Through Human Langkawi and @human_edition, Shi Han has spent years&nbsp;telling people’s stories. Now, she’s ready to share a little more of herself.

The shoot with Shi Han took place just a couple of weeks after she celebrated her 30th birthday. She shares glimpses of what looked like a cosy celebration at home with her loved ones on Instagram, and mentions buying a camera and a printer to remember everyday little moments, just for herself. “I got&nbsp;myself a Fujifilm X100VI, and compared to my work camera,&nbsp;it’s not as quick or precise. You can’t really control every little&nbsp;thing about it to get that exact shot you have in mind,” she&nbsp;said. “But I ended up loving the way it allows the unexpected&nbsp;to happen.”
A whimsical spirit colours Shi Han’s voice as she talks about&nbsp;documenting the world as she sees it, perhaps partly due to&nbsp;her newfound appreciation for spontaneity. “Things that&nbsp;don’t go according to plan often end up giving a story its own&nbsp;character,” she says. As a planner by nature, she’s still learning&nbsp;to meet those moments with more calm and ease. “I like to&nbsp;think of it as creating something with the universe. I mean, that’s a pretty lovely way to look at it, right?”

You’re heading off again tomorrow; is this trip part of something you’re working on next?
Yes, I’m flying to Milan tomorrow, and then heading to Poggibonsi, a small town in Tuscany. I’ve been really looking forward to this one because it’s for our very first film!

How will this be different from your previous projects?
This time, my partner, Jie, and I are working with a videographer, so I’ll be able to focus on my role as producer, director and writer. @human_edition started from my personal curiosity about different ways of living, and being able to put the stories I came across in Langkawi into a book means a lot to me. As the project grew into a full-time job, I also came to understand which parts of the process I enjoyed most and wanted to spend more time on.

Where do you think your way of seeing the world comes from?
I think it starts with how I grew up. Coming from a small town like Alor Setar, I couldn’t wait to live in a big city. I eventually moved to KL, then Singapore and Shanghai. I began to realise that there was more to home than I’d thought. Then there’s my background in architecture. It’s a discipline where art meets science; studying it helped me understand both the creative and logical sides of things, and somehow relate to people who lead very different lives.
I also have to admit there’s always a little bit of myself in the stories we choose to tell. Sometimes they are words I need to hear myself, or experiences that help me make sense of something in my own life. I like to think that if they can give me affirmation or clarity, they can do the same for others, too.

Do you remember when you first realised how much telling someone’s story could mean?
I don’t know if many people know this, but the idea for Human Langkawi, the book, actually came before @human_edition on social media. At the time, I was quite confident in my photography, but I’d never really thought I could write. Then we started posting, and I remember one of our early shorts about a café called Coma. The comments were full of people praising the storytelling and journalism behind it. I looked up those terms and realised that was actually what we were doing. That really stuck with me and gave me a clearer sense of who I could become. I’m really thankful to social media for this.&nbsp;

What happens when you turn the lens on yourself? Has the way you see and express yourself changed along the way?
Turning the lens on myself and telling my own story doesn’t come as naturally to me. I’m also trying to find my own tone of voice and become more comfortable expressing myself. That’s why this trip feels special. I’ll be challenging myself to share a more personal side, and the content will most likely be published on my personal page instead of @human_edition. I’m not sure how it’ll turn out. I’m actually a little scared, but also quite excited.&nbsp;

Now I’m curious about how you see the connection between @_shihannn and @human_edition, since they’re both expressions of yourself.&nbsp;
I guess, for me, there’s the creative voice I’ve found through @human_edition, and then there’s a personal, perhaps more vulnerable one. Both are equally precious to me. I’m just more used to being the one telling the stories people want to share but might not quite know how to put into words, or feel a little awkward talking about. But I’m not so different from them when it comes to expressing myself.

Are there other things you’ve been having fun exploring?
I’ve always enjoyed getting dressed and doing my makeup as part of my everyday routine. I’m quite a minimalist, and once I fall in love with a product, I’ll probably get obsessed and stick with it. But I do like thinking about how I want to look each day, depending on what I’ve planned and how I want to feel. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but I feel like it helps set the mood for the day and can even affect how productive I am.

Chanel Beauty’s Holiday 2026 collection captures the changing light and mood of a day, from the energy of dawn to the glow of late afternoon and the warmth of evening. Which feels most like you?
Definitely dawn! I love the morning light, and I have the most energy and clarity at that time of day. I can get so much done in the morning before I start feeling a little mellow later in the day.

If you could only bring three items from the collection with you on your upcoming trip, what would they be, and why?
Listen, I’m a huge blush lover, so I’d definitely take the Joues Contraste Intense Mont Rose with me. I’d also bring the Rouge Coco Hydra Gloss Trio because I love how a rosy flush on the cheeks and a light-catching wash of colour on the lips can instantly make me look more alive. They’re perfect for a quick pick-me-up whenever I need one too!&nbsp;
And I also really like this year’s Les 4 Ombres in Ombre d'Or. The shades are neutral and easy to wear, but the shimmer makes them fun. Now I’m kind of hoping I have something fun coming up so I can really play up the sparkles on my eyes and lips.

What would you choose for someone special, and who would that be?
I’d pick the blush again, this time for my mum! She’s a huge inspiration to me in many ways, and I want her to take some time for herself and feel good about herself. I think she’d love the Rosewood shade as much as I do. It's such a lovely colour, fresh and warm at the same time, and I like how soft it goes on the skin, leaving behind a satin, skin-like finish.

You always have so much going on — do you already have any plans for the holidays this year?
I don’t have any holiday plans just yet. I’ve set aside quite a bit of time for myself to work on the post-production for this Italy project and the message I want to share this time around. I feel lucky to have the time and space to do that — probably the best gift I can give myself.

Cover Credits:
Photography Weeyang Creative Direction &amp; Words&nbsp;Noel Khoo Styling Amelia Tan Makeup Rachel Seok PLIKA MAKEUP using Chanel Beauty Hair Ckay Liow Photography Assistant Bradan Clothing Maje

Cover Story: Shi Han is ready to tell her own story feat. Chanel Beauty

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