the Pentax 67 and hand-print all my work in the darkroom.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“No – my process is strictly analogue.”

Rino Qiu

“I started out in engineering and architecture, but photography gave me a way to observe people and spaces more instantly. At first, it was just a way out, but it soon became the tool I needed to express ideas that felt more alive than anything else I’d done. That was when I decided to change my career path and fully commit to photography.”

What equipment do you use?

“I mostly shoot with Fujifilm GFX medium-format digital, and sometimes film for personal projects.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“I use AI more as a tool for visual research, though in commercial work it can be fantastic for refinement.”

Maya Aska

“I find photography to be the medium that walks on the verge of reality and fiction. It creates unreal moments through techniques, editing, and staging, yet portrays very real emotions in real settings. Even documentary work often has a surreal quality in its compositions or the moments it captures. For me, it’s spellbinding that a picture of a stranger, whose name you don’t know, can move you emotionally. That power keeps me committed to photography, even through difficult times in the industry.”

What equipment do you use?

“I use a Pentax 67 for colour film and hand-print all my work in the darkroom.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“No – my process is entirely analogue.”

Carina Kehlet Schou

“Without sounding cliché, I didn’t really choose to become a photographer – it feels like something in my genes. My grandmother was always taking pictures, and her father was an amateur photographer too. Growing up around that, it felt natural to me to pick up a camera.”

What equipment do you use?

“I currently use a Nikon F4 (35mm) and have been experimenting with large format. In the past, I worked with medium-format film and digital.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“I keep my process as analogue as possible – I’m basically a Luddite when it comes to tech.”

Kaiwei Duan

“Photography is the most intimate way I can express myself. When my personal creations are seen and appreciated, it gives me a strong sense of fulfillment. At the same time, fashion photography provides a broader platform where I can place my own concerns and themes in front of a larger audience. That balance between personal expression and wider reach is why I chose this path.”

What equipment do you use?

“I mainly shoot with a Fujifilm GFX100 and a Mamiya 7II.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“No – what makes photography meaningful for me is not only the final outcome but also the process and real human interaction behind the images.”

Olivia Chen (Art director)

“I’ve always been drawn to the idea of creating something from an initial spark through to full execution – shaping a visual story and seeing it come alive. My background as an in-house creative gave me insight into how important art direction is becoming in fashion projects. It’s a space where we can push boundaries and challenge conventions within the genre of fashion photography, and that possibility is what made me choose this path.”

What equipment do you use?

“My process is less about cameras and more about how images are treated. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with risograph printing, transforming digital exercises into tactile material practice. At the same time, I use digital software to evoke textures, imperfections, and effects that challenge traditional print and archive.”

Do you incorporate AI into your practice?

“Yes – I see new media and AI disruption as part of the creative landscape. It’s allowed me to connect with collaborators outside of traditional structures and to reimagine how fashion images can function across multiple contexts.”