Juanyong Xiang
1. Congratulations on winning in the Global Photography Awards! Can you share a little about yourself, what inspired you to pursue photography, and how has your journey evolved since your first shot?
My name is Juanyong Xiang. I am from Shanghai, China. I currently work at the School of Design, East China Normal University. I am also a member of the Chinese Women Photographers Association, the Shanghai Photographers Association, and the New-Era National Council. One day, while walking on campus, I realized that a camera could capture moments and beautiful scenery around me. That was when I truly devoted myself to photography. Since 2022, my photographic works have been exhibited on major Chinese and international photography platforms. I have participated in many well-known exhibitions, including the Lianzhou International Photo Festival, the Lishui World Photographers Conference, the Pingyao International Photography Festival, the Belt and Road International Photography Art Exchange Exhibition (Almaty), the Sri Lanka-China Cultural Photography Exhibition, and the NANBO Dali International Photography Fair. I have won gold awards in international competitions such as the Singapore Yifeng Photography International Award Circuit, the Singapore Temasek International Salon Circuit, and the Green World Award. My works have also received official selections and honorable mentions from the International Photography Awards (IPA).
2. Can you share the story or inspiration behind your award-winning piece? How does winning this award make you feel about your journey in photography?
This award-winning work is titled “Crown-Cloud at Dusk Peak”, shot in the Changping Valley of Siguniang Mountain, Sichuan Province, China. I got up very early one morning hoping to catch sight of the peak of Yaomei Peak. Unexpectedly, mist kept rising across the mountains. Fog and clouds drifted rapidly with the wind. Within a short time, a rare lenticular cloud formed right above Yaomei Peak. I quickly captured this fleeting moment. The lenticular cloud swirled atop the summit for only a few seconds before dissipating. I feel fortunate to have preserved this sight. Winning this award is tremendous encouragement and recognition for me. The original intention of my photography is documentation, and I hope to capture more magical moments of nature.
3. How do you decide which photo to submit for a competition?
Works that win awards in international competitions are necessarily distinctive. I therefore selected the work I consider most unique for submission. At the very least, its subject matter and visual composition have rarely been presented in this manner.
4. What first made you pick up a camera?
One day I was walking on campus. Beside the Liwa River stood a row of metasequoia trees. The reflection of the trees in the water created a magnificent natural scene. I could not help admiring the beauty of nature, so I took out my mobile phone and photographed the view.
5. What’s your favorite type of photography, and why do you love it?
My favorite genre is nature and ecological photography. Nature is the greatest natural artist, bringing countless surprises to human life. Documenting various scenes of nature brings me joy. I prefer nature far more than city skyscrapers.
6. What’s your go-to camera setup, and why does it work best for your projects? What’s your favorite feature?
I shoot with the Nikon Z8. It is an excellent camera for landscape photography, and it also works well for ecological photographers like me. What I love most about Nikon is its remarkable ability to capture light, especially in low-light conditions. Besides, its intelligent autofocus system can accurately lock onto subjects in all kinds of natural scenes.
7. If someone looked at your work, what’s the one thing you’d want them to feel?
I hope viewers can perceive authenticity and emotional resonance in my work, as well as its strong artistic quality.
8. What was the most challenging part of capturing your winning shot?
The greatest challenge lay in anticipating environmental changes and seizing the decisive moment. Mountain weather shifts with extreme rapidity, and one can never predict what unexpected phenomenon may appear the next second. Capturing that complete “cloud crown” over the summit required strong quick-response skills, as the fully formed cloud lasted only a few seconds.
9. Is there a specific place or subject that inspires you the most?
No particular location or subject served as the inspiration for this photograph. My only source of inspiration was the native ecological environment of Siguniang Mountain and its changeable mountain weather, which moved me to capture that fleeting moment.
10. Who or what has been your biggest influence in photography?
Many people appreciate my photographs, and numerous photography organizations have invited me to participate in exhibitions and recommended me for various photography competitions. Their recognition has greatly influenced my creative practice, as it has given me the confidence and courage to continue along my photographic journey. I truly love photography.
11. What message would you share to inspire photographers to participate in photography awards, and what advice would you give to help them excel in the competition?
Competitions offer a valuable stage on which to present your work to judges and wider audiences. Winning represents powerful recognition of your images and hard-won efforts, bringing joy and a sense of fulfilment. If you hope your work stands out, dedicate extra effort to the photographic field you know best, and create work with your own distinctive voice through simple and authentic approaches.
12. What’s one piece of advice for someone just starting in photography?
Learn by continuously studying and emulating the works of other creators, while gradually developing a photographic approach of your own. Strong images will follow naturally.
13. What role do editing and post-processing play in your creative workflow?
I am not particularly fond of heavy color grading or the use of filters, as I believe that, for an ecological photographer, it is essential to truthfully document and represent the natural environment as it is. In post-processing, I primarily adjust brightness and contrast, and I moderately enhance saturation. My aim is to make the light and shadow in my photographs appear closer to reality, while still endowing the work with a certain degree of artistic expression. AI-assisted creation, however, is an exception, as it constitutes a different auxiliary mode of photographic creation.
14. How do you see technology, like AI, influencing the future of photography and your own approach?
AI opens up endless possibilities for photography. You can blend your original photographic works with AI to generate images with alternative visual effects. In my future practice, I plan to deepen my understanding of AI and integrate my observations and perceptions of nature into my creations.
15. If you could photograph anything or anyone in the world, what would it be?
I would love to fulfill my long-held dream: capturing scenes of the starry sky.
