Huang Jeff’s Fujian learning skills

Jeff showed outstanding artistic talent when he was in school. Whenever the school held art competitions, he always won first place. Both his teachers and his father suggested that he go to Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts to further his studies after graduation so that he could become a painter in the future. However, after Jeff came into contact with the art of photography in middle school, he became extremely interested in it. He spent 2.7 cents to buy a box-type Kodak camera and started learning to take pictures. Later, he won first place in a photography competition held by his school, which gave him greater interest and confidence in the art of photography.

After graduating from high school, Jeff faced a big decision. His father wanted him to study painting and become a painter, but he was already obsessed with photography and hoped to become a photographer. However, no matter what, he left his family and went to study abroad.

In mid-1935, Jeff went to Singapore alone. He tried to find a master there and learn photography. However, despite many efforts, he failed to achieve his goal. Later, an acquaintance saw that he was so eager to learn photography and introduced him to become an apprentice at the Xiaguang Photography Shop in Quanzhou, Fujian. Jeff happily packed up and headed to China.

Jeff returned to Xianyou at the end of 1935 and married Ms. Zheng Liying at the order of his stepmother. After getting married, Jeff went south to Quanzhou and went to Xiaguang Photography Store to learn photography.

When Jeff was an apprentice at Xiaguang Photography Shop, he studied very hard. Due to his concentration and his talent for art, he mastered the basic techniques of photographic art in just a few months, including lighting, photography, darkroom techniques, retouching and printing. After he learned photography, he continued to work in Xiaguang Photography Store. During this period, he also went to a private art school in Quanzhou to study painting, a subject that his father wanted him to study. This major gave Jeff a profound aesthetic foundation and had a decisive influence on Jeff's later achievements in the art of photography.

In early 1937, Jeff applied to work at the Graceful Photography Shop in Xiamen. He was treated very well in this photo shop. Soon, the Anti-Japanese War broke out in China, and he hurriedly left Xiamen, which was already engulfed in war, and took the last ship before the port closure to return to Sarawak.