Through the Lens of Vivian Hsu, Photographer Extraordinaire

Through the Lens of Vivian Hsu, Photographer Extraordinaire

Vivian Hsu has always attributed her love for art to her mother, a dance teacher in Taiwan. Throughout the years, she has delved into fashion design, cinematography, painting and more. It wasn’t until high school when she became a yearbook editor that she found her passion for photography.

“I just really loved doing photoshoots and knew that was going to be my route in life,” Hsu said.

With a clear vision in mind, Hsu attended the Art Institute of Seattle and landed a job for a portrait company. Wanting more creative freedom, she decided to take on freelance photography.

“I wanted to find my own way and see what I could build. That’s how it started and that’s where I am today,” she said.

Hsu took the Greater Seattle area by storm and collaborated with multiple local publications like The Seattle Times and 425 Magazine, along with dozens of renowned clients like Microsoft and Nordstrom. While her love for photography continues today, Hsu found a new love: the event world.

 

Finding Her Place in the Heart of Bellevue

During her 16 years working as a freelance photographer, Hsu has managed to meld her other art interest into her own work, one of them being fashion.

“Being someone who has always been into sewing and making clothes, I love fashion shows,” Hsu said. “It’s like a combination of my two greatest loves: fashion and photography.”

Paired with her love for fashion, Hsu has documented numerous shows including The Bravern Fashion Week and Bellevue Fashion Week. During these events, Hsu realized that the event world could become her new stomping ground. You can now find her as the Recreation Assistant for the City of Bellevue.

"My favorite part about events is the social aspect. Seeing everyone getting dressed up, the familiar faces around town, and just being part of the community," she said. "I just love that Bellevue is this thriving and growing city and I get to be a part of that."

This year, she has helped cover the Bellevue 4th of July Fireworks Show along with smaller-scale events like family-friendly theatre productions.

“I’m doing a lot of planning and producing with the City of Bellevue, and I feel like it’s a big step into that role where I can do a bit of everything,” she said. “I will always have photography in my life, but I hope to do more in the vein of production in the future.”

 

Follow Vivian Hsu on social to see more of her photography and Bellevue event updates!

 

 

Photo courtesy of Vivian Hsu

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This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.