TWiT Photo Ep. 32: Zhang Jingna

I had been following the astoundingly beautiful work of fashion photographer Zhang Jingna for years before I knew the artist — imagine my surprise when I found out that she is just 23 years old! Her images are uniquely poetic and ethereal, undeniably sensual and sophisticated far beyond her years. This young woman is truly a prodigy; she began shooting at 18 and started to get steady professional work after just a year. Should I feel complete awe or envy?
Guest host Sarah Lane, from TWiT’s TNT, and I savored the opportunity to glean some insight into the inspiring talent behind these captivating images. Motivated by the images she saw as a child in anime to explore independence and follow passion, this daughter of a traditional Chinese family decided to take control of her fate at a young age and began to pursue her artistic dreams in Singapore. A gaming fanatic with admittedly more interest in StarCraft than fashion, Jingna finds inspiration everywhere she looks. Driven by her simple credo, “I just want to make beautiful photos,” it is clear that this young talent has many years of success ahead of her.
Here are Jingna’s top tips:

“Pay attention to the shadows.”

“Look around and learn.”

“Keep things simple.”

Find out more by watching the video here or on iTunes. Next week: Lighting guru David Hobby!

Have questions, suggestions or praises? Please email photo@twit.tv.