2025 arrived with a profound weight. For several of the women I work with, the year brought losses that changed the landscape of their lives forever. Being invited into the presence of such grief is humbling; it is a constant, quiet reminder that the work I do matters in ways I don’t always see.
Yet, amid the heaviness, I continued to witness the "Radiance" that defines my mission. Through my Radiance Rediscovered Over 40 campaign, I collaborated with incredible women who, in front of my lens, revealed their beauty—not just to the world, but to themselves. That moment of disbelief never gets old. The sharp intake of breath. The whispered, “Is that really me?” It is, quite honestly, addicting to witness.
Beauty and "Badassery" Have No Expiration Date
Last year, I had the privilege of photographing women well into their 80s—including one of the most fearlessly authentic souls I know. After viewing her portraits, she looked me straight in the eye and said, “You need to be known by more people, kiddo.”
As if the universe were taking notes from a seasoned pro, the doors swung open. I was featured in a magazine interview that allowed women to "meet" me before we ever spoke, followed quickly by a second feature as the year turned.
The Magic of Showing Up: Japan
This year also gifted me a long-awaited journey to Japan with my partner-in-crime/Assistante. Our time there was a masterclass in why showing up authentically matters.
We didn't just "sightsee"; we connected. A gentleman photographed us while we photographed scenery, simply because we looked “cute” to him. We gifted a photograph to newlyweds in a Kyoto garden, which led to an invitation to Madrid, Spain. We met a young philosopher from Bali, Indonedia - barely in her twenties - speaking with a philosophical depth I didn’t discover in myself until much later in life. We’re now planning a trip for Nyepi, the Day of Silence, in Bali.
The connections grew into a beautiful, tangled web:
We met a woman at a ryokan who used a translator to explain every dish with poetic care. We soon discovered her husband is a French-trained chef and her father is a legend in the Japanese culinary world. We’ve dined at both restaurants and have already "threatened" to show up at her house for dinner on our next trip - we effectively found a sister in Japan.
Then, the "small world" effect took over: We met another woman who had studied in the U.S. decades ago. It turned out she had saved for her tuition by working at the legendary restaurant owned by our new sister’s father. And her father? He's a 90-year-old painter whose work was hanging on the walls of the very ryokan where we stayed.
These connections weren't orchestrated. They emerged because we stayed curious, genuine, and open to the beauty beyond the surface.
Beyond the Obvious: The Duck and the Light
While in Japan, I met a duck by a pond, framed by autumn leaves at their most radiant. Around me, visitors chased the "spectacle," their phones raised to the fiery maples.
I watched the duck instead. I watched the way the light danced across the water, transforming something simple into something luminous. This is how I see the women I photograph. I look beyond the obvious "foliage" of a person’s life—the age, the roles, the expectations—searching instead for the specific light that reveals their unique radiance. Sometimes, the most profound beauty isn't in the "scenery," but in finding the glow that was already there, waiting to be noticed.
Looking Toward 2026
Authenticity creates the space for revelation.
As I move into 2026, I am feeling called to create more of these spaces—not just online, but in real rooms, through real conversations, and within the quiet magic that happens when people truly show up as themselves.
🧡
Jean
🌟The Radiant Women Transformer 🌟
Jean Huang Photography
+1 (626) 314-7004 (text/call)
jean@JeanHuangPhotography.com
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