Stephanie Lee

A small side story about working on Singapore’s Longest Curved HDB Corridor for @ricemedia.co . I spent a blazing afternoon walking the corridors at 34 Whampoa West looking for profiles. Strangers welcomed me into their homes, shared their stories, and insisted I take their cold drinks. Those small gestures stayed with me in a heartwarming way. While crossing the road to make my way home that day, I saw an elderly cardboard collector drop a stack of boxes on the floor. Many people walked past her, but no one stopped to help. It felt uncomfortable to spend the day surrounded by kindness, only to witness an opposite of it later. Even now, I still can’t quite wrap my head around it — just as I can’t fully comprehend many of the things happening around the world today. Still, work had to be done, and thankfully, I was reminded again that compassion hasn’t dissipated each time I returned to the block. People who didn’t owe me anything offered their time, their patience, and their space. As we close out a turbulent year, may this be my reminder to take heart, to notice the good wherever it appears, and to keep going. . . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #editorialphotography #film #filmphotography #longestcurvedhdbcorridor

Your Favourite Disappointment | 真的是白疼你了 (2019 - Ongoing) There was a time when being myself seemed possible only at a distance from the familiar. Then crisis arrived, and the distance collapsed. I was left to trace the map of kinship, reminded that both its weight and its warmth have formed who I am. I’ve never been comfortable in front of the camera (too self-conscious for my own good), but over the past year I’ve begun exploring it as part of my practice. As I navigate my inner world of family ties, I can’t help but wonder—do others feel the same? I’ll be sharing more about this work at @nationallibrarysg this Sunday! 
⏰ 2.30pm – 4pm
📍 National Library Building, L1 Lobby Shot on @polaroid . . . . . #YourFavouriteDisappointment #真的是白疼你了 #photography #personalproject #documentary #documentaryphotography #documentaryphotographer #documentaryphoto #documentaryproject #film #filmphotography #polaroid #instantfilm

My first photo essay for @ricemedia.co - Looking for Lone Diners in a World Where a Table for One Raises Eyebrows As a frequent lone diner, I was curious about the rationale behind people who have their meals by themselves. For me, it was about the speed of deciding where to go and what to eat. Lunchtime was precious when we were working and I used that time to catch up on shows or use the time saved from dining with others to run errands. I went around asking lone diners if they could be interviewed and photographed and I got rejected 7 out of 10 times. Many times, I had wanted to give up, and I questioned the purpose of doing this story even more so. Many months after the story was published, while I was lamenting about the purpose of photography in a world flooded with images, I received an email. It came from the sister of Mr Fairuz - the first profile who let me interview and photograph. During my encounter with him, Fairuz was kind and open in sharing his story. He even agreed to move to another table so I could get more light for the photograph. In the email, Fairuz’s sister broke the news to me that he had passed on and had asked if I could share his photos with her for their family’s keepsake. 3 months later, Fairuz’s cousin reached out saying that reading about our short exchange had provided him comfort - a testament of the amazing person Fairuz was. Maybe there’s a reason for putting out stories and photographs after all.

The end of 2025 also marked the end of my journey with @ricemedia.co — a place that Banking Steph would never have dreamt of stepping foot in. Looking back at these photos brought back so many memories from the past three-plus years. Almost every shoot at RICE felt like an adventure. We travelled by sea, wandered through forests, and were welcomed into the most intimate spaces of our profiles. I’m endlessly appreciative to every one of them who trusted us with their stories and vulnerability. Because of them, I got to experience a slice of their world while they challenged and stretched mine. I also had the privilege of working with so many talented colleagues, each with their own specialities and ways of seeing. Many of whom have become my friends. I still see them on weekends, and have even taken overseas trips with them. I would often receive a skeptical look when I tell others I’m hanging out with my RICE colleagues — but truly, they’ve become my people. RICE also gave me space to expand beyond the usual understanding of visuals in a documentary setting. I explored different mediums — digital, film, instant — and even got to physically manipulate photographs and experiment with new video techniques - so long as the intention is clear. I’m leaving a very different person from when I had first joined, more curious than ever, more open to differing opinions and worldviews, and more comfortable with trying new and unconventional things. All of them I’m deeply grateful for. I am moving into a new season of my photographic journey, and I can’t wait for the adventure ahead 🌌 Thank you, RICE, for everything.

