Hey there! You're here!
Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to check out my new site! Some of you might be wondering why it took me so long to finally make this, or maybe some of you don't even know who I am. I'll get to that, don't worry.
So who am I?
My name is Winston Zhou and I’m a Maryland native (born and raised) attending the University of Maryland in Baltimore County, where I study photography as well as biology, music, and entrepreneurship. I love cozy spaces, finding new music, eSports, spicy food, and a good runny egg. My photography is similarly varied – I push my limits further every day by challenging myself to tackle new subjects and styles.
To me, the best photographs are ones that are truly candid, when you can tell that someone is fully living in the moment. The style I gravitate toward is candid portraiture, where I capture a fleeting moment and transform it into something eternal. However, I also enjoy shooting more formal portraits, sports, and landscapes.
Why did this take so long?
Haha honestly, up until about 6 months ago I wasn't even sure I wanted to be a photographer! Even though I've since changed paths from Pre-Dental to just Biology, somewhere in my mind I wasn't confident in my own abilities as a photographer to be able to do this as a profession. But after months of weighing pros and cons, prayer and marinating in my thoughts, I've decided that I only have this one life, one try to do what I love. And so with that decision, I'm putting all my chips into this basket. All this to say: I've made my choice, and now I'm committing to it.
What's my setup and what do I shoot?
My current main setup is a Nikon D810 and an 85mm f/1.8. I'm sort of a one-trick pony when it comes to full-frame. I also shoot on a Nikon D7000 and use a 18-105 f/3.5-5.6. Funnily enough, 90% of the work you'll see on this site today will have been shot on the crop-frame D7000. Hence the age old adage: "It's not the camera, it's the photographer."
I'd like to be able to give the "anything and everything" answer but the fact is that's not completely true. My specialty is candid portraiture. Capturing natural, organic moments and preserving those precious memories. I like to say I "proactively wait" for these moments in time. Weddings, landscape, formal portraits, headshots, architecture and sports are also fun things I love shooting! If you need any of that work done, I'd be more than happy to work with you.
As always, don't hesitate to reach out! You can reach me through the contact page,
Email: winston@wzhouphoto.com
Instagram: @wzhouphoto
Call/text anytime: (240) 401-1288
Best,
Winston