Wang shoots a photo of a customer surnamed Jia at China Photo Studio.[Photo provided by Zhou Jin/China Daily]
In the bustling China Photo Studio, Wang Xin swiftly changes his position, moving the camera to find the best angle, occasionally pausing to adjust the lighting and help his subject attain the "right" posture and lift his/her mood through to the decisive click of the shutter.
"Lean a bit to the left, chin up, and give me a smile," the portrait photographer's soft tone put to ease his subject, who asked to be called by only her surname, Jia. "Good, very good, perfect," Wang said.
Such words of encouragement are effective in helping people who are camera-shy to feel less nervous. Jia's slight facial paralysis can cause her mouth to skew when she is nervous, Wang said, adding that he tried to make her feel relaxed while clicking the photograph. He chatted with Jia about life in general, her daily routine, trying to put her at ease and make her smile.
"Sometimes, it's just about capturing that perfect moment when the smile is just right," he said.
Jia, 72, said the moment she saw the studio while strolling down the street, she was reminded about a photograph she got clicked here in the 1980s. "I decided to recreate the experience, take some photos and keep them as a memento," Jia said.
Jia praised Wang's skill and amiable behavior, saying she felt relaxed and confident, and was happy with the photographs.
"In fact, the photographer is the director," Wang said. "We have to guide the customers to express themselves in front of the camera." The experienced photographer has the ability to win the trust of his subjects. "I try to be their friends, because for a portrait photographer, skills are fundamental but communication is more important." By asking the customers about their lives, the purpose of taking a photo, photographers can figure out how to click their photographs, he said.
What he has been pursuing through the lens, Wang said, is capturing authenticity, natural expressions. "I'm trying to show who this person is through my photos."
Wang has been a portrait photographer for nearly 36 years. "It is interesting to translate their emotions onto the photographs," Wang said, adding that he enjoys the interaction with his subjects and the connection that comes with it.
Wang works behind the camera.[Photo provided to China Daily]
"I don't create fantastic dreams through my photos, I only want to record their emotions and genuine moments."
The 55-year-old took up photography in 1986 when he got a chance to attend a training program offered by the China Photo Studio, which at the time was trying to recruit more young talent. The State-owned studio, set up in Shanghai in 1937 and shifted to Beijing in 1956, is famous for portraiture and traditional wedding photography. Three portraits displayed at the studio's entrance, those of Chinese leaders Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Liu Shaoqi, reflect the glorious past of the China Photo Studio.
In the 1980s, photography was seen by many as a prestigious profession and photographers were held in high esteem, Wang said. Given his painting background, Wang has the basic knowledge of composition, color, line and depth, which are fundamental elements of photography, too.
Painting and photography share many similarities, both require a creative eye and a good aesthetic sense, he said. "Photography and painting differ only in their tools: a painter uses brushes and spatula while a photographer uses a camera. Painting involves creation from scratch, while photography focuses on subtraction."
Recalling the first photograph he clicked after one year of learning, Wang said he was quite nervous at the time. The subject was a young lady. "My hands were trembling as I held the camera. The moment she assumed the right pose, I instinctively pressed the shutter. It wasn't until after I had clicked the photograph that I realized I had forgotten to turn on the light."
The experience prompted him to learn more about photography and improve his skills. He also had to adapt to the advancement in photography technology, the change in photography styles and the diverse requirements of customers.
During the film era, Wang said, photographers used to use brush pens to retouch photographs. But nowadays, in the digital era, it takes just some clicks in the Photoshop to edit or retouch a photo. The evolution of photography equipment, from old-fashioned box cameras to digital devices reflects the changes in society and social development, and the improvement in people's living standards, he said.
Wang Xin places a yellow toy duck on his head to ensure a child gaze at the right angle during shooting a photograph at China Photo Studio in Beijing in February.[Photo provided by Li Muyi/For China Daily]
Modern standards of beauty have become homogenized, with makeup and editing methods based on similar models. That's partly because people cannot accept the signs of aging or wrinkles in their faces, he said. Despite that, Wang has never ceased his quest for capturing real beauty. Graduating from the era of black-and-white photography to the age of color photographs and digital devices, he continues to seek and capture genuine moments on his camera.
The prevalence of modern studios, digital cameras and mobile phones has not affected the popularity of the old-fashioned China Photo Studio. During Spring Festival, in particular, people have to make reservations and even line up outside the China Photo Studio to take family photographs, Wang said. "It is a sort of ritual.
"We can't take a break even on Lunar New Year's day. Although I'm quite busy, I feel fulfilled capturing the smile and heartwarming moments of families." In the 36 years of his professional life, Wang has shot more than 1 million photographs. "I always remember what my teacher told me: 'Photography is a service industry rooted in culture and art'."
Wang's diligence won him a model worker of Beijing award in 2020.
Among his many memorable experiences, Wang recalls, is clicking the photographs of the family of Guo Chuan, the famous Chinese solo sailor who is thought to have fallen overboard while sailing in the high seas in 2016.
After the tragic incident, Guo's wife and their children visit the studio every year to take a set of photographs. The two boys always wear blue-colored shirts because, Wang was told, blue is the color of the ocean, and this is the way they want to remember their father. "They grow taller every year," Wang said, adding that through the photographs, Wang sees the growth of Guo's children and their love for their father.
"Many people come to our studio at important moments of their lives," he said, adding that his job is both interesting and meaningful. Wang's passion for photography is still as strong as it was 36 years ago. It is a continuous journey of self-improvement, he said. "I often asked myself, 'How could I have taken this photograph better? How can I make the person look more beautiful?'"
As Wang said, dealing with people from different backgrounds allows him to learn something new almost every time. "Being able to realize my own ideas in photography and translate them into better photographs for my clients has always been fascinating for me," he said.
