The Pair Behind Midnight Odyssey

Based on her collective work and life experiences in nearly 90 countries, Li brings a rare sensibility to the original content she creates and directs. Through observation and forging friendships on her journeys, she reveals a more intimate and genuine representation of her characters. Having been a fine-art oil painter led her to develop a deep understanding of lighting a set, integrating colours and selecting camera angles and movements required for composing scenes. 

Li previously worked as a media project consultant for Plan, CARE, the International Rescue Committee, the Inter-American Development Bank and other NGO’s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Togo and Uganda. Li was commissioned as a documentary photographer covering human interest stories in Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Haiti. 

During her humanitarian work she was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and membership in the Clinton Global Initiative. Li served on the Board of Directors for The World Affairs Council of New Orleans and gave film and media presentations at the Arizona Refugee Resettlement Annual Conference and Arts in Education program at Harvard University, Peace Corps Uganda Headquarters, International School of Uganda, Syracuse University London Centre and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. 

John specialises in script writing and content development for film and TV series. As a former News Photo Editor at The Daily Telegraph newspaper in London, he also worked in a number of editorial photography roles for sister titles The Sunday Telegraph and Telegraph Magazine. After seven years at the publication, he became a freelance photojournalist based in Los Angeles, where he covered the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 2008 U.S. presidential election and numerous California wildfires. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and Le Monde, among other international publications. 

Rounding off several years in the USA, John returned to London to manage and tutor at the Leica Academy in Mayfair. He was chosen to launch the digital version of the M camera through a promotional film. He has been a regular content contributor to Black + White Photography magazine where he wrote his own monthly column, Viewfinder. His photographic writing led to further features for The Independent newspaper, Rouleur cycling magazine, Digital Photographer magazine and The Telegraph Online. Additionally, John was a camera tester for Ricoh Japan, and his collaboration with Hasselblad resulted in the architectural photography book: Crestwood Hills: The Chronicle of a Modern Utopia.

John was the stills photographer for Director Andrew Piddington’s 2015 film Sins Of A Father, starring Lambert Wilson, and produced by Graham Leader (producer of In The Bedroom – nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 2002).