Calvin Cheung – Photographer
If you’d told me years ago that I would leave a successful banking career in Hong Kong to become a full-time photographer in the United Kingdom, I would have smiled politely and dismissed the idea. Photography wasn’t even on my radar when I was a boy — though looking back, perhaps the signs were always there.
I grew up in Hong Kong in a family of 4 — my father, mother, sister and me. My parents divorced while I was in secondary school, a time that tested our resilience as a family. My mother worked tirelessly to support my sister and me, and I quickly learned the importance of independence and self-motivation. My sister was studying design and watching her nurture her creativity always fascinated me. I too, had a spark for the arts though mine showed itself in different ways.
As a child, I loved making models — I could lose myself for hours shaping, painting and imagining small worlds. Drawing wasn’t my strongest skill, but creating things with my hands gave me a quiet joy. Even back then, I think I already had an eye for detail and composition, though I didn’t yet have the words or tools to describe it.
Movies were another early passion. I was captivated by the poetic visuals of Wong Kar-wai’s films — In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express — cinematic masterpieces that blended colour, light and emotion with such precision that each frame felt like a painting. His use of reflection, shadow and slow rhythm fascinated me. Those films showed me that imagery could tell stories more powerfully than words — an idea that stayed with me, even as life took me down a very different path.
After university, driven by a need for stability, I chose a career in finance. Banking seemed like the logical choice — a way to support my family and build a secure future. For years I worked hard, learning the rhythms of the financial world and gradually rising through the ranks at an international investment bank. It was a world of precision, deadlines and results — fast-paced and competitive, but rewarding in its own way.
Still there was always a quieter part of me — the same artistic instinct that once guided my hands as a child — waiting for a way to re-emerge.
The Spark of Change
The turning point came one January morning in the office. I was looking at the year’s targets, the numbers all starting from zero again, the same routine I’d followed for years. For the first time the thought hit me clearly: Is this it? Do I want to start from zero every January, chasing budgets and bonuses, year after year?
That question stayed with me. I realised that if I ever wanted to make a change — to build a second career that truly reflected who I was — I couldn’t wait for “someday.” I had to start now.
Around that time, photography began to draw me in. I bought a camera and started taking photos on weekends, treating it as an escape from the rigidity of finance. Then in 2011, during a trip to Iceland, something clicked. Standing before the glaciers, waterfalls and endless skies, I felt a profound sense of awe. The dramatic light and raw beauty of the landscape moved me deeply. I wanted — no needed — to capture it.
That trip changed everything. When I returned to Hong Kong, I upgraded my DSLR, enrolled in a professional creative diploma and began devoting my weekends to photography. Monday to Friday, I was a banker; Saturday and Sunday, I was a man with a camera — shooting weddings, portraits and city scenes, experimenting with light and form.
I began submitting my work to international competitions, curious to see where I stood. When I received my first recognition, it gave me the courage to keep going. Photography was no longer just a pastime; it had become a calling.
Balancing Two Worlds
For the next decade, I lived between 2 identities. The banker in me focused on precision, strategy and structure. The photographer in me sought emotion, storytelling and truth. Each side fed the other in surprising ways. My financial discipline gave me focus; my creative work gave me balance.
I joined the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) in 2012, entering competitions to measure myself against the best in the world. Every year, I refined my skills and tested new ideas. Then in 2020, a defining moment arrived: I won 1st place in the In-Camera Artistry category. Two years later, I was honoured as a Master of WPPI, standing on stage at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Many people were surprised when they learned I wasn’t yet a full-time photographer. For me that moment was both validating and awakening. After a decade of juggling 2 careers, I knew it was time to commit to my passion fully.
A Leap of Faith — Literally
In 2021, I took the leap. Like many Hong Kong citizens, I was deeply aware of the social changes unfolding in 2019. When the UK government introduced the BNO Visa, offering Hong Kongers a pathway to live and work in Britain, I saw it as a sign — an opportunity not just to relocate, but to reinvent.
I arrived in the UK in November of that year. Within my first month, I interviewed for a banking job — old habits die hard — but the role went to a local candidate. Strangely I wasn’t disappointed. Instead, I felt an immense sense of freedom. That rejection was a gentle nudge from destiny: Stop looking back.
I decided to dedicate the next 5 years entirely to photography — to start from scratch, to rebuild from nothing and to see how far my passion could take me. I knew no one except a few friends from Hong Kong, but I began networking relentlessly — connecting with stylists, models, designers and studio owners. Slowly word spread: there’s a Hong Kong photographer in town doing something different.
Before we moved from Hong Kong, my wife researched various locations in UK, looking for 1 to move to that would suit our needs. Living in a fast moving city, dwelling in a high rise apartment, we longed to live in a more spacious, quiet town or village, outside of London. In September 2021, she saw some new-build developments in Cranleigh advertised, during a house sale exhibition in Hong Kong. It took us a day to consider before we clinched the deal and were ready to embark on our adventurous journey to the United Kingdom.
