Sadie Ngo captures candid moments with hand-drawn illustrations
By Lena Moreno, April 14, 2026
Huddled in front of a photobooth replica, laughing as they finalize their poses, students were met with the scratch of pen on paper from animal science student Sadie Ngo, instead of a camera flash.
Photobooth-style portraits have resurfaced across profile pictures and posts on TikTok and Instagram. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #photobooth contains more than 1.8 million posts on the platform, revealing the photo format’s popularity among Gen Z users.
The same interest has surfaced at on-campus events where Ngo, the artist behind the photo-strip portraits of her small business Love, Bug Studio, has lines of students waiting for personalized, hand-drawn keepsakes.
Ngo began Love, Bug Studio to stay connected with her creativity amid the demands of school and work.
“At that time, I really just wanted to push myself to express myself more creatively because with school and work, I’m kind of stuck in a very like science-based academic mindset,” Ngo said. “I wanted to pursue something that allowed me to grow and grow both in my interpersonal connections but also push myself creatively.”
Ngo’s approach to live caricature art differs from the average live caricature art experience. To receive a hand-drawn portrait, her vending station mimics the functionality of a real photobooth that makes the artist-to-customer exchange more interactive.
“It’s kind of like this very unique thing that most people don’t really see at a market,” Ngo said. “There’s kind of this element of them being able to interact with it that’s fun.”
The wooden, hand-painted photobooth replica contains a short list of instructions on how to receive a photo strip drawing.
Customers insert a paper or plastic token created by Ngo into the ‘Insert token’ slot. Customers then choose between one or two poses, which Ngo draws in a photo strip format.
Once the drawing is complete, customers collect their photo strip through the ‘Portrait Collection’ slot of the photobooth.
In tandem with the live-drawing station, Ngo also sells her artwork in various formats. Items sold include crochet plushies, prints, coasters, stickers and bracelets containing positive affirmations.
“I loved how it was well organized, like you could tell what it is,” said business administration student Genesis Noya. “There’s portraits, and there’s some things over there that like invite you to come in as well.”
The booth offers a coordinated and candid experience students don’t get from taking photos on their phone, especially in a group coordinated setting.
“I feel like I’ve seen a lot of this online and so to see one in person is really cute, and also I really like the art style,” said animal health science student Katelyn Martinez.
What initiated Love, Bug Studio was Ngo’s Pinterest feed. Ngo felt she could recreate her own twist on the photobooth theme with her own art style.
The name of the small business was derived from her family nickname ‘Bug,’ while utilizing play on words referencing a letter sign off, according to Ngo.
Once the identity was established, Love, Bug Studio launched in May 2025 when Ngo sold random art she created as a starting point. She debuted her live drawing booth that same year in August at the Huntington Beach Food Festival.
Ngo’s vending progress has taken off since its debut. She has now vended various community events, including Cal Poly Pomona’s biggest vending opportunities such as Bronco Marketplace, Bronco Con and even a wedding.
Though the experience has largely been an independent effort, Ngo attributed her father Tommy Ngo to being a major supporter.
“He’s my primary market helper,” Ngo said. “He comes with me to all my events, helps with setup, breakdown, and then he also runs the checkout area while I’m busy at the photo booth.”
Operating the small business has allowed Ngo’s creativity to evolve, allowing her to showcase her artwork that mirror themes dear to her.
“I think also having the name of my small business being Love, Bug Studio is kind of a call back to my passion for nature,” Ngo said. “It’s kind of me trying to find the intersection between both my passions for art and my love for nature and wildlife and just trying to convey this message of opening up a conversation about protecting wildlife and the importance of protecting our environment.”
