Her passion for art started at an early age, and she fell in love with photography when she got her first camera in elementary school. However, like many artists, she was told that there was no money in art and decided to pursue a different career path.

She went back to photography when she purchased her first digital camera in 2003. As a mother with a young baby, she started Cubrix Photography during the recession in 2008 and posted on Craigslist with her son as a sample portfolio.

Today, she specializes photographing in newborns, marriage proposals, weddings, and Bar Mitzvahs – “pretty much the milestones of their life” as she says. Madeline’s unique perspective on storytelling in photography and her empathy for others makes her work truly stand out.

In this interview, Madeline shares her most memorable moments as a photographer, how her Filipino heritage shapes her work and her personal and professional goals as an evolving artist.

PURSUING ART DESPITE ADVERSITIES

I was born & raised in Pangasinan, Philippines. Art has been a huge part of me growing up. My loving mother thought I had a great left hand when it came to art and sent me to art class at the early age of 7. Since then, I can see art everywhere through my eyes. I developed an interest in photography when I was in elementary years, my first camera was Kodak Ultralite (Film). 

Throughout the years, I was told, there is no money on art. So, I have set aside my passion and pursued a different career path. By 2003, I purchased my first digital camera. Photographing became my hobby again, I would capture the beauty of nature, my favorite being sunsets.

I started Cubrix Photography when the recession began in January 2008. My first child was only 1-month-old back then when I started taking his photos with little to no props. With no incoming income from my previous web development firm, I have to rapidly think, my camera was my only valued asset I have left which makes money. I immediately started posting on Craigslist LA/SF/IE/OC – on a daily basis with my son as a sample portfolio. That’s how I first started to get my first batch of clients.

By 2nd quarter of 2009, I drove to San Francisco once a month to sustain my daughter’s baby formula & diaper supply for Dylan & Kyla. There was a season, I had barely any bookings and I was forced to sell some of my photography equipment so we can go to Costco to buy our necessities. By the year 2009, I was nominated and rank the top 5 out of 32 portrait photographers in Los Angeles. LA City Voter. The awards continue 2011 (3/57), 2012 (1/61), 2013 (1/45) & 2014 (2/29)

Expertise picked Cubrix Photography as one of the top 23 out of 1,336 newborn photographers serving Los Angeles (2017 & 2018)

As of today, my business runs based on “referrals/word of mouth”, I average 10-14 sessions per week including newborns, baby milestones, family, headshots, marriage proposals & special events. I still travel to San Francisco yearly, expanded to Great Neck, NY for the past 3 years, and travel 2x a year. I am currently I’m on my 4th batch in the newborn + children Photography workshop in Manila Philippines this July 2023.

INCORPORATING STORYTELLING INTO PHOTOGRAPHY

I was once taught by my first mentor, Alex Hernandez from Lifetouch, “Paint with light”. You may have some astonishing pictures that are technically perfect; however, there are two more elements that make a strong image even much stronger. The images should evoke strong emotional feelings in the viewer’s psyche.

CAPTURING MORE THAN JUST PICTURES: THE MOST MEANINGFUL MOMENTS AS A PHOTOGRAPHER

So many, I feel each session, event, or newborn workshop I photograph was all memorable for me. But there were few who really stood out the most. As a portrait photographer, I trained myself to be emotionless despite what was happening during the time of the documentary.

I had this newborn session many years ago, while I was doing my craft, out of the blue, the mom started crying. Her husband passed away recently.  I had no words to say and kept doing my job. I keep telling her baby was so beautiful – her dad will be so proud of her someday. 

Yearly, I teach newborn workshops in the Philippines. While I was telling my students the profits were donated to a charity that makes special shoes for claw feet babies. It was hard for me to finish my speech – I was so emotional as I taught them the importance of giving back whenever your life is very comfortable.

On a lighter note, for this one-year-old boy’s milestone, every time I sing, he gives me a bad look. When I stop singing, he will stop the grin. I don’t have a talent for singing at all!

At events – Photographing 25 Billionaires during a private meeting event  – one of the guests was Bill Gates. I was so nervous I didn’t even say hi and shake his hands!

STAYING INSPIRED AND CONTINUING TO GROW AS A PHOTOGRAPHER

Surround Yourself with Success: Physically surround yourself with successful photographers. Go to photo conferences, and meet-ups, join a mastermind, and go to photography events and photo walks. If these don’t exist in your area, start them.

