Meet Haoyuan Ren | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haoyuan Ren and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haoyuan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
As an immigrant, risk has been a part of my life from an early age. Moving to a new country without knowing the language, starting over without familiar support systems, and later moving to Los Angeles without professional connections—all of these experiences shaped the way I approach uncertainty.

Looking back, there were times when I had no choice but to take a risk, and I often wished I had been better prepared.

Now, as an artist, I try to approach risk with curiosity. I ask myself: How can I take be better at taking risks? How can I give myself the confidence to do something new?

Curiosity helps me navigate these moments. It allows me to further my craft and understand the landscape I’m working in. By staying curious, I can better anticipate changes in the industry, prepare for challenges, and find where I fit.

This field is full of unexpected opportunities. One day, you’re watching someone in a movie, and the next, you might be photographing them. That kind of unpredictability keeps things exciting, but it also reminds me of the importance of building a strong foundation, so when opportunities do come, I’m ready to make the most of them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My name is Ren, and I am a commercial photographer based in Los Angeles. I am from Shanghai China, and grew up in Las Vegas. I came to Los Angeles in 2012.

I’ve always believed that the right path is the one that helps me grow, even if it’s not the easiest one.

At first after I first moved to Los Angeles, I spent a lot of time working on sets as a production assistant and assisting other photographers. At the same time, I tried to find my identity as an artist among my peers. That’s where I found myself caught between cultures. I didn’t fully fit into the Chinese-oriented photography business scene in LA, but I also couldn’t get used and infiltrate the social heavy industry here. I’m quite shy, and neither of those paths felt quite right for me. Over time, I realized I wanted to approach things in my own way.

In both my personal and client work, I find myself drawn to a balance of absurdity and humanity. I’ve always been sensitive to cultural identity and themes of humanity and the absence of, and my early work primarily explored feelings of alienation. Over time, my focus shifted to capturing the juxtaposition of absurdity and humanity in daily life.

After years of working in the industry, I’ve gained the experience to take on projects that feel meaningful to me. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m excited about where the journey continues to take me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite things to do is take friends on photo walks through downtown LA. We can begin in Santee Alley, where there’s always a great balance of life and chaos happening, then move through Little Tokyo to channel some of the great street photographers of Japan. After that we can walk up Broadway to spot the coexistence of humans and their consequence amongst the historical architecture. From there, we can pop into Grand Central Market to observe and take in serendipity from all walks of life. Finally it’ll be a great time to visit some of the sights in Chinatown in the evening when all the lanterns are lit. Each of these areas has a unique character, and they’re great places to shoot street photography. I enjoy seeing how the energy of the city shifts from one place to another, yet the familiar thread remains that ties everything together.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
When I was in photo school, the most valuable lessons weren’t just about technical skills—they came from the personal insights my instructors shared. Their perspectives on photography and life shaped the way I see the world today.

Our backgrounds and experiences influence how we frame the world around us, and I’m grateful for the extra time and knowledge my instructors shared beyond what was in the syllabus.

One of my mentors once asked me, “If you could have everything you wanted in photography tomorrow, would you still want it?” That question changed the way I thought about my career. It reminded me that photography isn’t about reaching a specific destination—it’s an ongoing process of growth and discovery.

Website: https://www.ren.photo/ and https://www.22blackbox.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haoyuanren

Image Credits
All photos taken by me