Chang Yu Hsuan: The Eternal Charm of Opening Your Heart
Interview by James Elliott
Chang Yu Hsuan is not afraid to open up her heart. Since first picking up her camera as a child, the Taiwanese photographer has made it her vessel for understanding the world around her. Every small detail, life lesson, and place she has called home bleeds through her work. Whether it be the fog-filled landscapes of the countryside or the scar tissue of her models, these fleeting moments made concrete, give a tangible sense of reality to the abstract emotions within her soul.
In an age when easily palatable images have become the currency of the day, more subtle and nuanced photography like that of Chang’s can oftentimes be lost in a sea of noise. While this online space, much like its aquatic counterpart, can be at times harsh and unforgiving, her approach to image making, like shimmering lights on the waves, often reminds us that within the social media-driven world are fleeting moments of beauty.
With her project, G-Book, Chang went with an approach that many today would raise an eyebrow at, deciding to forgo quick gratification in order to create a long-form series lasting nearly a decade. Starting in 2016, she brought it upon herself to authentically capture the women surrounding her, focusing not on one specific ideal or one particular notion of beauty, but rather allowing herself to be drawn naturally to her subjects like kindred spirits. The result of which was something that only the power of photography could do: capture reality for just an instant and inject it with a sense of romance and nostalgia.
On the back of her recent visit to Japan, to attend the KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival, Phantasy had the chance to chat with the artist about the origins of her creative journey—a discussion that revealed the importance of family bonds, and steady simple steps, as well as her remarkable ability to turn chaos into humour.
Phantasy: Hi Chang, thank you so much for your time! Can you please introduce yourself to Phantasy?
Chang: My name is Chang Yu Hsuan. I come from a county in the southwest of Taiwan. Every little thing of me started from there.
Phantasy: And how did you first become interested in photography?
Chang: I remembered when I was about ten, I received my first cellphone, which was able to take photos. I tried very hard and was patient waiting for an airplane to fly through the sky and catch it with my phone. I felt so satisfied about waiting for it. It's not a romance, it's just about something I could control by myself. And after so many years, here I am. [smiles]
Phantasy: Was there a particular style of photography that you were attracted to?
Chang: I loved something I couldn’t figure out how to make. Oh! And I love stories!
Phantasy: So, were there any particular artists or photographers that inspired you?
Chang: Chen Yung Hua, Rumi Ando, Miroslav Kovalenko, Elizaveta Porodina, Ann Vendi, Jack Bridgland and Julian Song.
Phantasy: Outside of photography and art, what do you think influenced your style?
Chang: Every little thing in my daily life—reading, family moments, and even when things go wrong—I somehow end up finding them funny. When something goes wrong, I often see it as something funny. And honestly, I think that might be one of my rarest talents. It’s my way of turning chaos into lighthearted stories. I think my life is a bit like a comedy movie—one of those films that makes people quietly cry when they truly understand it. Something like that, I guess.
Phantasy: Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process?
Chang: I grew up in a small town, and that experience has been the cornerstone of developing a creative voice that feels truly my own. Now, as I look back after a decade of being a photographer, I realize that if I had grown up in a place where everything was easily accessible—a city where it only takes five minutes to get from your doorstep to a theater, where opportunities and movie stars are just around the corner—I might never have had to go on such a distant and winding journey to become who I am today.
Growing up in the countryside meant constantly being attuned to the details of life—to the landscape just around the corner, to the people passing by. It taught me to appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday life, to find wonder in what’s right in front of me, without needing to travel far. It wasn’t until last year that I began living in Taipei, and I feel incredibly grateful that most of my life has been spent moving—persistently—between my hometown and the city. That in-between space has given me a perspective that feels different, not better or worse, just uniquely mine.
Most importantly, the greatest force behind everything I’ve become is my family—their kindness, sincerity, and unwavering sense of integrity. Even in times when it felt like we had nothing, they believed wholeheartedly that we had everything we needed—and they shared that abundance with others, freely and generously. They walked through life with open hearts and steady steps, never looking back in bitterness. And in that spirit, I too grew into someone who pours focus and faith into everything I do, someone who keeps moving forward with conviction.
This isn’t to start a debate—every place has its own charm and its own challenges. That’s not the point. What I do want to say is that growing up the way I did has made me flexible, adaptable, and able to see beauty and light wherever I go. To me, what makes a photographer truly special isn’t the gear they use, but the depth of their experiences and the breadth of their perspective.
Phantasy: That’s such a beautiful way of looking at how you grew up. Do you think moving between your hometown and Taipei over the years has changed your photography style?
Chang: Yes, people change from their experience. So do I. Since last year, I’ve been exploring work that doesn’t focus on clear subjects like people, or places. I’m drawn to images that don’t reveal themselves at first glance. I’m also slowly learning how to bring more artistic layers into what I do. It’s challenging, but I’m walking through it little by little.
Phantasy: Looking at some of your work, there often feels like a storytelling aspect to your editorials. Is this something you do on purpose?
Chang: It all seems to have happened naturally—not something I planned, but when I look back, it really did unfold this way. I guess that’s what people mean when they talk about style.
I’ve always been someone who loves telling stories. They’re usually funny ones. I think when things are told with humour, whether they’re good or bad, they somehow become easier to remember. Ever since elementary school, I have often joined writing competitions or used words to express myself. That continued through high school. But after growing up, I started to feel a strong resistance to creating anything under a time limit. It feels too much like turning in homework, not a real, honest response. Maybe all these past experiences, along with whatever small gifts I was born with, have something to do with the way I create images today.
“My native language is Traditional Chinese. And honestly, sometimes I wish everyone in the world could read Traditional Chinese—could understand the way I play with words, the hidden meanings between the lines, and the stories I’m trying to tell.”