HOW MY FILIPINO HERITAGE SHAPES MY WORK AROUND THE WORLD

Filipinos have extremely strong cultural empathy. I would like to think that we would never have been able to succeed across such a varied portfolio of countries (across six continents) without embodying this very strong Filipino value.

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ROADMAP AS AN EVOLVING ARTIST

Personally, to stay healthy and be able to photograph my children’s newborns. To be able to get grants and build 20 libraries per year for our children’s charity – JollyBox Philippines. 

Professionally, to be the first South/North East Asian Nikon USA Female Ambassador. To achieve a Master’s in WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International ), currently at the associate level. To continue to teach newborns workshops in the Philippines on a yearly basis. 

ADVICE FOR ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS

An artist will always be an artist, in spite of everything. Pursue it, no matter what. No Matter what, you are emphasizing that you are definitely going to do it, even if there are obstacles or difficulties.

CONNECT WITH MADELINE

Whether you’re a fellow photographer or simply an admirer of stunning visual imagery, connecting with Madeline through social media and exploring her photography portfolios is a great way to stay up-to-date on her latest creations and gain inspiration for your own creative pursuits.

Babies and Family Photography

Event Photography

Marriage Proposals & Weddings Photography

Newborns Photography

Lifestyle, Birth, Fresh48 Photography

Maternity Photography

Creative Fashion

Photojournalism / B&W Photography

Meet Elenor Mak, the founder of Jilly Bing, a company that is changing the face of the dolls and toys industry. Her journey to creating Jilly Bing began with her desire to break down stereotypes and provide a positive reflection of Asian-American girls.

Elenor believes that toys play an essential role in helping children make sense of the world around them, and dolls are an essential tool in building self-esteem and self-acceptance. Her mission with Jilly Bing is to create a line of dolls and toys that accurately represent Asian-American children and help to nurture a deeper appreciation of Asian culture.

By involving children and families in the creation process of Jilly Bing, Elenor hopes to create a community that celebrates diversity and encourages a sense of belonging. 

Read through as Elenor shared about her childhood as a first-generation Chinese-American, and her mission to create dolls that reflect the diversity of Asian American girls and promote cultural understanding.

FROM MACAO TO AMERICA

I am a first-generation Chinese-American. My Mom was born in Singapore, and my Dad was born in China. They met in Macao and immigrated to the US before I was born. Growing up, both of my parents worked as back-office postal clerks, which required grueling night shifts and strenuous manual work. Their limited English disqualified them from jobs that would have been easier, like a front-desk clerk. 

Despite that, my Mom firmly believed in only speaking Chinese (Cantonese) at home and even sent me to Saturday classes for Mandarin. As an adult, I am so grateful for my Mom’s insistence that I am fluent in her native language because it helps me remain connected to my heritage.

MY MOTHER MADE SURE I HAD A VOICE

As a young child, I was rather shy. By contrast, my Mom is a strong, outgoing woman. But being a non-English-speaking immigrant, she lost her “voice.” She would make me challenge adults when she didn’t get the right change at a shop or something was wrong with an order she had placed. Perhaps because of this, I came out of my shell by the time I was in second grade.

Looking back, I believe my Mom was determined to make sure I knew I had a voice or say in matters, even as a kid, so that I would not be afraid to use my voice as an adult. 

My daughter’s voice is Loud with a capital “L,” even at the age of 3, which is so at odds with the stereotypical representations of Asian girls and women as demure, pretty little things. I wanted to break down those stereotypes and create a doll that is similar to the Asian American girls we know and love

A REFLECTION ON MY FIRST DOLL

I don’t recall my first impression of my first doll, named Ada, but she was a gift from my parents, and I was only 5 or 6 years old, so I’m pretty sure I was thrilled. She wore a baby bonnet, and I remember wanting to take care of her as any good Mommy would.

I also remember thinking that her blonde hair and blue eyes were so beautiful. Of course, I didn’t have those features, so on some level, I guess I wanted us to look more similar. My Mom tells a story that, one day, I took scissors to Ada’s hair because I wanted her hair to be like mine, which — like many Asian girls growing up in the 1980s — was a short bob. Long, blonde hair was something beautiful people had, something “other” people had. I do remember feeling like an “other” when I looked at Ada. 

