Originally from China, Tan is an American photojournalist currently based in the South Eastern part of the states.
Tan, who was an assistant of the well known Chinese master photographer Quanfu Tang, started his career by learning photography in a traditional Chinese photo studio in Chongqing, China. After graduating with a photography major from the Beijing Film Academy in 1992, he worked as a staff photographer of Hong Kong ATV in Haikou, Hainan, China. In 1994, he founded his own photography studio in his birth city, Chongqing, and worked in the field of advertising and portrait photography during his time living in China.
Tan immigrated to America in 2009. Since then he has worked in Southern Asia and has focused on social issues and became a long-time contributor to Reuters, Getty Images, National Geography Community and Chinese Photographers Magazine. Some of his projects include “Rat Hole Mine”, a focus of coal mines in the north eastern Indian state of Meghalaya where migrant workers from Nepal mine and sell coal under extremely dirt conditions. “The Tattooed People of God”, a study of the miserable Ramnamis tribe known as “untouchable persons“ who are the lowest category among the caste system living in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh, India. “The Girls in The Safe House”, a project detailing the lives of underage girls who have been sexual abused by family members. These children live in the Antardristi Safe House, located in Hetauda, Nepal, which is one of a limited number of non-government and non-profit organizations working to prevent incest and sexual abuse of children in Nepal. And lastly, “Half Widows”, a project encompassing stories of Kashmiri women whose husbands disappeared and are still missing through the ongoing conflict in Kashmir, illustrating one of the starkest forms of the overall insecurity in Kashmir.
Tan has been working as a full time photographer of Reuters based on Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.
Exhibitions/Awards
2015
Pingyao International Photography Festival / Pingyao / China
2016
“Four Photographers Exhibition” / Beijing Modern Art Center / China
9th international Color Awards / Professional Category / 1st Place / USA
2017
“Rip It Up” The Second Changjiang International Photography and Video Biennale / China
2018
NPPA (National Press Photographers Association) Photo Contest / Portrait Series 1st place / American
PX3 (Paris Photo Prize) / Curator Selection / France
Siena International Photo Awards / Finalist / Italy
2019
ZEISS Photography Exhibition / Japan
2020
HeadOn Photo Festival / Portrait Category Finalist / Australia
LensCulture Exposure Award / Finalist / USA
POY – 77th Annual Pictures of the Year International Competition / Portrait Series 2nd Place / Netherlands
Athens Photo Festival / Shortlists / Greece
