My mentor Zhao Zipei
Wang Fuhai
It is the middle of winter, the cold wind blows outside the window, and the dead leaves are falling. I carefully admired the "Selected Photographs of Zhao Zipei" with the title inscribed by Mu Qing in my humble room, and was intoxicated by the incredibly beautiful and fantastic frames of photography. 40 years ago, Zhao Zipei, a member of the Chinese Photographers Association and a retired cadre of the Propaganda Department of the Ningling County Committee of the Communist Party of China, taught me photography knowledge step by step. The past events came to mind. ……
In the early 1980s, I left my post in the news reporting team of the political organ of the Mudanjiang Border Guard Force in Northeast China and returned to my hometown. Gao Daochun, who was the political commissar of the Ministry of Human Resources and Armed Forces of Ningling County at the time, learned that I was engaged in news reporting in the army. He was also a news officer. After learning about the situation, he asked me to go to the Political and Engineering Section of the County Armed Forces Ministry to work with Li Chunfeng, the news officer, to engage in militia political education and news propaganda. Soon, Li Chunfeng changed his job, and no one was doing news and publicity for a while. Just like that, a large stall of text photography and the key to the darkroom for developing black and white photos were handed over to me. From then on, a Seagull 120 camera followed me. Because most of what I did in the border defense force political office was text reporting, but I knew nothing about photography. Political Commissar Gao Daochun encouraged me that if I didn’t know how to study, there would be nothing I couldn’t learn as long as I put my mind to it. I also invested nearly 10,000 yuan to buy a Ricoh camera, film developing supplies, photo paper, etc. Although I didn't have this " diamond ", I could only take on this "porcelain job". One summer, Ningling County was hit by rare hail and strong winds. The crops, vegetable greenhouses and cotton in Yangyi, Liulou, Zhanggong, Huanggang, Huabao, Chenglou and other towns in the south of the county were smashed to pieces. After the disaster occurred, political commissar Gao Daochun said to me: "Xiao Wang, hurry up and go to the countryside with your camera and county mayor Shi Xiaokong to check the disaster situation. Take pictures and report the disaster situation to your superiors!" I followed the leader throughout most of the county and went to the darkroom at night to develop the film. At this time, I thought of Teacher Zhao Zipei from the Propaganda Department across the street, so I went to find him holding the camera and developing tank. Zhao Zipei carefully put the developing tank into the darkroom bag, asked me to put my hand inside, and taught me how to roll the film. He also wrote many photography books, darkroom production, development D72, D76 formula tables, and asked me to memorize them and paste them on the wall. Mitol and other chemicals should be weighed with balance according to the requirements in the 1 formula table. Then he taught me how to compose pictures, use light, photography techniques, how to capture portraits, still life, dynamic photography, etc. In order for me to learn photography as soon as possible, whenever he went to the countryside for interviews, he would take me with him on the green "Chongqing 80" two-wheeled motorcycle owned by the Propaganda Department, and teach me step by step how to compose pictures, how to use light, how to capture people's expressions, and how to render grand scenes. I remember what he said: "When taking a photo, the expression is important when taking a photo, and the scene is important when taking a photo. When taking a photo, people's emotions and joys must be expressed on the face, so that the grand scene can create a magnificent beauty!" I followed him and traveled all over the rural corners of Ningling County. When we went to the countryside, we never caused trouble to the grassroots or disturbed the people. We ate the steamed buns we brought with us when we were hungry, and drank the boiled water we brought with us when we were thirsty. A large number of vivid and aesthetic news photos were taken from the grassroots level. Ludazhuang Village, Zhaocun Township, has ancestral woodworking craftsmanship. The village's hand-turned mallets, poles, sewing bones, ladles and other handicrafts have been famous in dozens of miles around for hundreds of years. When pear blossoms were in full bloom and the flying grass grew, Teacher Zhao Zipei took me to the pear bushes in Ludazhuang Village. I was immediately intoxicated by the scenery in front of me: in the viewfinder, there were snow-white pear blossoms on my head, and golden flowers on the ground. The yellow rapeseed flowers are fragrant, bees are flying around, an over-year-old grandfather with a white beard is making products with a turning tool in his hand, and several children learning to talk are playing around behind him. This is a breathtakingly beautiful picture. Zhao Zipei is truly a photographer! Then, Teacher Zhao asked me to hold my breath and gently pressed the shutter button. Later, this photo was adopted by "Henan Daily". One spring, Teacher Zhao Zipei took me to Liuhe to interview veteran Fan Guangde, who went from village to village collecting scraps and became rich through hard work.After arriving at the scene, I saw all kinds of waste piled and scattered in a mess. At this time, Teacher Zhao Zipei leaned down and did not mind the mess. He sorted it out by himself, sorting and arranging the items. Then he asked Fan Guangde to sit in the middle, placing the waste products with a smile on his face, and let me capture the most beautiful moment with my camera. After the photo was sent, "Henan Daily" quickly adopted the title "Veterans go from village to house to collect scraps, showing off their talents through hard work and wealth." It was also featured on the second page of the "Social Security News" on September 16, 1988.
Later, through the words and deeds of Teacher Zhao Zipei, I applied the photography knowledge he taught me to the practice of news reporting. Focusing on the propaganda theme of each period, I went into the countryside to capture fresh and powerful news photography materials. Then I filled the film, developed and fixed it in the darkroom, and mailed or sent the news photos to the newspaper in a timely manner. For example, I humbly visited Mr. Wei Dezhong, a senior reporter in the Photography Department of Henan Daily, who was famous for his work on "Red Flag Canal", and asked him for advice on photos, and Geng Zexian, Director of the Photography Department of "Henan Daily," whom I humbly asked for advice. While I was good at writing, my photography skills were taught by teacher Zhao Zipei. I basically developed the black and white film by myself, enlarged it by myself, polished and dried it, and mailed it to the newspaper for publication. The front cover of the first issue of "People's Public Security" magazine in 1990 published my photo: Police in Ningling County, Henan Province rescued a kidnapped baby boy; on June 30, 1995, the third page of "Farmers Daily" published my news photo: Kimono belts woven by rural youths in Chuzhuang, Ningling County, Henan Province were exported to Japan; May 25, 1988 The third page of "China Food Newspaper" published my work: "Pear Village Tour" on May 3, 2001; the third page of "People's Public Security Newspaper" on May 3, 2001 also distributed my news pictures in a long newsletter on the personnel system reform of the Ningling County Public Security Bureau in Henan Province. It was Zhao Zipei who guided me in the direction of my life, enabled me to eagerly learn basic photography knowledge, and changed my destiny. Teacher Zhao Zipei is humble, sincere and very low-key. He imparted his knowledge to others without reservation. As far as I know, he cultivated many photographic talents. For example, Wang Qi, who retired from the position of deputy director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Shangqiu City, Zhang Yimin, the former transportation director of Shangqiu City, Wang Wei, the former vice chairman of the Ningling County CPPCC, and Zhen Jingzhong, the former deputy director of the County Radio, Film and Television Bureau... It can be said that Teacher Zhao Zipei has students all over the world!
On the journey of life, we always have to work hard, and there will always be many unforgettable past events that are unforgettable and touching. I am grateful to my parents who gave me birth and raised me, and to the people who gave me the strength and courage to fight. I am even more grateful to my mentor, Zhao Zipei!