THE IMPORTANCE FOR CHILDREN TO SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THEIR TOYS

Toys help children make sense of the world around them, and some of the first toys ever discovered are dolls that date back to 8,000 BC in Japan and 2,000 BC in Egypt. What is baffling to me is that the year is 2023, and missing from toy shelves in US stores are authentic-looking Asian dolls.

The ones that are available are cartoony-looking or dressed in very traditional clothing that does not reflect today’s Asian American children. Several dolls are brunettes with round eyes, an Asian-sounding name, and an upward swish of black eyeliner that supposedly creates Asian eyes.

While I was initially saddened by this, I’m now thrilled that I get to create a company that solves such a glaring error. We are so proud when parents see our first doll and say, “She looks like my daughter.” 

HOW NOT HAVING A DOLL THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM AFFECT CHILDREN AS THEY DEVELOP SELF-ACCEPTANCE

When an Asian child walks into a national chain store and heads to the doll aisle, and sees lots and lots of dolls, but does not see a doll that looks like them, that is the moment that the first damage is done to their self-esteem and self-acceptance.

The moment they start to wonder, “Why not?” Or even worse, the moment they think, “Is there something wrong with me because I look Asian?” 

DOLLS AS CULTURAL MIRRORS TO NURTURE DEEPER HERITAGE APPRECIATION

Role-playing with dolls, action figures, or even stuffed animals, help children sort through their emotions. When they pretend to be superheroes, they are trying to feel powerful. If you hear a child tell a stuffed animal to “wash your hands before dinner,” they are probably trying to make sense of their parent’s rules. 

We want our dolls to help children understand their heritage. We are creating accessories that help recast their interpretation of Asian food, for example. It is not smelly and embarrassing, as I thought it was when I was in elementary school. Asian food is something that their doll loves to make and celebrate. If the doll herself plays with mini egg tarts or sushi rolls, the barrier to understanding is instantly lower. 

As strange as it may seem, there is no one-stop-shop for parents who want to teach their kids about Asian cultures. It requires a lot of legwork to find resources, and parents are busy. In fact, 91%of Asian American parents we surveyed replied “yes” when asked, “Do you need help finding educational content to teach children about Asian culture and heritage?”

I want Jilly Bing to be the brand that makes it easy for parents to introduce and deeply explore every aspect of all Asian cultures.

INVOLVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE CREATION PROCESS OF JILLY BING DOLL

When we were creating the prototype of the doll, we leaned on my children and our friends and family to see if our vision was resonating with them. To gather data, we surveyed adults through several social media networks that have huge followings. It was not a short survey, so I was amazed to see how many people gave us feedback; it was another moment when I knew we were striking a chord with many Asian adults who felt unseen as children.  

Now we have the luxury of formalizing feedback with focus groups and people who want to support our mission of representation. We created an official Jilly Bing Ambassador Community for our strongest supporters, and we will turn to them for feedback on future dolls and new products.

WHAT MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT WHEN SHE FIRST SAW THE JILLY BING DOLL

Jillian was just shy about her third birthday when she saw the prototype of the doll. First, she did a big dramatic gasp, and then she said, “Me!” and hugged the doll so hard that its not-quite-fully-secured head popped off the body. At that moment, I knew we had a winner. 

WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT JILLY BING

Much of the feedback is coming from adult women. Just like my daughter’s first reaction, they say they gasped out loud, and many say they proceeded to cry. I keep hearing, “This is the doll I always wanted when I was growing up.”

One woman captured how heartbreakingly wrong the status quo is: “Even in play, Asian girls have had to envision life as someone else … This vision is so much more than a toy, it is being seen!”

ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE TOY INDUSTRY

The toy industry needs a refresh, as do media companies that are creating content for children. It feels as though they are checking off boxes. They want to be able to say, “Look, we have an Asian doll. We have a Black doll.” Or “Here! We did a movie with Chinese immigrant parents and US-born kids.” But they are just doing the bare minimum.

I like to think Jilly Bing is the first company to take a holistic view of how representation can live and breathe within our children’s daily lives, instead of being compartmentalized inside a checkbox. My analogy is Paw Patrol. Those pups are everywhere, from socks to movies to enough toys to fill a football stadium.

If our vision becomes a reality, the fun, cheeky characters and accessories, books, and content that celebrate Asian American culture will be everywhere too. 

What can consumers do to drive this change? I ask them to support us by purchasing a doll at www.jillybing.com and spreading the word. As the famous saying goes, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”