He paints portraits through the eye of a camera

"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.