We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ziyang Wang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ziyang, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s talk about social media – do you manage your own or do you have someone or a company that handles it for you? Why did you make the choice you did?

I manage my own social media, primarily because I believe that no one knows my work and vision better than I do. When I initially established my photography studio in China in 2021 and subsequently shifted to the United States to attend college, social media turned out to be a very useful tool to connect with prospective clients and establish professional connections. It was through this internet-based platform that I had originally established my reputation and showcased my creative work in the best possible manner to a wider audience.

I had initially experimented with a number of cross-border platforms such as Lemon8 and TikTok, both designed to mirror successful platforms such as Xiaohongshu (The Red Note) and Chinese TikTok (Douyin). My experience quite quickly though revealed sharp differences in algorithms, the type of content that people preferred, as well as trends in audience participation. Lemon8, which was a global version of Xiaohongshu, also failed to provide enough interaction for my photo-centric posts. Consequently, I stopped posting there just shortly after my initial experiments. Similarly, my experiments using TikTok also did not align very well with the target audience. Although both appeared to be quite alike its Chinese counterpart, neither the TikTok algorithm nor viewers reacted positively to my posts. This experience underscored the greatest importance of content localization and tailoring posts based on the personal preferences of local viewers.

It is crucial to recognize and adapt platform-specific algorithms and content viewing habits as the first step towards social media marketing success. Even fantastic content can fail to resonate if it does not align with the audience expectations or algorithmic preferences of the platform. This has been particularly so with Instagram, which, despite my continued use, has undergone a dramatic transformation over the years. Its algorithm currently rewards posts that offer immediate, effortless entertainment—most often shorter, lighter, and humorous posts that resonate with a broad base. As a photographer rather than traditional entertainment or influencer-type content, my posts naturally receive little natural traffic. on recent years, I believe Instagram is now highly dependent on individual networks as opposed to algorithm-based public visibility, further making my efforts at attracting a wider following challenging.

Now, I focus mainly on The Red Note (小红书) because it is competent in reaching out to the numerous Chinese population who live in New York, the location of my studio. Naturally, this site suits my intended audience’s demographics and content affinities well, allowing them to be noticed more and enjoy significant interactions. Although Instagram serves as a subsidiary site, the majority of my business inquiries and client acquisition take place through The Red Note mostly.

The other problem I’ve had with managing social media as a photographer, rather than a beauty or entertainment content producer, is that specialty photography content tends to get fewer accidental viewers and less explicit interaction. This reality makes recognizing and adhering to user preference even more important, and it typically falls back to brief, bite-sized, entertainment-focused videos. My own content, which is primarily about professional and artistic photography, barely falls into this viral-content category.

At my business stage now, keeping direct control of my social media handles, as difficult and sometimes overwhelming as it is, continues to be crucial in maintaining the authenticity and consistency of my content and brand. As much as it is stressful and requires lots of effort, hands-on control guarantees my online presence remains true to my vision and standards as an artist. But as my studio continues to expand and evolve, I’ve begun to consider hiring additional staff or outsourcing some portion of social media management so as to lighten some load and cover more territory effectively.

To those in a similar situation, I would recommend having direct control over their social media management in the beginning. Personal control ensures authenticity, consistency, and accuracy in portraying one’s creative vision. Nevertheless, it is prudent to eventually seek outside help as professional pressure builds, enabling one to stay creatively centered and strategically aligned for ultimate success.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who may not be familiar with my work, I recently graduated from Pratt Institute in New York with a major in Photography and a minor in Film. My photography journey started more than ten years ago, driven by a deep personal passion. By high school, I was already determined to turn photography into my career. This led me to leave China and study photography at Pratt Institute, one of the premier art institutions in New York City. My experience there provided me with a robust foundation in artistic photography and the history of photography, significantly broadening my aesthetic perspectives and enriching the conceptual depth of my work.

Today, my main professional focus is fashion and portrait photography, areas in which I’ve gained over four years of experience. While I also handle commercial and advertising photography projects, recently I’ve begun expanding my services towards individual clients for personal portraits and influencer content, helping to enhance my personal brand exposure. Nevertheless, fashion and portraiture remain my core specialties, and I plan to continue developing my career primarily in these directions.

What I really offer my clients goes beyond creating visually appealing images. My photography helps brands and individuals clearly define and express their identities, styles, and narratives. With a meticulous and nuanced approach to lighting, color, and composition, I’m able to capture precisely the character and essence my clients wish to convey, creating engaging visuals that resonate deeply with their intended audiences.

One of the things that set me apart is my rigorous technical foundation—particularly my precise control over lighting and subtle use of color. I pride myself on producing imagery that strikes a fine balance between commercial appeal and artistic expression, crafting photographs that are visually refined yet emotionally resonant. I’ve cultivated an approach that integrates sophisticated aesthetics with commercial functionality, which has become a distinctive feature of my photographic style.

