Human Stories by Christine Tan
Hello, Thanks for stopping by!
I'm Christine!
I'm a portrait photographer based in Melbourne, Australia.
These are the stories and images of some of the teens I've photographed around the world. Sprinkled in here is also my work as a missional photographic storyteller which focuses on the work of organisations on a mission to do good and bring good to their local and global communities.
Thanks for being here.
I had a very unique experience photographing Sophie on both coasts of the United States. The first part of her senior photoshoot happened in Philadelphia, where we were both visiting a group of Afghan girls who we’ve been mentoring and helping through their transition to the US. While in Philly, we wandered around Old Town […]
READ MORE
I had such an AMAZING time on Reuben’s photoshoot. He was going to be a tough one because he was really sceptical of the whole thing, but he was doing it for his mum. He’ll admit that he doesn’t like being in front of the camera and doesn’t think he’s very photogenic. But I beg […]
READ MORE
I’m excited to announce the theme for this year’s Mother’s Day mini-sessions “The VISIBLE Mother” for Mother’s Day 2025. Motherhood is an honourable though sometimes invisible job. All the details we keep track of to make sure the family runs well often go unnoticed, until we miss something (which I often do)… and then our […]
READ MORE
Three different looks in just ONE location. How did she do it? I met up with Olivia the summer before her senior year. We had a great photoshoot at the park just down the street from her home. It was a place she and her friends meet up regularly, so it had extra special meaning […]
READ MORE
So you’ve purchased some digital downloads recently from an event, and you’re wondering what to do next? Here are not five, not six, but SEVEN ideas for how to make the most of the digital downloads this season. (Listed from cheapest to most expensive.) 1. Update your wallpaper on your computer / phone What easier […]
READ MORE
Family, friends, and photography brought be back to the US during its summer months. I had a blast photographing Class of 2024 graduates and a couple from the upcoming Class of 2025. This group of teens are extra special because I’ve been photographing many for over ten years! So to do their senior portraits and […]
READ MORE
What printing images of our teens remind us and tells them about themselves. Printing images of our teens is a dying art. It’s something I think we need to fight to bring back into our busy lives. The struggle is worth it. I believe the simple act of hanging photos of your teens can improve […]
READ MORE
You have a teen, or two, or three! and maybe you’ve never considering booking a photoshoot specifically to celebrate your emerging young adult. “Is this even a thing people do?” you may be thinking. My answer is, yes! And if you don’t think this is something for you or your teen, let me share with […]
READ MORE
When I started playing softball again in 2022, I met some pretty fun women who love the sport so much that no matter rain or shine, cold or hot, even all that weather on the same day (that’s just Melbourne being Melbourne), they’d make the trek to the diamonds at the Waverley Women’s Sports Complex […]
READ MORE
This 2023 school year brought new opportunities to photograph more teens and young people in the Melbourne area. One organisation I thoroughly enjoyed working with was the Melbourne Youth Orchestra. The MYO provides performance opportunities for over 580 young musicians in the greater Melbourne area across various ensembles, ages, and ability levels. Musicians range from […]
READ MORE
As a fairly recent transplant to Australia myself, I love meeting teens who have moved from other countries because their parents believed they would have more opportunities or a better future here. Moving during the teen years, let alone to another country, develops a certain type of adaptability that living in the same hometown your […]
READ MORE
This guy wins the prize for traveling the farthest for a photo shoot. Not only did he travel over from the US, but he came from the farthest corner of that country – all the way from Florida! I’ve been photographing Carter long before he was a teenager, since he was about six years old. […]
READ MORE
Remember the days of photo albums? One of my favourite photos from my childhood is this one with my sister. Every time we visited our grandmother in San Francisco, we would return to this spot at the top of Lombard Street throughout our childhood. (circa 1989) If you were a child of the 80s like […]
READ MORE
“Graduating and Growing Up With Diversity” On my recent trip to Thailand I had the opportunity to photograph Zoe, a Class of 2022 high school graduate from the Chiang Mai International School. Her parents are originally from India, but she has spent most of her life living in Thailand. Her experience is best described as […]
READ MORE
“On Top of the World“ All birthdays are special, but the sixteenth feels particularly different to me. At this age, I feel like the child is definitely gone. The awkward early teen years are passing. The adult version of your child is emerging. Conversations change, they become a little more serious, sometimes a little more […]
READ MORE
“From Kabul to California” Meet Maryam. She is originally from Afghanistan but now resides in the US. She is inspiring, resilient and extremely hard-working. In August 2021 the Taliban rolled into Kabul to take back control of the country. While the US and other countries withdrew, Maryam and thousands of other high-risk Afghans knew their […]
READ MORE
“Looking Back. Looking Forward.“ In July, I traded the dreary, wet Melbourne winter for a few weeks in California to visit family and friends. While there, I spent time with several teens and high school graduates. I had the honour of doing some photoshoots in some simple but meaningful places for these teens. We worked […]
