Meet Jason Leung | Freelance Photographer/Videographer

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

Hi Jason, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
During high school, my hobbies were graphic design and a bit of photography. When I got to college, I was trying to figure out my career and attempted the computer science route because it was where the money was. After taking several coding classes, I realized it wasn’t meant for me. There was an opportunity to work at a small startup for graphic design, something I hadn’t formally studied but had some hobby work to show for. Fast forward through various jobs as a graphic designer, I explored videography on the side until it evolved into my primary focus. Now, I am a full-time freelancer for photography and videography because I enjoy the diverse projects I get to be involved in.

In short, I was more interested in my creative hobbies than in making more money. It is more fulfilling and exciting to work on various creative projects that merge my other interests like food and documentaries

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I gotta say, what makes me different from others is how I capture subjects in their element with my own perspective and intuition. When it’s in video form, I just love bringing out emotions with visuals and the music I pick. I’m really proud of my work documenting the Stop Asian Hate rallies in both video and photo because it’s a way I can uplift the community with my skills.

Getting to where I am today was a lot of trial and error. I was on the hunt for a job that felt fulfilling and engaging. I went from graphic design to UI/UX designer to technical manager and back to graphic designer. Each gig taught me something new, and I always made sure to have some creative hobbies to keep myself sane. I figured out what I enjoy and don’t enjoy about each job, but the main reason I stuck with full-time jobs was for the stability. I didn’t have the confidence to work for myself or feel good enough with my skills at the time. I kept practicing on the side and jumped at any opportunities that came up to improve my photography. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is putting myself out there and saying yes to things even if they’re unknown. I discovered that I can figure it out along the way, and it’s gonna be okay. I wouldn’t have gotten into videography if I hadn’t asked if I could do a documentary on a local mochi pop-up shop.

I want the world to know it’s totally possible to chase a creative career without a college degree. I made my way by showing up with work and always being eager to learn new things.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them all around the Bay Area which encompasses the breadth of culture we have to offer. Starting in San Jose, I would show them the amazing Vietnamese and Mexican food spots like Pho Ha Noi or Spartan Tacos. When we go down to Santa Cruz, I would show them the beautiful beaches as well as my favorite yakitori spot, Yakitori Toriman. As we head up north, we would take Highway-1, the most serene drive in my opinion with the ocean air, and go into San Francisco. In San Francisco, there are many cool museums and gardens like De Young Museum or Japanese Tea Garden. One of my favorite pastry spots in San Francisco is Arsicault for their flakiest croissants. Hopping over to Oakland, I would take them to Soba Ichi for some delicious soba noodles or Joodooboo for some refreshing korean banchan.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to a community I am part of and on the core team that hosts meetups. This community is called Exhilo Creative Meetups in the Bay Area. I felt stuck in early 2023 and alone in my creative journey. I discovered this meetup through a friend and decided to attend one despite my initial shyness and hesitation. I knew I needed to attend if I wanted to make a change for myself. I met and chatted with many creatives, making some great friends along the way. Now, I’m part of building that community, and it’s amazing to see how other creatives are finding support and making valuable connections through these meetups. I want to thank Exhilo Creative Meetups for giving me the confidence and support to pursue my first year of freelancing.

Website: https://jasonleung.co

Instagram: https://instagram.com/xninjason

Image Credits
Personal photo shot by Audrey Hou