Some of my proudest accomplishments include having my work featured in internationally recognized fashion publications such as ELLE China and Marie Claire China. I’ve also successfully presented my photography in exhibitions across cities including New York, Beijing, and Nanjing, gaining recognition from diverse audiences and critics. On social media, especially on Xiaohongshu (The Red Note), I’ve grown my personal brand to nearly 20,000 followers, establishing a meaningful connection with a substantial community.

Ultimately, what I most hope for is to reach more commercial brands interested in leveraging distinctive, artistically compelling imagery to enhance their storytelling and market presence. I want potential clients and brands to recognize that my work blends a keen artistic vision with sophisticated technical expertise—qualities that help them vividly communicate their unique stories and set them apart in a crowded marketplace.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I first started building my audience on social media, the landscape was quite different from what it is today. In the early days, my main platforms were private channels like WeChat Moments and QQ Space. These platforms were great for sharing my work with close contacts, but they had clear limitations in terms of reach and scalability. I even tried posting on Weibo when it dominated the Chinese social media space, but my early career was still in its infancy, and the results were modest at best. It wasn’t until the rise of platforms like Xiaohongshu (The Red Note) that I found a real opportunity to expand my reach beyond my immediate circle and connect with a broader audience.

In 2022, as Xiaohongshu began to gain significant traction, I decided to make a serious push into this public-facing platform. This marked my first real step into the world of open social media, moving away from purely private, closed networks. Initially, I approached it simply as a way to share my photography, posting images with minimal context. But I quickly realized that to truly stand out and grow an audience, I needed to understand not just the art of photography, but also the art of digital communication and audience engagement.

Early on, I started experimenting with different content formats, diving into platform algorithms and user behavior to figure out what really drives engagement. I spent a lot of time browsing active posts, analyzing what worked and what didn’t, and identifying patterns in content performance. This research led me to focus on key elements like titles and cover images, which are critical on Xiaohongshu, even as the platform gradually shifted from text-heavy posts to video-centric content.

By 2024, I began exploring short-form video content, recognizing that the platform had become much more video-oriented. Around this time, I also started branching out to other platforms like Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and Instagram. However, Instagram presented its own set of challenges. It has become increasingly unfriendly to purely visual creators, with organic reach being severely limited unless you pay for ads. For photographers like myself, who primarily rely on visually driven content, this means that the platform’s algorithm is often a bottleneck for growth. Without ad spend, the visibility of posts is mostly restricted to existing followers, making organic growth quite challenging.

Instead of trying to chase viral trends, I chose to treat my Instagram profile more like a curated portfolio—a place where potential clients can get a comprehensive view of my work. This approach required a significant overhaul of my page in 2024, focusing on creating a cohesive and polished visual identity. I now view Instagram as more of a digital portfolio than a primary growth channel, with the emphasis on presenting a well-rounded body of work rather than chasing likes and shares. Reels, while promising for some, haven’t proven particularly effective for my style of content either, reinforcing my decision to use Instagram primarily as a professional showcase.

At the same time, I also experimented with Lemon8, the North American counterpart of Xiaohongshu, which was launched by the same parent company. However, I quickly found that the platform’s initial environment wasn’t particularly supportive of photography-focused creators like myself, so I chose not to invest too much time there. This experience reinforced an important lesson in platform selection—while it’s tempting to spread content across every available channel, it’s often more effective to double down on platforms where your target audience already exists and where the platform’s culture aligns with your creative direction.

This brings me back to Xiaohongshu, which remains my primary platform for audience growth. One key reason for this choice is its unique positioning as a discovery and “planting grass” (recommendation-driven) platform. Unlike most mainstream social media, Xiaohongshu’s user base has a high overlap with my target clientele—urban, style-conscious, and often seeking visual inspiration. This makes it particularly powerful for converting views into real client leads.

When it comes to building a following on Xiaohongshu, I’ve found that both the presentation and the substance of the content are crucial. Initially, I focused heavily on perfecting my titles and cover images, which remain important even as the platform has shifted more toward short videos. I developed a few key strategies for crafting effective titles, focusing on elements like numbers, scenarios, emotional triggers, value propositions, keywords, contrast, resonance, questions, statements, and the “amateur vibe” that often resonates with users.

However, as I continued to refine my approach, I realized that it’s not just about eye-catching titles and thumbnails—your content itself needs to have a strong narrative pull. I identified three key principles that drive engagement in short-form content: conflict, contrast, and plot twists. These elements are particularly effective at capturing attention and encouraging shares, and they have become a foundational part of my content strategy.

Additionally, I started to focus on building a personal brand or “IP.” Rather than just pushing out polished visuals, I worked on creating a more recognizable, relatable online persona. This meant being deliberate about my online identity and finding ways to connect with my audience on a more personal level. I developed a simple but effective approach for this:
• If others have it, I don’t need it.
• If others lack it, I keep it.
• If no one else has it, I amplify it.

