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New York-based photographer Lanna Apisukh<\/a> has had a fascinating path to professional photography. The talented portrait, food, and documentary photographer has been an elite gymnast, a skateboarder, and worked in the corporate world before finding her footing as a pro photographer. <\/p>\n Apisukh sat down with PetaPixel to discuss her career, unique artistic voice, and how she works hard to improve visibility and representation in photography as a Thai-American photographer. The Fujifilm ambassador also spoke about a recent honor: winning the International Photographic Council\u2019s (IPC) 2025 Professional Photographer Achievement Award<\/a>. <\/p>\n The IPC Professional Photographer Achievement Award <\/p>\n The International Photographic Council has been dedicated to showcasing the power of photography since 1974, highlighting the medium\u2019s immense power to enrich communication across different cultures. The awards ceremony, held in May at the United Nations in New York City, provided Apisukh a rare, welcome opportunity to reflect and celebrate her career with her supportive parents. <\/p>\n \u201cI was just in shock,\u201d Apisukh says of winning the IPC Professional Photographer Achievement Award. \u201cI thought, \u2018That\u2019s so nice of Fujifilm to nominate me.\u2019 I\u2019d never won an award before, or a physical award.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s literally a medal you get and it\u2019s put around your neck like you\u2019re at the Olympics or something, and that was really special,\u201d the photographer tells PetaPixel. \u201cI felt so proud in that moment.\u201d <\/p>\n Apisukh found out that she had won just a few weeks before the ceremony, so she quickly told her parents, and they flew into town to join their daughter at the awards luncheon. <\/p>\n \u201cI think that was one of my favorite parts, just having my parents there to share the award and experience with,\u201d Apisukh says. <\/p>\n Apisukh, like so many photographers, even ones as talented as she is, found it hard to believe she was sharing the stage with longtime industry veterans like photojournalist David Burnett, John Gress, David Bergman, Jean Fruth, and others. <\/p>\n Apisukh was also there alongside another Fujifilm ambassador, Yolanda Hoskey, who won the 2025 Photographic Rising Star Achievement. \u2028<\/p>\n \u201cI was so happy for [Yolanda],\u201d Lanna says. \u201cShe\u2019s just so talented!\u201d <\/p>\n For Apisukh, having her parents at the awards ceremony was especially meaningful. While she says they have always been supportive of all her endeavors, it took them a little bit to get fully on board. <\/p>\n \u201cThey get it now, they fully, 100% get it. Now that I\u2019m getting bigger jobs and assignments with big publications and awards now, they\u2019re just super proud and very supportive of what I do,\u201d Apisukh says. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful to have them as my parents, they\u2019re always cheerleading, and it feels really, really awesome.\u201d <\/p>\n However, she admits that when she left her full-time, 9-to-5 office job in tech, \u201ca great salary job with good money,\u201d to pursue photography full-time, her parents were confused. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s pretty normal. I think for most parents have have children trying to pursue a creative career or photography, they\u2019d react the same way. I think I would if I were a parent,\u201d Apisukh says. <\/p>\n It\u2019s a considerable risk going into a creative field, especially as a freelancer, and especially when it means giving up a stable, secure job. <\/p>\n Apisukh\u2019s parents have fully come around now, especially as their daughter gets new and greater opportunities not just to make a living but to make a meaningful impact on the world through photography. <\/p>\n Lanna also attributes her upbringing to helping her stay driven and hard-working in everything she has done. From the early-morning gymnastics training sessions before school to becoming a talented skateboarder, she has also been self-motivated and laser-focused. <\/p>\n \u201cThat sort of \u2018gymnastics\u2019 mindset has helped me along my way as a creative person. As a freelancer, you\u2019re always having to hustle and you\u2019re out there by yourself. So I think my background was good training for me now as a freelance photographer.\u201d <\/p>\n As for her photographic journey, Apisukh first picked up a camera in high school. While she says her dad \u201calways carried a camera or video camera\u201d around her and her brother when they were growing up and was constantly documenting the family \u2014 \u201cwe have stacks and stacks of photo albums and archives of family memories\u201d \u2014 Apisukh herself felt inspired to document her world. <\/p>\n \u201cI subscribed to so many different fashion magazines, Vogue, Harper\u2019s Bazaar, 17, all those magazines. Seeing those images was really inspiring. I always wanted to be able to make portraits like that,\u201d the photographer says. <\/p>\n When she eventually got her first camera, a \u201cpoint and shoot,\u201d Apisukh quickly became \u201cobsessed.\u201d <\/p>\n So when she went to college, Apisukh majored in photography. <\/p>\n However, she admits the pictures she made \u201csucked really badly.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cIt was horrible. I didn\u2019t know how to use a camera. Then I was trying to figure out shutter speed and ISO and aperture, the technical parts, and burning and dodging prints in the darkroom,\u201d Apisukh recalls. \u201cI loved making the image, but I felt like I wasn\u2019t getting the results I wanted.