Not Every Boy Wants To Be a Soldier

Featuring Minmindaiii Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Originally from PanYu, Minmindaiii currently lives in Guangzhou, an Alpha global city, with a population exceeding 14M people. She is an emerging fashion photographer who focuses on ‘young in look and mind’ subjects capturing vibrant energies. Minmindaiii offers an inclusive diverse portrayal of both Asian and Western talents, at times incorporating traditional elements to the frame.

Luscious, colorful, daring, Minmindaiii presents a young generation of professionals who enter the photographic global scene to eliminate boundaries and bring the different parts of the world closer. We speak with Minindaiii about fashion, PanYu (her hometown), and her decision to quit the daily job to pursue photography.

‘China is a country with a pluralistic tradition. Tradition does affect me more or less’

Hi Minmindaiii, how is your day today? Are you planning anything special?

Today, I'm going to make plans to marry my boyfriend, hahaha…

How do you think culture and Chinese traditions affect your photography style?

China is a country with a pluralistic tradition. Tradition does affect me more or less. However, I don’t think tradition affects me a lot in my shooting. I pay attention to fashion in the world through magazines, Instagram. Clothes, makeup, lighting, and my work as a whole represent my inner world (being a cool girl).

Tell about your hometown where you grew up. Could you share a memory of you as a kid?

My hometown is PanYu, a part of Guangzhou. It was a pleasure for me to grow up in such a warm and simple community. When I was a girl, I enjoyed listening to the “di da” (raindrops sound) in my hometown, which always calmed me down.

Guangzhou is known for its beautiful architecture and the avant-garde style. How would you describe the city from the perspective of the community of artists and photographers? What are the most popular places where photographers meet?

For me, Guangzhou is a city with different kinds of delicious food. But usually, photographers and artists meet in cafes, especially in stylish cafes.

China's vast land Guangzhou and China's other first-tier cities Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen focus on people from all over the world. I think Guangzhou is the most inclusive, where cultural aspects from different places can be exchanged. In terms of life, there are downtown business districts and old districts with ancient buildings. Old and new cultures are fully integrated here. People in the same industry are very happy to make friends.

‘As the saying goes 'interest is the best teacher’. The reason to be a photographer is that.’

What is your favorite topic for fashion shoots? Is there an element you return to and include in your different photoshoots?    

I like ‘Not Every Boy Wants To Be a Soldier.’ And one element that recurs in most of my shootings is young in look or mind.

Why did you decide to work as a photographer? Tell about your way towards fashion photography and working on commission projects. 

Like most of the girls, I like dressing up and trying different styles. And I always take a picture for a record. My first job was as a salesperson online. My routine work was making phone calls to sell, which made me feel super bored. So I quit. And then, I started to focus on how to shoot pictures in my mind.

As the saying goes 'interest is the best teacher’. The reason to be a photographer is that. Sometimes customers contact me actively, and then we start to think about the theme and how to shoot. Another way is to find a model agency to take photos for their projects.

What do you usually like to do on your weekends, and how do you prefer to relax? 

I enjoy staying at home watching movies. Sometimes I hang out with friends to shoot street style pictures for fun.

You’ve worked on several photoshoots with the stylist Elvis Hwang. How is it different to work on a project with artists you are familiar with when compared to people you meet for the first time. 

There will be a tacit understanding when you work with a familiar artist. But if you work together with an artist you are not familiar with, there may be something different coming out. Anyway, for me, every shooting is an attempt to surprise.

What contributes to the feeling of happiness, or what makes you happy?

I am super happy when I take pictures I want.

What’s next?

In 2020, I will work harder on my shooting skills. I hope to make some progress.