How a Fearful Car Wreck Made Celine Chhuon Turn to Photography

In this episode, Cloud9 interviews Celine Chhuon, a Parisian based photographer driven to capture the precious and fleeting moments in life. Born in France, to parents of Chinese origin who fled Cambodia during the civil war, she recalls developing a creative inclination and attraction to beauty at a young age.

In this interview, Celine opens up about how Abdu’l-Baha came to her in a dream, standing at the foot of the shrine, asking her to come to him, which impelled Celine to become a Baha’i in her 20s. Having developed a love and skill in photography as a hobby, Celine shares that it was a fearful car accident some years later, which encouraged her to reflect on her life’s purpose, and soon propelled her to quit her job in marketing and devote her life to the art of photography.

Challenging the societal standard of beauty, Celine encourages us to recalibrate our minds, as she shares her commitment to capturing the sincere and authentic nature of her subjects, through delicate details and natural beauty. An attitude of service drives her work, as she aims to portray the love of souls, beauty, diversity and unity through her bright, whimsical images. Photographing primarily in analog formats, she believes this makes her work timeless, whilst also encouraging a meditative practice, remaining highly focused and conscious as she tries to capture one’s soul in a fleeting moment.

You can see more of Celine’s work below, or on Instagram.