"All images are artificial." - John Berger Love. Picture/Colored by Zhou Zhiyong. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong walks on stilts. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong One day in 1984, in a corner of the university campus, hanging black and white photos were swaying in the wind. Human nature, human feeling

"All images are man-made."

- John Berg

Love. Picture/Colored painting by Zhou Zhiyong

. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

walking on stilts. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

One day in 1984, in a corner of the university campus, hanging black and white photos were swaying in the wind. Human nature, human feelings, full of stories jump out on the paper, the steps are frozen, the heart is surging, and there is an urge to touch the shutter, to record, to record with heart.

morning glow. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

Chaoyang. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

After 30 years, one day in 2014, I finally got my own camera. Overjoyed, I disappeared from the market, chasing light and shadow, and hitting the shutter in the mottled spots. Winning an award by chance made me understand that practice requires more support from theory. As a result, I bought a large number of photography books on composition, techniques, photography, literature, aesthetics, philosophy and other famous works, and devoured them alive to learn them. I was lucky enough to listen to Teacher Chen Xiaobo’s lecture, which opened my eyes even more. After a short chat after class, I left Teacher Chen’s WeChat account. For nearly a month, I received a message from Teacher Chen every morning before 7 o’clock. The masterpieces of famous artists and Mr. Chen’s intentional works made me understand the connection between images and photographers, improve my photography literacy, and shoot the stories around me from the heart. There are always people in your life that you can be grateful for, and Teacher Chen is one of them.

河山. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

Junyi. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

is handsome. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

Junwei. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

I am in a corner, meditating. Go into nature and feel it. I traveled alone to Namibia in Africa, hiked ABC in Nepal, and traveled through the Taihang Mountains... to record, to wait, to record the passing beauty, and to wait for the wonderful moments.

picturesque. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

camel shadow. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

watch. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

I went to Lingling University for the Elderly to teach in the photography class. The desire of the elderly to learn photography and their different interpretations of beauty made me more convinced that I should not take pictures for fame and fortune, but follow my heart. Don’t compete with spring, be a fragrant wintersweet , follow your heart’s desires, and don’t be afraid of the cold winter.

A family. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

sand table. Picture/Zhou Zhiyong

[About the author]

Zhou Zhiyong, Ningyuan , senior photographer, vice chairman of Lingling Photographers Association, senior middle school teacher, member of China Photographic Copyright Association , member of Hunan Photographers Association .

[Editor's Tip]

This article is included in the special topic "Light and Shadow in the Mind of Photographers". "Light and Shadow Vision in Photographers' Hearts" is organized and recommended by Zhu Shijun, a well-known photography expert, planned and edited by online media person He Jianghua, and supported by the entire media of the Red Net Forum. It aims to comprehensively and systematically describe the photographic works and concepts of Hunan photographers and photography groups. Characters and stories are strategies and guides for learning photography skills, improving aesthetic ability , and broadening creative horizons.