Wini Lao

Wini Lao Wini creates high-quality, bright + vivid photography & stop motions for purpose-driven brands and solopreneurs. Want to be included in her roster?

Wini Lao is a New York City-based brand photographer and stop motion artist who champions purpose-driven brands and solopreneurs. Her ultimate goal is to help brands (big, small and personal) amplify their voices. You can find Wini preparing for an exciting product launch, photographing an event, shooting crisp social media imagery or capturing a solopreneur in her element. From working with blogg

ers and entrepreneurs to global brands, Wini has created content that elevates, inspires, and defines brands. True to her mission, she also runs an Instagram series with tips designed to help aspiring photographers and solopreneurs grow. Never without a camera in hand, Wini’s passion for photography started at an early age. From experimenting with a hand-me-down point-and-shoot to saving up and purchasing her own camera at age 16, her ultimate subjects were the dynamic streets of Manhattan. In 2017, Wini made this passion her day job—transitioning from a civil engineer to a full-time photographer. She built a strong community and network of wellness bloggers, fellow photographers, and other entrepreneurs. Her client roster boasts athleisure, beauty, and lifestyle brands including: Peloton, Lululemon, Girl and Hair, Kinfield and Modern Picnic. Contact her at www.winilao.com/contact

💛 Gold Gala 2026 💛I remember watching the very first Gold Gala on my Instagram — all Asian actors and actresses across f...
05/14/2026

💛 Gold Gala 2026 💛

I remember watching the very first Gold Gala on my Instagram — all Asian actors and actresses across film and TV, in the same room, at the same time. It blew my mind. I felt seen. Like we finally had a seat at the table, not just a side role in someone else’s story.

And five years later… I’m standing in that room, trusted as one of the photographers capturing those key moments. I’m still processing it.

Thank you for this incredible assignment 💛. Swipe to the last image to celebrate everyone behind the scenes that made the gala run smoothly.

So many stunning images to choose from, but these felt truest to my eye and to the energy of the talent in that room. The people featured were so warm, so kind — it made every shot that much more special.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .abellera, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grateful, thankful 💚

One of my long-term clients, .and.kin has made the hard decision to close their business, and I’m feeling all the bitter...
04/06/2026

One of my long-term clients, .and.kin has made the hard decision to close their business, and I’m feeling all the bittersweet emotions. We’ve been collaborators since 2019!! What a journey it’s been!

My friend introduced me to .and.kin to photograph their launch party, and from there, a beautiful relationship was born. Through the pandemic, I was even featured on their blog (peep that young photo of Wini 😄). Back then, I was shooting PDP images in my living room while still learning studio lighting.

Years later, they trusted me with a full photo and video shoot of their iconic Icon Backpack. This shoot is when I first learned to direct video. Swipe to see! What a full-circle, growth-filled ride.

And on a personal note: I still own and carry my first Bee&Kin backpack. It’s traveled the world with me and holds up to this day.

Thank you, .dimitriou, for your trust, your friendship, and for being such a meaningful part of my creative journey. Wishing you nothing but wonderful things in your next chapter. 🤍

Thank you to all the collaborators.
I’m sad I never posted these. It’s never too late.

🌸A Spring Dream with Elizabeth Arden and Leighton Meester 🌺This event was a dream come true. A beautiful venue. An amazi...
03/27/2026

🌸A Spring Dream with Elizabeth Arden and Leighton Meester 🌺

This event was a dream come true. A beautiful venue. An amazing talent. Kind-hearted vendors and clients. It still feels like a dream.

It was my first time shooting in .events. A beautiful gorgeous venue, but it presented its own challenges. The client wanted the photo moment against the backdrop of NYC. During our site visit, we realized the photo moment would be backlit. The production team added lights for phone photos. And I added my own portable speed light to brighten up every person. A lot of quick thinking on the spot and my amazing editor color corrected the lighting in post.

was so sweet to work with. Kind. Beautiful. Sooooo sweet and patient. At the end of the event while getting approvals from her, she kindly said to me “wow you’re an amazing photographer. The photos look amazing. You direct really well”. And all I could muffle out of my mouth was a quiet “ohhh…yeah….i shoot a lot…..” 😅😅.

Thank you for trusting me on this!! Congrats to your first perfume launch in 9 years!!

And thank you for the quickest edits. This lady turned around all the key images before the event ended. 🙌

Photos:
Digi/Editor:
Venue: .events
Florals:
Aura tent:

This was such a fun one! We spent two days running around DUMBO, Brooklyn, bringing this shoot to life. I took on the du...
02/24/2026

This was such a fun one! We spent two days running around DUMBO, Brooklyn, bringing this shoot to life. I took on the dual role of director and photographer, and we set up our base of operations at our studio, handling all hair, makeup, and wardrobe there. From the studio, we moved between the rooftop and a handful of carefully scouted locations found during pre-production. The whole production came together seamlessly — two incredibly efficient days made possible by an amazing, dedicated team. So grateful for everyone’s hard work and energy involved!

These photos are specific to the ones captured with Eleanor :)

Always grateful for the team:
Photographer/Director -
Client
Executive Producer -
DP -
Digital Tech -
1st Assistant - .mars
2nd Assistant -
Motion Assistant -
Make Up Artist -
Make Up Assistant -
Hair Stylist - .lee
Hair Stylist Assistant
Wardrobe Stylist -
Wardrobe Stylist Assistant -
Talent - .16
Catering -
Producer -
PA -
PA -

12/19/2025

Ya’I!!!!! This project came from the heart 💚. Murray’s Cheese has been part of my life since high school. In 2008, my gastronomy teacher took us on a field trip to her favorite food spots and Murray’s Cheese was on top of the list. Fast forward to 2025...I got to photograph for them!!!! A full circle. It felt right.

