by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 7^th of July 2025

John and Mei Zhong are a charming married couple who share a deep passion for travel and photography.
They have their own vision of photography: "As it is a constantly evolving art form, especially given the rapid development of new technologies, we believe that, despite these advances, it is creativity and a unique personal and artistic style that truly distinguish a photographer. While drones are increasingly being used for landscape photography and mobile phones for street, daily life and architecture photography, our vision is to embrace these new tools while staying true to our artistic voice — using technology to enhance, not replace, the creative process."
Join me on a journey through the diverse work of John and Mei, and find out more about these artists in this fascinating interview.

'Paradise Bay of Antarctica'

Dear John and Mei, first, I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer this questionnaire. To begin with, could you please introduce yourself briefly and tell us more about yourself, your hobbies and any other projects you are involved in?
Thank you, Yvette, for this opportunity — it is a great honour. We are John and Mei, a married couple who share a deep passion for travel and photography. John is a Senior Vice President at a US financial firm and Mei is a Senior Director at a pharmaceutical company. Outside of our demanding careers, we have always nurtured a love of music, the arts and sports, but in recent years, photography has truly become our calling. What began as a hobby of capturing fleeting moments during our travels has evolved into a shared passion blending creativity, storytelling and exploration.

'A Red House by Antarctica Glacier'

'Machu Pichu' 

When and how did you begin your journey in photography?
We began our serious photographic journey after travelling to Antarctica in early 2020. During that trip, we captured the surreal beauty of icebergs, vast landscapes and incredible wildlife through our lens. After returning to the US on the last flight out of Argentina before the pandemic lockdown, we began sorting through our images. As we reviewed them, we were humbled by the grandeur of nature and realised how small we were in comparison. Inspired by this experience, we set out to improve our artistic vision and technical skills, aiming to truly express the beauty we had witnessed and the emotions we had felt. Since then, we have immersed ourselves in photography, visiting museums, studying the work of renowned photographers and learning advanced editing techniques through YouTube tutorials and classes.

'Facing an Iceberg' 

For many of us, photography is either a hobby or a way of life. How would you describe your relationship with photography?
It has become one of the most important parts of our lives. Wherever we go — whether we're exploring a city, attending a family or friends' reunion, taking a weekend break or going on holiday — we always have our cameras to hand to capture and preserve the moments we experience. We also dedicate a significant amount of time to editing our images to reflect our feelings.   We are also actively involved in photography communities, such as the Photographic Society of New Jersey and the Atlantic Photographers Association. For us, photography is more than a hobby — it brings excitement, expectation and wonder to our daily lives.

'Picture Window'

What has been the most important experience so far in influencing your journey as a photographer?
For us, joining 1x has been the most important experience in shaping our journey as photographers. It’s an exceptional platform where our work is curated by renowned photographers, offering valuable feedback and validation.
John said that having his first photo awarded by the 1x head curators was as exciting as having his first research paper published in the prestigious Physical Review Letters. That moment marked a turning point for us. 

'Red Rock'

You have your own style, but your work is very diverse.  I see landscape, animal and still life photography. Could you explain why this is?
Our work is diverse because it reflects our individual interests and the different stages of our photographic journeys. John is especially drawn to landscape and architectural photography — his love of nature, coupled with his background in mathematics and physics, gives him a deep appreciation of landscapes, structural shapes and geometry.

'To the Train Station'

During the pandemic, Mei set up a studio in our basement. There, she transformed her passion for storytelling into still lifes.  She took this nostalgic picture of Chinese New Year.

'Hanging red lantern'

She took this photo after finding out that her friend was pregnant.

'The story of a happy family'

A healthy breakfast after visiting her doctor.

'Breakfast'

We both love animals and enjoy watching them display their funny expressions, playful behaviour and affection for one another.

'Cozy moment'

We also love street photography and take many photographs capturing fleeting moments of our world.

'Taking a break'

Which is more important to you: the mood or story behind your images, or technical perfection?
For us, the mood and story behind an image are more important, as they reflect our emotions at the time the photo was taken, as well as our understanding of the people and nature around us. Of course, technical excellence helps us to achieve this.

'Iceland Road'

What is your relationship with your subject matter beyond merely observing it?
When taking photographs, whether of a dramatic landscape, a fleeting wildlife moment or a quiet still life, we strive to connect emotionally with the subject. We aim to capture the mood, energy and story behind what we see, and convey that through our images. For us, photography is not just about capturing how something looks, but also about expressing how it makes us feel.
When it comes to landscapes, we seek moments that inspire awe and speak to the grandeur or solitude of nature — moments that remind us of our place within it.

'Walking on ice'

When it comes to wildlife, we respect the animals' space and behaviour.

