Photojournalist Chen Qinggang observes the world and shoots photos using his mind and heart. His work aims to reflect the reality of China while also providing insight into the essence of human nature. He want to give a voice to the victims, so he rushed to the disaster area. His photo "Rescue troops carry earthquake survivor out of Beichuan county" won the first prize in the Spot News Singles category of the 52nd annual World Press Photo Contest in But his commitment to telling human stories began earlier.
He met with as many of the surviving victims β those who were willing to share their stories β as possible. Since , Chen has also focused on China's efforts to lift hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty. A: When I realized photos can be an effective medium to tell stories, I began documentary photography. I always admired those who can tell their stories using words, paintings or films.
Q: What makes a good documentary photographer? The techniques and the art of it are mostly reflected in how subject matter is displayed, requiring the photographer to understand and respect the subject. Not to glorify or vilify but to capture the real world without making things up. Documentary photography not only reflects what is happening now but also in the future.
I believe it is part of photojournalism. Q: You have produced many realistic photo series, targeting groups that are often easily neglected. This means you have to put in a lot of time and effort and sometimes even risk your life. So what is behind your persistence? Have you ever doubted whether it is worth the effort?
A: Most of the time I do it out of a desire for truth or the temptation from the unknown world. I want it just as much as I am eager to find out the answer to a riddle. Such desire sometimes even outweighs responsibility or mission. Of course you can see finding the truth as a kind of responsibility or mission.