Phantasy: Let’s talk about some of your personal projects. G-Book, which started in 2016 and features many portraits of women shot over the years; what was the origin of this series?
Chang: G-Book started in 2016 and is still ongoing. Next year will mark its tenth year. When it first began, I didn’t think too much. I was in my twenties back then, and I believe when you’re young, you often start things with a kind of wild, youthful fearlessness—the kind that comes from not knowing the risks, and not caring too much about them either. I just wanted to take photographs.
The first person I met through the internet was Jian Yu. I invited her to shoot with me in our hometown, Pingtung. That was the first series, and ten years later, we’re still close friends. We’ve gone on many adventures together, and whenever I take a photo that truly moves me, she’s still the first person I share it with.
Back then, I had no idea the project would grow into something so collective—so many women, so many stories finding their way into this work. For me, these women help me see myself more clearly. They are fragile, yet strong. They shine because they dare to be both.
Phantasy: And who are the women that you focus on?
Chang: Some of them are my friends, some of them I met on the Internet. They know and believe what they love, and try their best to do it. I take photos without any retouching of their appearances. I hope that viewers could focus on what they do, not just how they look. They accepted this rule. It’s not that easy, especially in a time when beauty filters were everywhere, and flawless skin had become the norm. Choosing to be seen as they truly are, with pores, scars, and all, takes a quiet kind of bravery.
But I believe that now, ten years later, the definition of beauty has become more diverse, more honest, and more human than ever before. Even if you need beauty filters, sure, why not? Just choose whatever you want.
Phantasy: What did you learn personally about yourself, female identity or just women in general during this project?
Chang: To be honest, this topic is always a little awkward. People often respond to the themes I explore with sarcasm, saying things like, “Oh, you’re just a feminist.” But in the beginning, I was simply a girl who loved photography. I just wanted to take pictures—images that show what the women I encountered were doing, what their lives looked like. After ten years of stories, it’s impossible to summarise everything in just a few lines. But that’s exactly why some people have misunderstood me, assuming I’m trying to make some kind of feminist protest.
“The truth is these women are a lot like me. Despite the noise and judgment, they keep living their lives—being radiant, being joyful. When they’re sad, they cry. Then they move on and do what needs to be done, while respecting others along the way. And I think… just having someone believe in me, walk alongside me, and share that effort—that has been the greatest lesson of all.”
Phantasy: G-Book was awarded the 2nd place prize at the International Photography Awards; how did you feel receiving recognition from the photographic community?
Chang: Winning an award to me is a kind of affirmation—proof that in the end, we’re all allowed to dream. Dreaming brings us back to our truest selves, to a state of freedom and wonder. When you chase a dream, you’re the only one who can take each step forward, but along the way, you’ll always see the beautiful people and moments who love you quietly from the sidelines.
"Before I ever won anything, you liked me simply because you did.
And after I won, you were happy just because I was.
Before or after the recognition, no matter what label I carry, my parents still only ask one thing:
‘When are you coming home for dinner?’
That has never changed.
So here I am, holding the notification letter, smiling.
And I’m still me.
The road is long, but all of you are part of it. Every step, every mile, I carry you with me."
Phantasy: Can you tell us a little bit about the creative scene in Taiwan? Are there any artists that you think are particularly exciting?
Chang: Oh wow, this is such a difficult question to answer—I’m afraid of forgetting to mention someone! Honestly, the best way to explore the artists I admire is to visit my Instagram and check out who I follow.
Taiwan is a small island surrounded by sea, known for two things that seem to have nothing in common: our 286 mountains over 3,000 meters tall, and our cutting-edge semiconductor industry. That tension—between the natural and the technological, the ancient and the modern—is exactly what Taiwan is. We’re open on all sides, easy to enter, and somehow able to hold everything at once.
Because of that, we’re also a place full of chaotic, overlapping voices. Everyone has an opinion, and everything can be said. It can feel messy—but it’s also a kind of freedom. We argue, we disagree, and yet we love each other deeply. I still believe that most of us at heart are kind, hardworking, and sincere.
Artists in Taiwan—whether through music, photography, film, or writing—speak the same language: this land. I love my country deeply. It has raised us, this generation of kids growing up under the weight of too much information, in its own wild and beautiful way. Every generation has its own luck and its own burdens. I’m grateful to be living in this time, searching for something beautiful.
And I hope that all of us will continue to grow stronger, and keep loving Taiwan.
Phantasy: Speaking about technology, with some of your recent work, you have experimented with new methods such as CGI and AI; how do you think this technology will affect photographers in the future?
Chang: To me, it feels just like the way I learned to use tools growing up. Those who knew how to make the most of them moved forward. Those who didn’t, complained—and were eventually left behind. I truly welcome the progress of technology. As long as we use these tools with sincerity and wisdom, they can become our most trusted companions—something that quietly supports us from deep within. But sadly, this is where many discussions around new topics tend to fall apart.
Often, when something new appears, most people lack the understanding or critical thinking to truly engage with it. And so, instead of being used meaningfully, the tool becomes misused. Looking ahead, I believe we need to take digital ethics and responsibility much more seriously. How the next generation learns to use the internet—with integrity, and with care—is the real challenge of our time.
Phantasy: Do you have any plans for the future that you would like to share with us?
Chang: I just returned from the KYOTOGRAPHIE Festival, where I was deeply moved by how much the Japanese value dreams and ideals. For me, having the chance to learn from professionals across different fields feels incredibly important. I am looking for different platforms, magazines, galleries, and those who love my photos to collaborate together.
Phantasy: Finally, is there a particular message that you want to express with your photography?
Chang: Truth, Passion and Love!