\u201d <\/p>\n Apisukh says she lost her drive and lacked the talent she wanted. She eventually switched her major to English. <\/p>\n \u201cI knew I wouldn\u2019t get anywhere with photography with the pictures I was making back then,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n So the teenager who fell in love with photography because the young adult who had left the camera behind, and it stayed that way for years. <\/p>\n However, when Apisukh moved from the Pacific Northwest to New York after college, she eventually found a reason to pick a camera back up again. <\/p>\n \u201cI needed something I could travel with to visit some friends in Europe,\u201d Apisukh says. She bought a Fujifilm digital camera, got on a plane, and felt her love for photography \u2014 documenting her world \u2014 return. <\/p>\n With a fresh new energy for capturing images, the self-motivated photographer dove back into photographic education, albeit without the pressure of a college tuition hanging over her head. <\/p>\n \u201cI took a ton of workshops. There was a place, Brooklyn Central \u2014 it\u2019s no longer around. My friend Justin Lin, a professional photographer for many years, opened a small photo school in Dumbo and I took every class they offered. When I finished that, I wanted to continue to pursue photography again and learn more and get formal training, so I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology,\u201d Apisukh says. <\/p>\n \u201cI did a certificate program, used the darkroom again, learned post-production, like Photoshop and Lightroom, learned studio lighting,\u201d she continues. <\/p>\n Apisukh had the creative space to play and experiment, and soon enough, she was getting photo jobs. This was in 2018, and by 2021, she was full-time. <\/p>\n She cites the creative energy and community of New York City as a big reason why she found her way back to photography and had much better success the second go-round. <\/p>\n She also found her way back to shooting film, which she has always loved, but was not always able to get the results she wanted. <\/p>\n Shooting film again forced Apisukh to slow down, which gave her a better chance to talk to her subjects and capture more powerful portraits, a recipe she has since carried through into her digital work. She shoots film when she can, but says specific jobs simply require digital cameras instead. <\/p>\n \u201cI use both. I\u2019ve done some assignments on film, but shooting with digital is a lot more economical and practical,\u201d Apisukh says. When doing editorial work where clients need photos immediately, digital is sometimes the only viable option. <\/p>\n Much of Apisukh\u2019s portfolio comprises portraits taken out in the real world, on location, and event coverage photojournalism. While it would be nice to have studio lights in every situation, it\u2019s simply not possible. For Apisukh, a small off-camera flash can do a ton of heavy lifting. <\/p>\n \u201cI like being in control of where the shadows fall and what\u2019s being highlighted in the scene,\u201d she says. \u201cI also love color, and I think [flash] really helps the color pop and helps the subject pop a bit more.\u201d <\/p>\n She likes holding the flash in her left hand, camera in the right, and shooting with complete flexibility and freedom in the moment. <\/p>\n An expert portrait photographer, Apisukh gravitates more towards the same lenses that a street or documentary photographer might use, like a GF 50mm f\/3.5 on her Fujifilm GFX 100S II camera or a 23mm prime on her Fujifilm X Series bodies, which each offer around the same equivalent focal length (40mm and 35mm). <\/p>\n She also generally resists the siren call of portrait photography to use the fastest possible aperture at all times and completely soften the background. <\/p>\n \u201cI remember at the beginning of my career, I was shooting a 50mm f\/1.8, a \u2018nifty 50,\u2019 and I was like, \u2018Let\u2019s just see how blurry we can get the background.\u2019 I think every photographer goes through that phase,\u201d Apisukh remarks. \u201cBut I\u2019m like, \u2018What the hell is going on in the background?\u2019 I want to see what\u2019s happening back there to tell the story. So yeah, I\u2019m shooting a little bit wider for events and sometimes portraits too.\u201d <\/p>\n Embracing and Empowering Diversity in Photography <\/p>\n Alongside being a Fujifilm ambassador, Apisukh is a member of Diversify Photo<\/a>, an organization dedicated to providing more changes for non-western, BIPOC, and visual creatives from underrepresented groups to develop their skills, build their network, and be considered for opportunities and jobs. <\/p>\n \u201cDiversify is amazing,\u201d Apisukh says. \u201cI applied to their group in 2020 \u2014 they were doing a call for photographers \u2014 and I was applying to every grant I could.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been amazing for me as a photographer, as a resource, and just the opportunities that have been provided through being a part of Diversify. They\u2019ve really changed the culture in the photo industry and they\u2019re championing diversity and getting more jobs for BIPOC photographers.\u201d <\/p>\n Apisukh recalls her first job for The New York Times, its Styles desk, coming through Diversify after a photo editor at the Times found Apisukh in the Diversify database. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really changed my career,\u201d Apisukh says. <\/p>\n Apisukh says that since Diversify Photo started in 2017, she has seen so many more bylines for BIPOC photographers. \u201cIt\u2019s really great to be part of that community.\u201d <\/p>\n Apisukh notes that it can be crucial when covering specific communities to have photographers who are actually part of that community. For instance, a woman photographer who skateboards is a much better fit to photograph women who skateboard in New York City. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good to use a photographer from that community to make images for a campaign, brand, or story, and I\u2019m glad more editors and producers and buyers are recognizing that more and more,\u201d Apisukh says. <\/p>\n Keeping the Creative Flow Through Personal Projects <\/p>\n While Apisukh keeps a steady rotation of professional jobs, she also makes time for personal projects. Her series on women and non-binary skateboarders, Everybody Skate<\/a>, has not only continued to be an amazing project for her on a personal level but has also helped open new professional doors, too. <\/p>\n Freshman<\/a> chronicles the life of an American teenager and high school student, Atticus Klasek Stanndard, as he navigates growing up in a new place. <\/p>\n Ordinary Observations<\/a> is an eclectic collection of seemingly regular objects presented in very irregular and creative ways. <\/p>\n One of Apisukh\u2019s ongoing personal projects, Permanent Vacation, focuses on her elderly parents as they live an adventurous life in retirement. <\/p>\n \u201cThey had their own Thai restaurant in central Florida and were working nonstop, didn\u2019t take vacation days. Restaurant work is really hard work, so now they\u2019re just living their best lives and enjoying retirement,\u201d Apisukh says. \u201cIt\u2019s been so fun to follow them in their leisure time now. It\u2019s been a great project for me and it gets the creative juices flowing. There\u2019s no deadline, I\u2019m just doing it on my own time, and it\u2019s been enjoyable using photography to connect with family.\u201d <\/p>\n While Permanent Vacation is relatively new, and really just for fun, Apisukh says it has already led to some new professional opportunities. <\/p>\n \u201c[My parents] are really adventurous people. They travel more than I do, I think. I mean, I know for sure they do. They\u2019re always out in the world doing stuff,\u201d Apisukh says. \u201cEver since they retired, I feel like they\u2019re just doing all this stuff.\u201d <\/p>\n And sometimes, Apisukh is there, armed with her camera, capturing her parents\u2019 adventures. <\/p>\n \u201cI was at Photoville in June and I had an exhibit with their images,\u201d Apisukh says of her parents, who came to see it with their daughter. \u201cThey were so excited about that, and that was really special.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThat right there was why I do this. I got to make my parents happy and proud. Good old-fashioned family fun.\u201d <\/p>\n Image credits:<\/strong> All photographs by Lanna Apisukh unless otherwise noted. You can see more of her work on her website<\/a> and on Instagram<\/a>. <\/p>\n ![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/lanna-ipc-awards-680x800.jpg\")
Lanna Apisukh at the IPC Hall of Fame & Professional Photographer Awards Luncheon \u2014 May 2025 | Photography courtesy @fredmarcusstudio_Juan and Fujifilm\u2019s Brandon Remler <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/lanna-portrait-fujifilm-557x800.jpg\")
Lanna Apisukh | Credit: Fujifilm Growing Up in a Supportive Environment <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-9_1-800x534.jpg\")
Timy, a Toy Poodle from Korea gets groomed by Braxton Hernandez before competition at The 149th Westminster Dog Show, Canine Celebration, February 10, 2025 at Javits Convention Center in New York, NY. ![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-2-800x534.jpg\")
New York, NY, November 23, 2022: Lunchtime at S&P on Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. Formerly known as Eisenberg Sandwich, the popular sandwich counter had a change in ownership this year and is now operated by Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross of Court Street Grocers. Food pictured here includes: Ruben sandwich (bottom), Dinkelburger (left), Matzoh ball soup, and Jersey Joe sandwich (far right). <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-4_1-534x800.jpg\")
New York, New York, September 27, 2022: Comedian Nick Kroll in his room at The Bowery Hotel on Tuesday early evening. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-7840_1-533x800.jpg\")
Willa Bennett the Editor-in-Chief of global fashion magazine, Highsnobiety poses for a portrait inside the Bowling Green subway station near her offices in New York, New York on April 12, 2024. Finding, Losing, and Finding Photography Again <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-3467_1-534x800.jpg\")
1000th Wordle Celebration at Empire State Building with Questlove on March 14, 2024 in New York City. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-0195_1-600x800.jpg\")
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul with their Mezcal brand, Dos Hombres at the Bowery Hotel, Tuesday, November 21, 2023. Photo: Lanna Apisukh <\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-_1-800x534.jpg\")
Queens, New York, December 10, 2022: Chilled caviar served on a custom made ice luge bar at Grad Conn and Rachel Lyn Honig\u2019s wedding event on Saturday evening at the TWA Hotel located at JFK airport. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-8_1-534x800.jpg\")
Jessel Taank at the Warren Street Hotel after the Sabyasachi fashion week party on September 10, 2024 in New York, NY. Creating a Studio on the Street <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-5_1-800x600.jpg\")
Breakdancer Sunny Choi at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, New York on February 8, 2024. Photo: Lanna Apisukh \/ TIME. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-6_1-800x600.jpg\")
Alyssa Farah Griffin getting hair done by Joey Gomes and makeup touch ups by Dede Ruggeri in her dressing room before a filming of The View at ABC studios on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in New York, New York. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1343_1-800x534.jpg\")
New York City Ballet\u2019s Principal Dancer, Harrison Ball poses for a portrait on stage inside David H. Koch Theater on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Ball will give his final performance with the company dancing in George Balanchine\u2018s Haieff Divertimento this weekend. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LannaApisukh-1-2_1-800x534.jpg\")
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