For photojournalist Annice Lyn, or Teo Ann Lyn, every image she captures is a testament to her compelling and unconventional journey – one that included figure skating and architecture.
Teo’s foray into figure skating began at age 13. “I’ve always loved it since I watched the movie ‘Ice Princess’,” the 31-year-old told FMT Lifestyle with a laugh.
Her previous training as a gymnast came in handy, giving her the flexibility she needed to excel as a figure skater. Teo went on to represent Malaysia at the Skate Asia competition in 2007.
Sadly, a collision with another skater when she was 19 brought this to a standstill. “My right knee was dislocated. I was in a wheelchair for three days, then crutches for two weeks. The injury took eight months to heal,” she said, adding that she eventually quit figure skating.
By this point, Teo had already decided to pursue architecture, and during her studies in this field she learnt more about photography. She explained that taking photos during architecture site visits became something she enjoyed.
Later, when she worked as an architectural assistant, her boss noticed her enthusiasm during these visits and asked if she had ever thought of pursuing photography.
Teo eventually left architecture and worked with the Charis Foundation, which falls under the umbrella of welfare organisation Rumah Charis, a home for children and the aged.
The NGO was founded by her father, Teo How Ken. “From Monday to Friday, I was a full-time project coordinator. From Friday night to Sunday, I was a photographer.”
It wasn’t until 2019 that she became a full-time photojournalist, aiming to tell “stories that resonate”.
“When I was younger, my dad asked me to take photos of the daily lives of the elderly and children in Rumah Charis,” she recalled. It subsequently birthed an interest in her to tell impactful stories through her photos.
It didn’t take long before Teo began to capture gripping images that would be featured in major publications such as National Geographic and the New York Times. She has covered the Olympics three times and, recently, the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
She also bagged gold in the World Sports Photography Awards 2023 (winter sports category) for her stunning photo of Russian figure skater Alexandra Trusova – certainly a full-circle moment for her!
Certain achievements are particularly memorable, including when her photo was chosen to grace the cover of Time magazine. The image was created by Malaysian artist Red Hong Yi who, together with a team, made a world map out of matchsticks before lighting the artwork.
Teo captured that moment, resulting in a powerful image highlighting the devastating impact of climate change.
Five days later, it was announced that Teo had been included in the Forbes “30 under 30” Asia 2021 rankings for her efforts to promote gender equality in the industry and support female photographers through workshops and meet-ups.
Notably, in 2020 she had founded a collective called Women Photographers Malaysia with fellow photographer Aisha Nazar, aimed at empowering women photographers.
“It was actually a healing project for me as I wanted to quit then,” Teo shared, explaining that this was because she had experienced bullying by more senior photographers during her early days.
Indeed, bullying is just one of the potential occupational hazards of the craft. “Photojournalism is mentally and physically demanding,” she revealed. “For instance, today you may cover an election, and the next day refugees. You also must constantly read.”
Nevertheless, she has persevered and grown from strength to strength. Asked what figure skating and architecture have taught her, Teo concluded: “From architecture, I learnt about problem solving, and through figure skating, I learnt to get up when I fall.”
Follow Annice Lyn on Instagram and learn more about the Women’s Photographers Group here.