Initially we stayed with a friend for 4 months in Northwood, West London and then moved to Cranleigh In February 2022. Not even having a rail link was difficult to get used to at first but we’ve grown to love village life and become accustomed to driving everywhere.
Breaking Through in a New Country
A year later I entered the British Photography Awards, hoping at least to make the finalists’ list. I ended up winning 1st place in the Wedding Category.
Sitting in that Central London ceremony, hearing my name announced, was a surreal moment — proof that hard work and faith truly pay off.
Over the next 2 years, I won again — 3 consecutive years in total. Each win meant more than recognition; it was a bridge between my old life and new one. It told me I belonged here, that my vision could resonate in a new culture and landscape.
Those achievements opened doors I’d never imagined: photographing at London Fashion Week, shooting campaigns for UK charities and NGOs and even working inside Old Trafford Stadium for a Premier League TV programme.
Faith & Foundation
Looking back I realise none of this would have been possible without faith. I became a Christian in 2003, during one of the toughest economic downturns Hong Kong had ever faced. I was still new to banking and the instability of that time left me feeling lost. My aunt, who was a Christian, invited me to church. I can’t remember the sermon, but I remember raising my hand and choosing to believe.
Since then my faith has been the compass guiding every decision. Moving to the UK was in many ways, an act of faith — a leap into the unknown, trusting that God would provide direction and strength. There were moments of uncertainty, loneliness and self-doubt, but through it all, I felt His presence leading me forward.
Even now I see my work as an extension of that faith — a way to reflect beauty, connection and purpose through visual storytelling.
Building Community & Giving Back
As my business grew I became increasingly aware of the importance of giving back. Being a Hong Kong-born Chinese in the UK, I want to demonstrate that we, as newcomers, can contribute meaningfully to our communities.
I now collaborate with several UK NGOs as a volunteer photographer, capturing moments that help tell their stories and raise awareness. For me it’s about showing that creativity can serve others, not just oneself. I also want to inspire other Hong Kong immigrants — to show that reinvention is possible, that life here can be more than survival. You can be a banker turned photographer, a teacher turned artist — whatever your heart calls you to be.
Change begins with one step, then another and another. If my story can spark someone else’s courage to start their own journey, then I’ve achieved something far beyond any award.
Finding My Creative Voice
Among the many genres I’ve explored — weddings, engagements, portraits, fashion — fashion photography resonates most deeply. It’s a collaborative art form where imagination meets storytelling. Working with stylists, designers and models allows me to create narratives that transcend the ordinary.
One of my favourite shoots happened entirely by chance in South Kensington, in the summer of 2023. We were shooting street reflections when the owner of a vintage laundry invited us inside. The setting — old machines, soft light, muted colours — became an unexpected dreamscape. That spontaneous gesture completed shifted the direction of the shoot – she even featured in the photos! And those photographs ended up in a French fashion magazine and went on to win awards. It reminded me that creativity often blooms when you least expect it.
The Power of Place
The UK itself has become my muse. Its landscapes and hidden corners — from misty countryside mornings to London’s narrow alleyways — offer endless inspiration. These places are more than backdrops; they’re silent collaborators in every story I capture. The light here, soft and atmospheric, invites emotional storytelling. I often think that Britain’s weather — moody, unpredictable, full of character — perfectly matches my photographic sensibility.
The Future in Focus
Now 4 years after arriving, my photography business is thriving. I’ve built strong relationships across the creative industry, from clients and stylists to studios and brands. The foundation is solid — but my journey is far from complete.
This year I’m expanding into new business areas, refining my post-production processes and planning pop-up exhibitions to connect directly with local audiences. I’m also working on a personal project that celebrates multicultural love stories across the UK — a visual exploration of identity and connection set against the nation’s breathtaking landscapes.
Equally important to me is mentorship. I hope to guide emerging photographers, helping them find their footing just as others once supported me. Whether through workshops or creative residencies, I want to share what I’ve learned about persistence, adaptability and faith-driven creativity.
Because in the end, my journey isn’t just about photography — it’s about possibility.
When I look back to that January morning in my banking office, staring at another year’s empty budget sheet, I’m grateful I had the courage to start again. My camera became not just a tool, but a testament — proof that reinvention, guided by faith and perseverance, is always possible.
Photography taught me to see — to notice light in the dark, beauty in the ordinary and meaning in every fleeing moment. That’s how I strive to live now: focused, grateful and forever looking for the next frame of life worth capturing.
For more information and commissions:
Calvin Cheung, Photographer
CalvinCCphoto.com
[email protected] // 07378198752