This philosophy has helped me carve out a distinct niche, allowing my work to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

Finally, I realized that consistency and series-based content were crucial for long-term growth. Instead of scattering my focus, I aimed to create content that formed a cohesive narrative over time, encouraging repeat engagement and audience loyalty. Building an IP is not just about showcasing your work, but about becoming a recognizable figure that people can connect with on a deeper level.

Looking back, this multi-layered approach to audience building—combining technical insights with a strong personal identity—has been a key factor in my social media success. For those just starting out, my advice would be to focus on consistency, develop a clear voice, and always keep your target audience in mind. It’s not just about getting views, but about building a lasting connection with the people who truly resonate with your work. And most importantly, choose the platforms that align with your audience and creative direction, rather than trying to be everywhere at once.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My journey into photography started quite early, much earlier than most. My first exposure to cameras came when I was in elementary school, thanks to my father, who was an photography enthusiast. He owned a Nikon D200, which sparked my initial curiosity. Around the same time, I received my first personal camera—a small Panasonic CCD point-and-shoot. While my understanding of photography at that age was purely instinctual, I quickly became fascinated with the process of capturing moments and framing the world around me. Even then, I had a natural inclination for composition, playing with light and shadow without really knowing the technical terms.

As I entered junior high school my interest only deepened. I began to take photography more seriously, spending countless hours reading online articles, watching tutorials, and experimenting with different techniques. I bought my first mirrorless camera, the Sony α6000, a compact yet powerful camera that, even to this day, is considered a highly capable entry-level model. This camera played a crucial role in my early development, allowing me to capture everything from school events to spontaneous street scenes. I became the go-to photographer among my classmates, documenting everything from sports events to class trips. My photos often received positive feedback, which encouraged me to push further, refining my skills and expanding my creative vision.

By the time I reached high school, photography had become a central part of my life. I started to see it not just as a hobby, but as a potential career path. I continued to invest in better equipment, purchasing my first professional DSLR, the Canon 6D Mark II, which I used extensively even throughout my early college years. This camera accompanied me on countless shoots, from landscapes and architecture to street photography and photojournalism. I joined a student news organization during my high school years, where I covered events ranging from press conferences to interviews, gaining valuable experience in fast-paced, real-world shooting scenarios. These early experiences gave me a broad foundation, exposing me to a wide range of genres, including landscape, documentary, street, architectural, and even short film production.

It wasn’t until my junior and senior years of high school that I truly found my focus. Around this time, I began experimenting with portrait photography, booking my first paid shoots and diving into the world of studio lighting. I started to appreciate the human connection that portraiture offered—the way a single image could capture a person’s character, mood, and story. This was also when I first encountered fashion photography, a genre that allowed me to blend artistic expression with commercial sensibilities. I found that I had a natural affinity for this style, enjoying both the creative challenges and the interpersonal connections that came with directing models and working with creative teams.

By the time I started applying to universities, I had already decided that photography would be my professional path. I chose to study at Pratt Institute in New York, where I continued to refine my craft while also exploring the theoretical and artistic aspects of photography. This formal education gave me a more structured understanding of the medium, allowing me to approach my work with greater technical precision and conceptual depth.

Throughout my college years, I continued to build my portfolio, gradually shifting my focus more toward fashion and portraiture. I created my first personal website around my junior year, a significant milestone that marked my transition from student to professional photographer. This step was crucial in presenting myself to potential clients and collaborators as a serious, dedicated creative. I also printed my first set of professional business cards, a seemingly small but symbolically important move that reinforced my commitment to this career path.

As my skills grew, so did my ambitions. I started to reach out to stylists, makeup artists, and models, building a small but dedicated creative network. I began pitching my work to magazines and online publications, eventually landing features in international fashion magazines like ELLE China and Marie Claire China. These early publications were pivotal, as they not only boosted my confidence but also validated my work within the professional fashion industry.

Looking back, there have been several key milestones in my journey from hobbyist to professional photographer. Receiving my first camera, buying my first professional DSLR, establishing my own studio, creating a personal website, and securing my first major magazine features were all critical steps that collectively pushed my side hustle into a full-time career. But perhaps the most important milestone was the moment I realized that this was more than just a job or a way to make money—it was my primary means of self-expression and the way I wanted to interact with the world.

Today, my work spans fashion, portraiture, and commercial photography, and I continue to push myself creatively while building a broader professional network. It’s been a long, challenging journey, but every step has been essential in shaping the photographer I am today. For anyone considering turning their side hustle into a full-time career, I would say this: invest in your craft, build a solid portfolio, and never underestimate the power of personal connections. Most importantly, remember that the path from passion to profession is rarely straightforward, but it’s always worth pursuing if it truly speaks to who you are.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ziyangstudio.com
• Instagram: ziyang_photo
• Other: The Red Note / Douyin: ziyang_photo

Image Credits

all taken by myself (except my own portrait)