Lindy Lin has a secret.
She was a special agent for the United States government for 19 years but rarely talked about it with anyone. Today, though, the Los Angeles-based portrait, commercial and branding photographer has listed this little tidbit on her Instagram bio—and has agreed to talk to us for this story—because she is so happy with her career pivot that she wants everyone to know about it. Mostly, she says, she wants people to find the thing that lights them up, because she spent far too long in a job where she kept the most precious parts of herself hidden.
SUCCESS®: When I searched your name, I only saw information about your photography work. But you also had a long career as a special agent. Why is that part of your life not as well-known?
Lindy Lin: I never really listed [it].... Some people will [post on] LinkedIn, but I never did that for my special agent career because the less they know about me, the better. You don’t want them to start Googling you and thinking, ‘I want to know more about this person who’s investigating me,' just in case things go awry.
S: How did you end up becoming a special agent?
LL: I went to [the University of California, Irvine] and majored in psychology and social behavior. I actually double-majored in that and environmental health, science and policy.... You come out of college, and you’re like, ‘What am I gonna do?'... After college, I came across this [job listing], and it was just listed as federal investigator. And I thought, ‘OK, well, that’ll be... one of the jobs that I apply for, and we’ll see what happens.'
S: You ended a 19-year tenure as a special agent in March 2025. Does it feel good to talk about it now?
LL: It’s something I recently added to my Instagram just because I thought it would be fun to put ‘ex-special-agent-turned-photographer.' I figured people might or might not pay attention to it. They may ask about it. I just thought it’d be fun.
S: When you were a special agent, was there a part of you that yearned for more?
LL: There was always something missing, and I realized that when I started [doing photography], I would sit in front of my computer to go through the photos, and I was always smiling, not even noticing that I was doing that.... My husband or somebody in the room with me, they’d be like, ‘What are you looking at? What are you so happy about?'... It gave me so much joy.
If you’re not challenged in life or if there’s nothing novel and new, it becomes stale. And then you feel like you’re missing something. And so for me, it was burnout from the casework and the fieldwork I was doing.... I do want to say that my federal career did give me a purpose in life as well... I’m making sure that the U.S. and our nation are safe. I have a little piece of that that I get to be part of.
S: What have you learned about people throughout your career?
LL: People are so vulnerable in front of the camera, and we pick ourselves apart every single day about something, whether it’s our skin, whether it’s our hair, whether it’s our weight, whatever it is.... I want my subjects to come through with something that compels you to want to know them. Now, looking pretty and looking handsome, that [only] goes so far, but really feeling a person from a photo, that comes from somewhere deeper than just what you look like on the surface.
My old job really helped me connect with people in a different way... because they were at their most vulnerable state, sometimes talking to me about the deepest, darkest secrets of their lives.... I was constantly reading people... and that’s what I got very good at.... It’s become really great for me to interact with my [photography] clients now because I can also kind of tune into their feelings and how they interact and how they show up on camera.
S: How do you feel about the importance of networking and continued education to enhance your business?
LL: Even though I feel very confident about lighting now, I’m self-taught. I still take classes on advanced lighting.
Some people are like, ‘Why are you in this class?' I’ve actually had people ask me that, because I look very established. I’m like, ‘Because there’s new things to learn all the time in this world.' Not only that, you could be learning from somebody who just has a different technique than you.... I like to learn all the different ways, and then I want to decide what my way is based off of that. I’m a knowledge-seeker for life, and I will never stop.
S: What advice would you give to somebody who’s starting out in photography?
LL: You should be a photographer who shoots the kind of things that your audience looks for and wants. And work toward that and be true to yourself. Meaning that, if this is your style, don’t try to be something else.... Do what calls you when it comes to your photography style, and own it.
S: What do you hope people take away from your story?
LL: I hope that my story reminds people that reinvention is possible at any stage in life. I came from a very structured, serious job.... [But] I was able to create a creative, purpose-driven future out of something that just gave my heart happiness.... And it wasn’t overnight, obviously. It took patience and trust in my own process and discipline. But I just kept going.... I have created a lucrative business that also just makes me feel alive and just so happy.... I’m skipping through life now.
Images courtesy of ©Lindy Lin
This article was first published in the January 2026 issue of SUCCESS® digital edition. Get your copy here.