It was tons of hard work behind the scenes. It took four months from the 1st meeting to final deliverables. I hand drew each storyboard for every scene. We had many conversations about art direction. We coordinated props, cheese and fridge pickups and drop offs. I stepped in to assist as much as I can because it was a long shoot day. I worked on the post-production for weeks to nail down timing (so many layers and mask - how do you ya’ll video people do this!!).

A shoutout to Caroline Yi - my right hand lady who was there for every production needs. Could not have done this without her!!!!!

The fantasies team:
Photographer/Director: Wini Lao
Producer: Caroline Yi
1st Photo Assistant: Mars Alba
2nd Photo Assistant: Jeong Park
Digital Tech: Chelsea Marrin
Food Stylist: Hadley Sui / Big Leo
Food Stylist Assistants: Katherine Sprung, Albane Sharrard
Prop Stylist: Kounthear Kuch
Prop Stylist Assistant: Gabrielle Milan

Ya’ll!!!! This project came from the heart 💚. Murray’s Cheese has been part of my life since I was in High School. In 20...
12/19/2025

Ya’ll!!!! This project came from the heart 💚. Murray’s Cheese has been part of my life since I was in High School. In 2008, my gastronomy teacher took us on a field trip to her favorite food spots and Murray’s Cheese was on top of the list. Find a young photo of me at the end. Fast forward to 2025…I got to photograph for them!!!! A full circle. Felt right.

It was tons of hard work behind the scenes. It took three months from the 1st meeting to final deliverables. I hand drew each storyboard for every scene. We had many conversations about art direction. We coordinated props, cheese and fridge pickups and drop offs. I stepped in to assist as much as I can because it was a long shoot day.

A shoutout to Caroline Yi - my right hand lady who was there for every production needs. Could not have done this without her!!!!!

Photographer/Director: Wini Lao
Producer: Caroline Yi
1st Photo Assistant: Mars Alba
2nd Photo Assistant: Jeong Park
Digital Tech: Chelsea Marrin
Food Stylist: Hadley Sui / Big Leo
Food Stylist Assistants: Katherine Sprung, Albane Sharrard
Prop Stylist: Kounthear Kuch
Prop Stylist Assistant: Gabrielle Milan

I supposed it’s time to share some more work :)I was inspired by layering sheer fabric and asked to create this colorfu...
10/29/2025

I supposed it’s time to share some more work :)

I was inspired by layering sheer fabric and asked to create this colorful world with me. The vision was making the bottles feel like it’s “bouncing” off the fabric.

Thank you for your amazing styling. Thank you .mars for always hopping in to assist. And major love to who saw my passion and provided alll the support 💚

All smiles from Myea as we go into the weekend. Couldn’t choose a favorite from this Fox and Jane shoot so I’m uploading...
12/06/2024

All smiles from Myea as we go into the weekend. Couldn’t choose a favorite from this Fox and Jane shoot so I’m uploading them all :)

Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Client

Photos by
Thank you for all your help!!!

Creative Direction

Talented Models: .earyes .Camila

The Talented Hair Stylists:
.dye

Make up and her amazing assistant

Fashion Stylist

Shot at

Creating joy through photography ✨Photographed by me (Wini Lao)Styled by Layla Kenney
10/04/2024

Creating joy through photography ✨

Photographed by me (Wini Lao)
Styled by Layla Kenney

🎶 When in Peru, have to talk about . 🎶 I spent ten lovely days in Peru this month. I hiked and ate my way through the co...
05/22/2024

🎶 When in Peru, have to talk about . 🎶

I spent ten lovely days in Peru this month. I hiked and ate my way through the country and wish I was still eating fresh ceviche and causa every day. Looking back, my adventures gave me so much nostalgia for the shoot we did last year for .

This is how I knew the art direction for was executed accurately.

* Colors - Our photos beautifully captured the colors I saw everyday in Peru - bright yellow (nod to the architecture), sea teal blue (use in dinnerware and architecture) and red-purple (the chicha morada beverage).

* Gathering - Everywhere I look, there is a gathering of friends and family. We added that element in our photos by always including multiple drinks, never a singular drink. In Peru, our tour guide told us that most people go home to eat with family and only eat out on special occasians. Or we often found families gathering together in the park watching a Michael Jackson impersonator. Without a doubt, there was always a gather of laughter, good music and delicious food.

* Fruits - Every family brews their chicha morada differently. But there is always a combination of pineapple, lime, purple corn (of course) and other fruits. We tried to add the fruits and ingredient elements into each frame. It’s so delicious!

* Lighting - due to the near perfect weather in some areas of Peru, most gatherings happen outdoors. We wanted that beautiful sunset lighting to emulate supper time-of-day.

I am obsessed with Peru and so glad I experienced the South American hospitality when I was there. Unfortunately, everything good has to come to an end (a life lesson here…). I’m back in NYC and dreaming about my next ceviche.

➡️Swipe for photos from our shoot, food and architecture during my Peru travels and a happy photo of me in Machu Picchu.

Thank you to this robust team for making this shoot happen, keeping on schedule while having fun:
Client: Miraflores, a chicha morada liqueur
Production: Gaudrey INC.
Art Director: Elyse Edwards
Photo: Wini Lao
Props/Surfaces: Paola Andrea
Drink: Veronica Martinez
Prop Assistant: Sarah Foster
Photo Assistant: Amanda Lynn Kim

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