Fighting stereotypes with a camera

As Xinjiang marks the 60th anniversary of its founding as an autonomous region this month, one Uygur is using photography to paint a different picture of the place, report Cheng Lu and Wen Chihua from China Features

When amateur boxer Kurbanjan Samat bought his first camera, he never expected that he would one day use photos to fight the stigma surrounding people from his native Xinjiang, his fellow Uygurs in particular.

"You're thought of first and foremost as a barbecue operator, nut cake vendor, thief or terrorist if you're from Xinjiang," the 33-year-old photographer and documentary filmmaker says, referring to perceptions of people from this restive northwest corner of China.