Because of the nature of this article on toxic work culture, all the profiles requested anonymity. I needed to find a way to communicate the pressure and tensions of the working world without showing any faces. I spent time photographing scenes in the CBD, and censored all the faces with stickers to suggest what can’t always be said out loud. 📄: Panic Attacks, Crying in Cars: The Emotional Toll of ‘Fast-Paced’ Workplaces ✍️: @hydefpics . . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #editorialphotography #workplace #cbd

Singaporean Enough is a series by @ricemedia.co featuring stories of immigrants who have made Singapore their home. C & H minimart has been around for more than 25 years, and stepping inside felt like I was transported back to the ’90s.Tikam-tikam machines are neatly lined up outside while on the inside, there’s a cosy kind of chaos, as shelves were filled with snacks and drinks, and there’s even a small samosa station. As customers came and went, Zhao Hui, who has been running the minimart since 2017, chatted with them easily, laughing along as they teased him about being “famous”. It’s the kind of everyday warmth you don’t quite find in a supermarket. 📄: From Tianjin to Woodlands: An Immigrant’s Journey To Be a Singaporean Minimart Owner ✍️: @kimblurlee . . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #editorialphotography #minimart #mamashop

When I read the photo brief by @lazyadventurer for Meet Felix Nai, the Singaporean Indigo Craftsman Who Learnt to Dye in Japan for @ricemedia.co ; I was immediately drawn to Felix’s craft as a natural indigo dyer. After spending time in Japan learning from a grandmaster of this art form, he went on to start @goodriddance_sg , using indigo dyeing as a way to repair and renew fabric. Seeing his textiles, I was struck by their depth and texture. Making @polaroid emulsion lifts for the photographs in this article felt like a natural way to respond to his work, and I went on to explore that in this shoot. . . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #editorialphotography #indigodye #film #filmphotography #polaroid #polaroidlift

We met @danelle__tan when she was back in Singapore for the holidays in 2024, at the time playing for Borussia Dortmund in Germany. I photographed her during a training session. Watching her move through her drills, it was clear that her tenacity and discipline had brought her here. She’s been chasing this dream since childhood, choosing an unconventional path by putting her studies on hold to pursue football. She feels like a role model for the generations of young girls who will come after her. She is undoubtedly the person who reflects a value that becoming a professional in doing what you love is possible when you hold onto your dream and keep choosing it, even when it asks for sacrifice. Shot for @ricemedia.co : Meet Danelle Tan, the 19-Year-Old Who Chose a German Football Club Over University ✍️ : @kimblurlee . . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #fieldshoot #editorialphotography #femalefootballers #footballphotography

@r.ainrr : Can we photograph Kimberley with feet? Me: OKAY. We were very excited when senior podiatrist Kimberley Leow said yes to our moodboard — and even more so when she gamely played along with expressions for our tongue-in-cheek piece, Getting People to Love Feet is No Mean Feat for @ricemedia.co After the shoot, I asked for her advice about some foot pain — she identified the issue with a quick feel, taught me an easy fix, and I’ve been pain-free since. Assisted by: @xueqi.jpg . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #studioshoot #editorialphotography #feet #podiatrist

Ran around Singapore—Ang Mo Kio, Textile Centre, Jurong—chasing photos for The Mysterious Origins of Deity Altars in Carparks and Hawker Centres for @ricemedia.co . Aunty Gey Nga and Uncle Kok Tiong were the only two profiles for this piece. After some gentle convincing for a photoshoot, they insisted on treating me to very good local coffee next door and steaming longevity buns. Always grateful for the kindness that comes with telling these stories. Heart is full. ❤️ 🖋️Sin Ka Lam . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #fieldshoot #editorialphotography

As this was a deeply personal story of Aaron overcoming his drug addiction, @lazyadventurer and I wanted his reflections to be integrated with the visual narrative. We decided to get Aaron to respond directly to @fujifilmsg ’s Instax wide photographs of his old neighbourhood and his current life. At first, we had to prompt him to write his thoughts in response to the images, but by the end, he was confidently picking up photos and knowing exactly what to write.  Shot for @ricemedia.co : My Full‑Time Job is Overcoming Drug Addiction . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #fieldshoot #editorialphotography #film #filmphotography #instantfilm #fujiinstax #fujiinstaxwide

Back in 2023, we spent an afternoon aboard Kelong E63 with Timothy and Maureen Ng, a 51-year-old wooden kelong off Pulau Ubin. Standing on those weathered planks, listening to their stories about rising costs, licensing hurdles, and the effort it takes just to keep it afloat, I felt a deep sense of respect for their determination to preserve this piece of Singapore’s maritime heritage. Unfortunately, Kelong E63 ceased operations in August 2025 and is now slated for demolition. With only three kelongs in Singapore left, I can’t help but wonder if future generations will ever get to see or experience this living slice of history the way I did. Shot for @ricemedia.co : A Singaporean Couple’s Uphill Battle to Save Their Kelong ✒ @hydefpics . . . . #editorialphotography #editorialshoot #onassignment #fieldshoot #editorialphotography