Yu Tsai: the man behind L’Beauté Homme’s covers

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Yu Tsai: the man behind L’Beauté Homme’s covers

Por L'Beauté

Yu Tsai is the fashion and beauty photographer behind the L’Beauté Homme’s covers of Jason Isaacs and Jay Shetty. For an artist who sees the world through a uniquely captivating lens, Yu Tsai needs no introduction. Beyond the epic world of beauty and high fashion, he’s a familiar face on television, serving as a creative consultant and judge on the hit show America’s Next Top Model.

We’re diving deeper, getting to know his inspirations, his creative process, and what continues to drive his remarkable career.

L’BEAUTÉ: What initially drew you to photography, especially celebrity and fashion photography?

YU TSAI: I began as a biologist, but felt a strong drive to express myself through visual art. My first approach was in development and as a director in the film industry. Pursuing celebrity and fashion became the natural direction, because I’m a storyteller, at heart.

LB: How do you translate your creative vision into a photograph?

YT: Drawing from a lot of visual references, including painting, film, and photography, I use my vocabulary to visualize the best way to reinterpret what I’m conveying in each image.

LB: Can you walk us through your typical process from concept to the final result of a photoshoot?

YT: It always begins with the story. Who is the character that we’re exploring for each project and what would they be doing? Then the narrative begins to build itself.

LB: We’ve collaborated with you on amazing covers like Jay Shetty and Jason Isaacs, what’s the key to making celebrities feel comfortable to let their authentic selves in front of the camera?

YT: When I show up for the shoot, I bring my most authentic self and it gives the talent permission to play and unveil their own authenticity.

LB: What motivated you to transition into television as a host, judge and creative consultant on shows like America’s Next Top Model, amongst others?

YT: One of my passions as a photographer is to encourage talent to move outside of their comfort zone. I love coaching talent, especially young talent, who show promise but might be inhibited from expressing it. This led to me being requested to consult and judge, because I can articulate where their movement and expression is not coming through.

LB: How do you balance it all, being a world renowned photographer and tv host?

YT: Working on these shows is very inspiring and it fuels my creativity, rather than slowing it down.

LB: As someone who was born in Taiwan and moved to the US at a young age, how does your culture influence your perspective in your work?

YT: My culture plays a large part in my process, as my first language has a lot of poetry that isn’t always expressed in English. Sometimes, I find myself using visual metaphors that are very unexpected.

LB: What advice would you give to photographers who are starting or trying to get into the industry?

YT: Anyone who wants to develop their career should start by learning how to see and establish their point of view. They should find all the things that inspire them and learn how to incorporate these ideas into their own work.

LB: Besides photography and television, are there any other professional ventures you’re interested in exploring?

YT: Designing homes and spaces is another passion of mine. In a way, its another type of storytelling.

LB: How do you think that AI (artificial intelligence) has impacted the photography industry as a whole?

YT: AI is an incredible tool that will help a lot with pre-visualizing projects. It doesn’t replace creative people, but streamlines a lot of tedious tasks and enables you to create more work, more quickly.

LB: How do you define success in your multifaceted career?

YT: Success for me is being able to express myself through everything I take on and having the space in my life to spend time with my kid.

LB: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned through your journey in the creative industry?

YT: Authenticity. Always stay true to your vision and you’ll be able to continue creating.