Photography in China.

Photography in China dates back to the early 19th century with the arrival of European photographers in Macao. In the 1850s, western photographers set up studios in the coastal port cities, but soon their Chinese assistants and local competition spread to all regions. By the end of the nineteenth century, all major cities had photographic studios where middle class Chinese could have portraits taken for family occasions; western and Chinese photographers documented ordinary street life, major wars, and prominent figures; and affluent Chinese adopted photography as a hobby. Even the Empress Dowager Cixi had her portrait taken repeatedly. In the twentieth century, photography in China, as in other countries around the world, was used for recreation, record keeping, newspaper and magazine journalism, political propaganda, and fine-art photography. According to the scholar Meccarelli,Chinese photography is "the result of combining several different factors:

• the study of optics (invention of camera obscura)

• the development of modern chemistry (photosensitive substances)

• the diffusion and settlement of Western medicine (especially anatomy)

• the presence of Westerners and missionaries (know-how and use of the photographic tool)

Furthermore, we should never forget that, being an art and a science, photography resulted also from the theoretical and technical assumptions of painting and printing traditions.

EARLYSTUDIOS...
In the second half of the 19th century, some Chinese photo studios were establied, such as Kung Tai (公泰照相樓)[2] and Sze Yuen Ming (上洋耀華照相) in Shanghai, and Pun Lun (繽綸) and Lai Afong (赖阿芳) in Hong Kong.

George R. West
Hugh Mackay

The first half of the 20th century....

Gao Fan (1922-2004) wartime and post-1949 photographer . [3]
Ho Fan (1937-, 何藩) photographer and filmmaker

Liu Bannong (1891–1934, 劉半農) documentary
Lang Jingshan (Long Chin-san; 1892-1995). Considered China's first photojournalist.
Niu Weiyu photographer of Chinese Communist Party leaders and wartimes activities.
Gao Fan (1922-2004) wartime and post-1949 photographer . [3]
Sha Fei (1912-1948)...