Quick answer: A 新中式 photoshoot (New Chinese Style, pronounced xīn zhōng shì) is a modern portrait session that borrows the restraint, texture and colour language of classical Chinese aesthetics — celadon, ink, warm wood, soft window light — without the dynasty costume. At Orange Studios Singapore, 新中式 is a solo portrait session for mothers. It includes professional hair and makeup, your choice of one or two styled outfits, and a fully art-directed studio set. Pricing is quoted per session, so enquire for details.
What Is 新中式 Photography?
新中式 translates literally as “New Chinese Style.” In interior design and fashion, it describes a movement that keeps the spirit of traditional Chinese aesthetics — negative space, balance, natural materials, quiet restraint — while shedding the ornamentation.
Applied to portraiture, that means something specific. You are not dressing up as a historical character. Instead, you are photographed as yourself, in a space and a wardrobe that feel unmistakably Chinese, unmistakably contemporary, and unmistakably adult.
新中式 vs Hanfu vs a Studio Headshot
Singaporeans often use these terms interchangeably. They are not the same thing.
| Style | What it is | Feels like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 汉服 Hanfu | Historical dress from Chinese dynasties, worn with period hair and headpieces | Costume, fantasy, cosplay-adjacent | Cultural experiences, themed shoots, tourists |
| 新中式 New Chinese Style | Modern silhouettes with Chinese material language: mandarin collars, frog buttons, silk, ink tones | Editorial, quiet luxury, grown-up | Women wanting a portrait that ages well |
| Studio headshot | Neutral background, corporate lighting | Functional | LinkedIn, work profiles |
In other words, hanfu asks you to become someone else. 新中式 asks you to be more fully yourself — with better light.
Why We Started Shooting 新中式 Portraits
We have photographed Singapore families since 2013. Consequently, we have watched the same thing happen, over and over, from behind the camera.
The Mother Who Disappeared From Her Own Photo Library
A woman gives birth. Suddenly, every photograph in her phone is of the baby. When she does appear, she is holding the baby, feeding the baby, or slightly out of frame behind the baby. Her hair is tied back. She is wearing whatever was clean.
Three years pass. Five years pass. She scrolls back and realises there is not a single photograph of her — not as a mother, but as a woman — from her entire thirties.
This is not vanity. It is erasure, and it happens quietly. Postpartum life is relentless, and looking after yourself is the first thing to fall off the list. Furthermore, most women do not notice it is gone until years later.
The Woman in Her Forties Who Wants Something to Keep
Then there is the second moment we see constantly. A woman turns forty, or forty-five, or fifty. The children are older. There is a little more room to breathe.
She looks in the mirror and thinks: I would like a photograph of myself, taken properly, while I still look like this. Not a selfie. Not a group shot at a wedding dinner. A real portrait — one her daughter might frame one day.
That instinct is entirely correct. The best time to take that photograph was ten years ago. The second best time is now.
Why Chinese Style, Specifically
For many of our clients, the answer is simple: it looks like home. Moreover, 新中式 flatters in ways Western studio portraiture often does not. The high collar lengthens the neck. The structured shoulder holds the frame. Deep ink tones and warm celadon are generous to mature skin in a way that harsh white backdrops are not.
Additionally, it carries meaning. A portrait in New Chinese Style is not just a nice picture. It is a record of a woman inside her own culture, at a particular age, on purpose.
This Is a Session for You Alone
We should be clear about something, because it is the point rather than a limitation.
Our 新中式 sessions are photographed solo. No children, no husband, no extended family. We do not offer this as a group session, and we do not intend to.
The reason is straightforward. The moment a child enters the frame, the photograph becomes about the child. Every instinct you have — checking their collar, watching their face, reaching for their hand — pulls your attention away, and it shows in the picture. It always shows.
You have that photograph already. You have hundreds of it. Consequently, this is the other one.
What a 新中式 Session at Orange Studios Includes
We keep the session deliberately unhurried. Rushed portraits look rushed.
- ✅ Professional hair and makeup — included, not an add-on. Our artists understand Chinese aesthetic makeup: soft definition, warm undertone, nothing that photographs as a mask.
- ✅ Your choice of one or two styled outfits — we currently offer two 新中式 looks, and you decide whether you want one of them or both.
- ✅ Art-directed studio set — celadon vessels, seasonal florals, antique wood, sand tray, controlled window-style light.
- ✅ Guided posing — you do not need to know how to pose. That is our job.
- ✅ Colour grading in the 新中式 palette — we grade every frame to a considered ink-and-warm-neutral look rather than a preset.
One Style or Two? Our Two Looks Explained
Style one — the low-key look. Deep ink, charcoal and oxblood tones. Dramatic side light. Strong shadow. This is the portrait that reads as powerful and composed.
Style two — the high-key look. Cream, bone, pale celadon. Soft, enveloping light. Almost no shadow. This is the portrait that reads as gentle, luminous and open.
Choose one if you already know which version of yourself you want on the wall, or if you would rather spend the whole session going deep on a single mood.
Choose two if you want range. The two looks answer different questions about who you are, and a great many clients discover they prefer the one they did not expect. The session runs longer, and pricing reflects that.
