Couple with Pet Dog Photoshoot - Ray & Jiaqi @ Home

This portrait shoot came right after their interior session, and I was absolutely stunned by the design of their home — every corner felt intentional and inspiring. They had even reconfigured the living room, turning the original space into a home gym, which felt refreshing and unique.

Shooting with Ray and Jiaqi was a joy. They had plenty of ideas yet managed to stay natural in front of the camera, which made the collaboration effortless. Their pet dog added warmth and personality, making the session even more memorable.

The biggest challenge was the lighting. Since this was meant to be a casual shoot, I relied mainly on bounced light without a softbox. That meant the light wasn't directional, and with such a wide spread it affected the look of the interior. On the other hand, if I didn't add any light, their faces would have been too dark. I had to play it by ear — sometimes depending entirely on ambient light, and other times bringing in flash for certain scenes.

It was also challenging in some scenes where I wanted to use the lines of the space as part of the photo frame in the background. This made framing more difficult, and I had to guide them carefully to stay within the composition. It even required shifting some furniture, and fortunately, both of them were strong enough to help.

In the end, the balance between their creativity, patience, and my lighting adjustments allowed us to capture portraits that felt both authentic and full of character.