'Love You, Mom'

Do you carefully prepare the locations where you intend to take photographs?
Yes, we usually scout locations of interest in advance and do some research. We often have a clear vision in mind, thinking about potential compositions and how we want the final image to look. However, there are times when we find ourselves in unexpected locations or simply don’t have time to plan. In those moments, we rely on instinct, which can lead to uniquely creative results. Sometimes, not being influenced by popular shots enables us to see and capture something original.

'Curtain'

Describe your overall vision for your photography.
Photography is a constantly evolving art form, especially given the rapid development of new technologies. Despite these advances, we believe that creativity and a unique personal and artistic style are what truly distinguish a photographer. Although drones are being used more frequently in landscape photography and mobile phones are being used for street photography, daily life and architecture, our vision is to embrace these new tools while staying true to our artistic voice — using technology to enhance, not replace, the creative process.

'Iceland Riverbed'

Can you please tell us something more about your workflow from the idea to the final product?

Our workflow generally follows these steps:

1.      Developing an idea: inspiration can come from popular landscapes, thorough research, spontaneous moments that catch our eye or personal experiences and emotions.

2.      Pre-production preparation: select the appropriate camera equipment and settings, scout locations and plan the trip logistics to ensure we are ready for the shoot.

3.      Production: arrive early to set up our equipment and carefully adjust its position to achieve the best composition. Capture images at the optimal time and in the best lighting conditions.

4.      Post-production: we carefully select and edit our images using tools such as Adobe Bridge, Photoshop, Topaz, the Nik Collection and TK Luminosity Masks. Our editing process involves fine-tuning the colour, tone and lighting to enhance the natural beauty of the scene or draw attention to the main subject. Our aim is to produce a final image that remains faithful to the essence of nature and the subject, while also conveying our personal artistic vision and the mood experienced at the time.

Where do you look for inspiration, and what inspires you the most?
We often find inspiration by browsing the 1X gallery, where we greatly value the high-quality work shared by this talented community. It’s a space where we continually learn and discover new ideas through the diverse perspectives of fellow photographers.
We also find inspiration in visiting museums such as MoMA and the Met in New York City, as well as photography galleries and auction exhibitions. We’re especially drawn to the masterpieces of iconic artists whose use of storytelling, colour, light and composition continues to influence our creative vision.

Many people believe that gear is not very important when you are passionate about photography. However, could you please tell us what equipment you use (camera, lenses, lighting, tripod, etc.)?
Our main cameras are the Sony A7R IV and the Nikon D850, paired with various lenses including the 12–24 mm, 24–70 mm, 70–200 mm, 300 mm, 200–500 mm and 50 mm f/1.4. We rely on Gitzo tripods and ND filters for stability and long exposures.
Recently, we have been using DJI drones and iPhones more often to capture landscapes and street scenes, as we appreciate the flexibility and unique perspectives they offer.

Which photo is your favourite? Please tell us the story behind it.
This is one of our favourite photos — it captures a red fox mother and her nine kits who had made their home under a shed in our neighbour's backyard. We hadn’t known about the kits until one day when they all suddenly emerged from their den and wandered into our yard to be fed by their mother.
We immediately grabbed our cameras and rushed upstairs to witness this incredible scene. It was raining. Eight of the kits nestled closely under their mother to nurse, leaving no space for the ninth. Instead, the smallest one received a gentle, loving kiss from its mother — a quiet, tender moment that spoke volumes about care and connection.

'Please be patient, You will be the next'

Which photographers or mentors have influenced you and your photography?
We have long admired the work of Ansel Adams. His pioneering concepts of visualisation and the zone system have had a profound influence on our photographic workflow.
Mei was introduced to still life photography by her mentor, Lydia Jacobs, and Larry Deng  taught us advanced post-processing techniques. Their work and guidance have significantly enhanced our skills and understanding of photography.

'Mommy daddy and me'

'Chrysathemum and pomegranate'

Now that we're almost at the end of this interview, could you please tell us about any photographic projects you'd like to be involved in?
We have several exciting photography trips planned over the next few years, including visits to Patagonia, the Dolomites and South Asia.  These trips will enable us to explore new landscapes and wildlife and continue to expand our creative vision.
We also hope to become more actively involved in photography organisations by contributing to their communities through volunteering, exhibitions, workshops, and so on. Of course, we also look forward to continuing our journey on 1X, learning, growing and sharing our work on this inspiring platform.

Is there anything else you would like to add, and what are your thoughts on using 1X as a home base for your work?
1X has truly been the best home base for us. The unique curation process pushes us to continuously improve. With so many high-quality images on the platform, 1X provides a stimulating environment in which to learn from the work of fellow photographers around the world. We’re grateful to be part of such a dedicated and talented community.

'Pyramid of Khafre'

'Desert'

'Hudson Yards'