Camera ace has new focus in Europe

Photographer Zhao turns his lens around to capture scenes from the lives of ordinary Germans for a Chinese audience

Photographer Zhao Hui built a successful career capturing the smiling and beautiful faces of ordinary Chinese living in the mountains, on the streets and even in temples.

A few years ago, his vision of China formed the basis for what became the China Story exhibition, a series of striking photographic portraits that aimed to tell the rich and fascinating stories of China through the faces of its most ordinary people.

One reviewer of the exhibition, which was shown in the United States, Britain, France, Australia, Russia and Japan, among other countries, described the images as "alive, moving and extremely human".

For his latest project, Zhao - accompanied by his wife, Li Chen - has repeated the approach of China Story, but in reverse, turning his lens on European faces to showcase them in China.

Zhao, who lives in Beijing, says his aim was to again capture the spirit and diversity of a land through his camera lens.

He is currently driving across Germany, capturing inspiring moments on the streets and roads, in forests, villages and even on islands.

His work is highly regarded and has won high recognition, especially in Germany where the office of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has invited him to take photos during the visit this week of President Xi Jinping.

In addition, with 2017 marking the 45th anniversary of Sino-German diplomatic relations, the German embassy in China is planning an exhibition of his work.

Born in Jiangsu province, Zhao graduated from Nanjing Normal University in 1985. He moved to New York in 1987, where he studied photography and became a commercial photographer.

He says the differences between people in different countries require different approaches. While Italians are open and bright, Germans often wear serious faces and can be camera-shy and reserved.

That was a challenge for Zhao, who has long focused his lens on the happy and smiling moments of ordinary people.

"You must have a long and state-of-the-art lens and you can only operate from far away, without being noticed," Zhao says during an interview in Berlin.

Regular visitors to Germany, Zhao and his wife estimate they have covered about 25,000 kilometers in the country.

"We have nearly 60,000 stunning photos, which are rare treasures for us," says Zhao.

Zhao says traveling with his camera allows him to explore the character of ordinary Germans and uncover the country's culture and history. His targets include postmen, shop owners and waiters.

Asked about the difference between Chinese and German subjects, he says, "All happy people are the same."

Of the thousands of photos in his collection, Zhao cites among his favorites an image he took of a German postman with a ring of keys on his waist belt.

Zhao says the keys are not to open mailboxes, but for homes in the village.

"The simple and deep trust in that small community was simply inspiring," says Zhao.

Other memorable images emerged when he was invited to take photos of a soccer match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

"This was my first experience of taking photos at a football match," says Zhao. "Of course, such moments of action should be part of a typical German story."

Zhao is also known for images of buildings and natural landscapes.

He recently photographed the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, in Hamburg, which was to be the venue for a concert being held to coincide with the city's hosting of the G20 Summit.

"This is a landmark building of Germany, with a red-brick base and glass structure on top, curved windows and a roof that resembles the crest of a wave," says Zhao. "In my opinion, this is a mixture of modern and traditional elements of Germany, which I love so much."

Yan Huan contributed to this story.

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/07/2017 page10)