If you are undecided, tell us at enquiry and we will advise based on your colouring and what you want the photographs to say.
How Much Does a 新中式 Photoshoot Cost in Singapore?
We do not publish a fixed price for 新中式 sessions, and we want to be honest about why.
This is a styled, art-directed genre. The cost depends chiefly on whether you choose one outfit style or two, which changes the session length, the hair and makeup time, the set build and the number of images delivered. A single-look session and a two-look session are simply not the same job.
Therefore, we quote per session. Every quote includes hair, makeup, styling, the shoot itself, and fully retouched images. Send us an enquiry and tell us whether you are leaning towards one style or two — we will come back with a real number, not a starting-from figure that turns into something else later.
Who a 新中式 Portrait Session Is For
This session is photographed solo. It is for:
- Mothers one to five years postpartum who have not been photographed alone since the birth
- Women in their forties and fifties who want a proper portrait while they still recognise themselves in it
- Anyone marking a threshold — a milestone birthday, a career change, a recovery, a return to work
- Women who want a portrait their daughter will one day frame, taken while they were still in the middle of things rather than at the end of them
You do not need to be Chinese to book one. You do not need to speak Mandarin. You do not need to be photogenic, whatever that means. You do not need to bring anybody.
If you are looking for a portrait with your children or your parents in it, that is a different session — our family and multigenerational sessions are built for exactly that, and we are glad to shoot both.
What to Expect on the Day
Before the Session
We ask what you want the photographs to say. Additionally, we discuss whether one style or two suits your intent, and which palette suits your colouring. Bring reference images if you have them.
Hair and Makeup (Approximately 60 Minutes)
This part matters more than most people expect. Our artists work slowly, and they will show you the look before you sit for the camera.
The Shoot
Studio strobes, a large diffusion panel, and a set built for the mood. We direct continuously. Nearly everyone tells us the first ten minutes feel strange and the remaining time feels surprisingly easy.
After
We colour grade in Capture One to the 新中式 palette we have developed specifically for this genre. Retouching is restrained. We remove the temporary; we keep the permanent. You will still look like you.
Where We Shoot
Our studio is at Oxley BizHub, 67 Ubi Road 1, Singapore. We shoot 新中式 indoors by design — Singapore’s heat and humidity are unkind to layered fabric and to makeup, and the genre depends on controlled light that outdoor locations cannot give us.
If you are also considering an outdoor family session, our guide to the best outdoor photography locations in Singapore covers permits and timing.
Ready to Book Your 新中式 Portrait?
Step 1: Decide whether you want one outfit style or two.
Step 2: Choose your mood — low-key, high-key, or both.
Step 3: Enquire for pricing and availability. Include your preferred month; styled sessions book out further ahead than standard portraits.
Orange Studios has been a husband-and-wife family photography studio in Singapore since 2013. We shoot maternity, newborn, milestone and family sessions — and now, solo 新中式 portraits for the women who have spent a decade behind the camera instead of in front of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: A 新中式 (New Chinese Style) photoshoot is a modern portrait session using contemporary clothing with traditional Chinese design elements — mandarin collars, frog buttons, silk, ink and celadon tones — photographed in an art-directed studio set. Unlike hanfu photography, it is not historical costume; it is a modern portrait with a Chinese visual language.
A: No. Hanfu photography recreates historical dynastic dress with period hairstyles and headpieces. 新中式 uses modern silhouettes and restraint. Hanfu is a costume experience; 新中式 is a portrait of you as you are now.
A: Orange Studios quotes 新中式 sessions individually rather than listing a fixed price, because cost depends chiefly on whether you choose one outfit style or two. Every quote includes professional hair and makeup, styling, the session, and retouched images. Contact us for a quote.
A: Yes. Orange Studios provides the 新中式 outfits, and you choose either one style or two for your session. We currently offer two looks: a low-key palette in deep ink and charcoal, and a high-key palette in cream and pale celadon. You may also bring your own piece if it has personal meaning.
A: Choose one if you already know which version of yourself you want on the wall, or if you would rather spend the whole session on a single mood. Choose two if you want range — the two looks are quite different, and many clients prefer the one they did not expect. Two styles mean a longer session and a higher fee.
A: Yes. Professional hair and makeup is included in every 新中式 session, not charged as an extra.
A: No. Many of our 新中式 clients book their session between one and five years postpartum, precisely because that is the period when women stop appearing in their own photographs. There is no correct waiting period.
A: The opposite. 新中式 is designed around structure, restraint and depth of colour, all of which suit mature features better than bright, high-contrast studio portraiture. It is one of the few portrait genres that becomes more convincing with age.
A: No. 新中式 sessions at Orange Studios are photographed solo, by design. Once a child is in the frame, the portrait becomes about the child and your attention goes with them. If you would like a portrait with your family, we offer separate family and multigenerational sessions.
A: Orange Studios is located at Oxley BizHub, 67 Ubi Road 1, Singapore. 新中式 sessions are shot indoors under controlled studio lighting.
A: Not at all. The session is conducted in English or Mandarin, whichever you prefer, and clients of all backgrounds book 新中式 portraits.