Thank You For Playing With Me - The Thank You For Playing With Me photo book
Taiwanese-born, London-based photographer Yolanda Y. Liou collaborates
with Enam Ewura Adjoa Asiama and Vanessa Russell over a period of three years, in
playing together on the photographic level. \n \n"Growing up in Taiwan, the
The pressure to conform to the beauty standard in Asia was relentless and left me
takes a heavy physical and mental toll. I tried to be like the
perfect people I saw in the media, in order to feel more worthy
to be loved. \n \nWhen I started taking photographs, I was
obsessed with capturing beautiful people - according to the conventional ideal
of society. Later, I realized that I was compensating for my own struggle against
low self-esteem and I began to question the motivations
underlying, the origins of my perception of beauty and to reflect on my
intention as a photographer. \n \nIn 2019, I came across the profile
Enam's Instagram and I was enchanted by her charisma. I didn't recognize her
confidence at the time - being comfortable in your own skin. Then I suddenly
had a lightbulb moment - I'm a photographer. I create images. Images don't create me
no. I wanted to do something. I wanted to show that there was something else
thing. I wanted people to feel good about themselves. \n \nI suggested
Enam decided to do a photoshoot and she invited her best friend Vanessa to come along.
join her. I asked them to express themselves authentically. At the same time
Throughout the day we took photos outdoors and indoors,
experimenting with our different styles and accessories. At the end of the session,
I was filled with joy and warmth, as if I had spent the day
playing with my sisters. I expressed my gratitude by saying, "Thank you for playing
with me!" - Yolanda Y. Liou
