Through the lens: a photographer's view

"Chinese people give the best impression of China and what it stands for — and for me, that has always been a very positive impression," British photographer Mike Longhurst said at the Vision China event in London on Thursday.

The event, hosted by China Daily and themed "Listen to Each Other, Open New Horizons", brought together voices from across business, culture, and policy to discuss UK-China ties.

Longhurst is an accomplished documentary and street photographer based in London. Having pursued photography for most of his life, he was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society, or FRPS, in 2004 for his work in travel photography. His work has also been regularly published in the society's Travel Log journal.

Longhurst has visited China in different roles throughout his career — businessman, sustainability consultant, tourist. As a Fellow of the RPS — among the world's oldest photographic societies, founded in 1853 — he offered guests a photographer's perspective on China, explaining how his camera allows him to observe the places he visits objectively and without preconceived bias.

"I see modernity. The view of Pudong from The Bund in Shanghai is one of the great urban vistas of the world, and a walk along the Bund at sunset rivals any city walk," he said.

"I see world-class facilities — modern trains including the amazing Maglev.

"I see a great respect for the preservation of history. Temples and palaces are wonderful reminders of China's past and are obviously highly valued.

"I see the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, which only China has.

"I see how China takes special care of the pandas.

"I see culture. It shows in much of the new architecture, but also in the traditional theater performances full of color and spectacle.

"I see dramatic scenery, from the rice terraces, to the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and the amazing Karst scenery of the Li River in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region."

But as a photographer, Longhurst looks beyond these more obvious images of China.

"What I mostly see is the people. It is the people and their values that determine how all the things I have mentioned are financed, created, maintained and presented," he said.

Whenever possible, Longhurst said, he would wander off the tourist routes into back-streets to see the people preparing for the day — sweeping streets to keep them clean or practicing tai chi in the early morning.

"I see a kind of togetherness that is missing in many cultures and what appears to be energy and enthusiasm. I really have to say that is quite unusual in the world, and I have been to many places where it seems to be entirely missing," he said.

"Everyone I have traveled with agrees that the people give the best impression of China and what it stands for, and for me, that has always been a very positive impression."

hexiating@chinadaily.com.cn